C G/b F/a
Well, I wandered alone through a desert of stone
C G11 C
And I dreamt of my future wife
C F C
My sword's in my hand and I'm next in command
F/a
In this version of death called life *)
/b C F C
My plate and my cup are right straight up
F/a
I took a rose from the hand of a child
/b C G/b F/a
When I kiss your lips, the honey drips
C G11 C
I'm gonna have to put you down for a while
Every day we meet on any old street And you're in your girlish prime The short and the tall are coming to the ball I go there all the time Behind every tree there's something to see The river is wider than a mile I tried you twice, you can't be nice I'm gonna have to put you down for a while
Here come the nurse with money in her purse Here come the ladies and men You push it all in, and you've no chance to win You play 'em on down to the end I'm laying in the sand getting a sunshine tan Moving along riding in style From my toes to my head you knock me dead I'm gonna have to put you down for a while
I count the years and i shed no tears I'm blinded to what might have been Nature's voice makes my heart rejoice Play me the wild song of the wind I found hopeless love in the room above When the sun and the weather were one You're as fine as wine, I ain't handing you no line I'm gonna have to put you down for a while
All the merry little elves can go hang themselves My faith is as cold as can be **) I'm stacked high to the roof, and I'm not without proof If you don't believe me, come see. You think i'm blue I think so too In my words you'll find no guile The game's gotten old The deck's gone cold And i'm gonna have to put you down for a while
The game's gotten old The deck's gone cold I'm gonna have to put you down for a while
*) Cf. Peter Green’s translation of Ovid’s “Tristia and the Black Sea Letters”, page 124: “if such a version of death can be called ‘life.’”
**) Cf. Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew, IV. 3: Faith, as cold as can be. (the reference was communicated to me by Brad Sanders).