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In Scarlet Town, where I was born |
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There's ivy leaf and silver thorn |
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The streets have names that you can't pronounce |
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Gold is down to a quarter of an ounce |
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The music starts and the people sway |
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Everybody says, "Are you going my way? " |
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Uncle Tom still workin' for Uncle Bill |
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Scarlet Town is under the hill. |
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Scarlet Town in the month of May |
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Sweet William Holme on his deathbed lay |
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Mistress Mary by the side of the bed |
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Kissin' his face and heapin' prayers on his head |
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So brave, so true, so gentle is he |
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I'll weep for him as he would weep for me |
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Little Boy Blue come your blow horn |
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In Scarlet Town, where I was born |
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Scarlet Town, in the hot noon hours, |
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There's palm-leaf shadows and scattered flowers |
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Beggars crouching at the gate |
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Help comes, but it comes too late |
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By marble slabs and in fields of stone |
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You make your humble wishes known |
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I touched the garment, but the hem was torn |
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In Scarlet Town, where I was born |
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In Scarlet Town, the end is near |
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The Seven Wonders of the World are here |
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The evil and the good livin' side by side |
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All human forms seem glorified |
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Put your heart on a platter and see who will bite |
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See who will hold you and kiss you good night |
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There's walnut groves and maplewood |
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In Scarlet Town cryin' won't do no good |
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In Scarlet Town, you fight your father's foes |
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Up on the hill, a chilly wind blows |
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You fight 'em on high and you fight 'em down in |
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You fight 'em with whiskey, morphine and gin |
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You've got legs that can drive men mad |
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A lot of things we didn't do that I wish we had |
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In Scarlet Town, the sky is clear |
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You'll wish to God that you stayed right here |
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Set 'em Joe, play "Walkin' the Floor" |
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Play it for my flat-chested junkie whore |
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I'm staying up late, I'm making amends |
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While we smile, all heaven descends |
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If love is a sin, then beauty is a crime |
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All things are beautiful in their time |
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The black and the white, the yellow and the brown |
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It's all right there in front of you in Scarlet Town |
