well, a shoot-out coming, a countdown running
hawks clutch erections at the slightest mention
of high-noon showdowns in pre-emptive ghost towns
the wives and kids get dressed for the final round of
a swingin' revival, a benchmark in denial
a party to touch the gods
a never-ending rotation of the cream of the nations
six cowboys nod and set to ride
one's got the guns, one's got the numbers
one's got the sun dead between the eyes
one seeks perfection, one needs directions
one's got a hunger for infant cries

and the big night has come to the phantoms
and the wheeler-dealer shakers, moonrakers
conniving corner bakers
dressed for success and debonair as hell
to the nines and beyond!
well, I fear that that five percent ain't faired so well
invitations lost in the post
so a toast to the tiniest tittle of corporeality
of this phantom persecution we feel
well, that's a catch-22, a catch-22
a prison cell for the meaning of life
it's like a mega-ton bomb dropped on the head
of the land mine next to your beautiful wife
as the ballroom fills up with costume jewelry, costumed foolery
poison-tipped lothario serves strawberries
to the tidiest of maidens ending inflated warranties
they've been to london, been to france
found the means to finance nuclear plants
and it's alright if they don't mean a thing that they say
because every time I look around it's hellbound, hellbound
so turn off the lights and turn up the sound
shake, shake, shake it down

buckets full of virgins, barrows full of diamonds
everything in heaven is free to a public dull and cruel
force-fed on common gruel
the tap dance turned to a blind stampede
it's sunday bloody sunday, hallelujah monday
peace be upon us all
as the chaff burns inside the furnace of the mind
is this your first dance at the ball

I see a negative reaction in the fabrics of the crowd
so send a message to the man with two heads in his hands
you let him know this violence ain't allowed til it's time
time to begin that brawl, time to follow great satan's lead
as the ballroom floor becomes a butchering shore
the right to die becomes a need
so spin, spin, spin around the common homemaker
make 'em feel the end of the world
you ball 'em up inside your empty bottom line
it's prayers for peace and death for pearls
give 'em an answer, dastards and dancers
bring 'em orgasms tonight
enemies intrude, everybody's nude
everybody chooses to fuck or fight
and it's alright if they don't mean a thing that they say
because every time I look around it's hellbound, hellbound
so turn off the lights and turn up the sound
shake, shake, shake it down

as your idle classes aim their flaccid arrows over fashionable distractions
go on, save that cat and mouse holy gospel of inaction
all the martyrs and pornographers, both must be naked before this throne
for one it's degrading business, for the other it just feels like home
as the champagne flows over history's hump
bump the meter to the red
bring your scepters and sigils and soldiers
kick your heels in the land of the dead
while mahmoud spins the records, johnny hagar spits the curse of the lord
the margarita leading the damned to dance for the madness of king george
so mightn't there've could've been a dire situation?
a glorious conflagration with dissension in the ranks
when the men in the wigs meet the men on the plank
crying atticus, atticus, spare me a square
could you spare me some time?
can you lock me in the bank
until the ballroom combusts?
until the canvas is blank?
send a note, send a letter, just tell me who to thank for
the mercy, the mercy, the truth that won't hurt me
the feeling that I might survive this hell
as the spell of the night is swept up inside the great vacuum in the sky
the cowboys round up everyone who knew the man on the grassy knoll
the fireplace gives a warm welcome back to every decrepit soul
they take it in stride, burn 'em alive
they suffer just the same as you and I
they dressed up opinion as a jester of wisdom
today's a lovely day to pay that price
and it's alright to ignore everything that they say
because every time I look around it's hellbound, hellbound
so turn off the lights and turn up the sound
shake, shake, shake it down