|
All The World's Green |
|
(Blood Money studio version, 2002) |
|
I fell into the ocean |
|
When you became my wife |
|
I risked it all against the sea |
|
To have a better life |
|
Marie you are the wild blue sky |
|
And men do foolish things |
|
You turn kings into beggars |
|
And beggars into kings |
|
Pretend that you owe me nothing |
|
And all the world is green |
|
We can bring back the old days again |
|
But all the world is green |
|
The face forgives the mirror |
|
The worm forgives the plow(2) |
|
The question begs the answer |
|
Can you forgive me somehow |
|
Maybe when our story's over |
|
We'll go where it's always spring |
|
The band is playing our song again |
|
And all the world is green |
|
Pretend that you owe me nothing |
|
And all the world is green |
|
Pretend we can bring back the old days again |
|
But all the world is green |
|
The moon is yellow silver(4) |
|
On the things that summer brings |
|
It's a love you'd kill for |
|
And all the world is green |
|
He's balancing a diamond |
|
On a blade of grass(3) |
|
The dew will settle on our grave |
|
And all the world is green |
|
Pretend that you owe me nothing |
|
And all the world is green |
|
We can bring back the old days again |
|
But all the world is green |
|
He's balancing a diamond |
|
On a blade of grass |
|
The dew will settle on our graves |
|
And all the world is green |
|
Official release: Blood Money, Epitaph/ Anti Inc., 2002 |
|
Arrangements and lyrics published in "Tom Waits Blood Money" (Amsco Publications, 2002) |
|
Notes: |
|
(1) Sung as a duet by Woyzeck and Marie in act 3, scene 1 |
|
(2) The worm forgives the plow: Quoted from William Blake's Proverbs From Hell. Excerpt from "Proverbs of Hell" (William Blake: The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, c. 1790): "In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy. Drive your cart and your plough over the bones of the dead. The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom. Prudence is a rich, ugly old maid courted by Incapacity. He who desires but acts not, breeds pestilence. The cut worm forgives the plough. Dip him in the river who loves water. A fool sees not the same tree that a wise man sees. He whose face gives no light, shall never become a star. Eternity is in love with the productions of time." |
|
(3) He is balancing a diamond on a blade of grass: Also mentioned in Bottom Of The World (Orphans, Brawlers, 2006): "Well, God's green hair is where I slept last He balanced a diamond on a blade of grass." |
|
(4) Silver moon: Notice the same phrase being mentioned in: Drunk On the moon, 1974: "And the moon's a silver slipper, It's pouring champagne stars." The World Keeps Turning, 2001: "The world don't care and yet it clings to me, And the moon is gold and silvery." Flower's Grave, 2002: "Someday the silver moon and I, Will go to Dreamland. |
