Heathen Town lyrics

Song information

Artist: Elvis Costello
Album: Punch The Clock

Lyrics

We used to call it sin city
Now it's gone way past that
Painting the town
And then burning it down
And even that's old hat
Now there' a choir of angels
In "the fall of rome" (a bar at caesar's palace)
Singin' "ave maria"
Or "home sweet home"

Chorus:
It's just a heathen town
I hear only evil
As my tongue is tightened
I used to be god-fearing
Now I'm so frightened
'Cause the devil will drag you under
By the sharp tailfin
Of your checker cab (an american cab company)
Now I can't sit down
I'm going overboard
In this heathen town

It starts as a flirtation
Then ends up as an expensive habit
With one eye on a place in debtor's prison
And the other on a girl
Dressed as a rabbit
Now you can live forever
In your fits and starts
The only stake you cannot raise
Is the one driven through your heart

Chorus

The people all said sit down
Sit down you're rocking the boat
The people all said sit down
Sit down you're rocking the boat
'Cause the devil will drag you under
By the sharp lapels of your checkered coat
Sit down, sit down, sit down, sit down
Sit down you're rocking the boat