Reflections of the Marionette

Call the dogs and sound the horns
The city key of where I's born's
Been stolen
By someone I thought I knew

She blew in with some angel dust
From the southern state where love is lust
Yeah, I hope she's gone
By the time this song is through

Out of morn, the passers-by
She wets her lips, sweats her eyes
Baits her tongue with pity for her prey
(Do your best to look away)

And she transcends the avenue
A smile for me, a wink for you
I guess I'll take my place in yesterday

But darlin' I can't wait
For you to leave this town
You just got here too late
And no one wants you 'round

With one foot on my back
And the other on the rail
I don't want to see you fall
I want to see you fail

And the night is sweet, the night's divine
It stains your teeth with blood-red wine
And leaves you lyin'
In your enemy's arms

And while you mumble down the hall
Something 'bout a skin-made wall
You find you're just
A sucker for her charms

And the vanity that cakes her face
Sucks you in to death's embrace
Feel your sense of self just fade away
(Spread you ashes in your grave)

And see you're just a one man show
And once you're done, it's time to go
Hear somebody's footsteps down the way

But darlin' I can't wait
For you to leave this town
You just got here too late
And no one wants you 'round

With one foot on my back
And the other on the rail
I don't want to see you fall
I just want to see you fail

And the youth protests the failing light
With his shirt sleeves rolled in the humid night
He wonders when it was
That he went wrong

And in denial, while he ascends
To a lofty room, all dreams end
He watches while his footsteps
Lead him on

And in the fires, he takes his time
The well-worn steps, he slowly climbs
The final line of meathooks on display
(Did your conscience lose its way?)

And in the streets the sirens sing
What word they tell, what news they bring
The puppet and his cloak of strings obeys
That's just bound in suede
Hail the death of day

But darlin' I can't wait
For you to leave this town
You just got here too late
And no one wants you 'round

With one foot on my back
And the other on the rail
I don't want to see you fall
I want to see you fail

I don't want to see you fall
I want to see you fail