Back when I was living in the Quarter,
You had just moved in with Trouble's daughter.
I was insisting that I loved you better than her.
All of the rhymes that I committed,
I left them to lie in the sun for a minute.
I couldn't bear to be a sinner
in your sweet name.
And what do you mean by that?
Do you mean to break my heart?
Do you mean to break my heart in two?
It was down on the cobblestones where I found you--
Way out on Rampart, by Toulouse.
Come on upstairs--I'll tell you my story--
I'll sing you my song.
You know that the cold ground was my bed last night--
Blanket of clouds, stars for my nightlight.
All that I had was a pocketful of prayers and unanswered dreams.
And what do you mean by that?
Do you mean to break my heart?
Do you mean to break my heart in two?
I'm calling on Dymphna to heal and protect us
Remember your sisters down in this world below
I been in the trenches and I'm here to tell you
Its a hard row to hoe.
Most of my heroes died in the gutter--
Johnson and Foster, MacTell and Hurston
I follow them down, and ride with the current
that's pulling me home.
And what do you mean by that?
Do you mean to break my heart?
Do you mean to break my heart in two?
credits
from Wine Dark Sea,
released May 19, 2014
JH- song, vocals, rhythm guitar
IS- solemnly witnessing guitar
DW- chordal, grand crunchy guitar
AB- ranting, weeping guitar
GM-- bass
DR and JV-- drums