G
In the fire blue forests faded and forgotten

I crawled through the cotton fields, picking for cotton
      C
The overseer sneered, his whipping was rotten
       G
With ecstasy
        Em
In child-like terror I tore out the tap roots
      Am
The cards of the lash were calling to follow suit
     D7
I dashed for the swamps, the hounds in hot pursuit
C       G
Jealously
B7
All through the night a figure of fright
     Em
As I hid my head
       B7
And they buried their nose in a cut of my clothes
    Em
Now torn in shreds
      B7
And they never would leave until they believed
     Em
That I was dead
          D                 G
But I'd never curse their names
     D             G
Oh, who am I to blame?
    D              G
I know I'd do the same
    A
Endlessly


[Chorus]
     Bm
And all the high-born ladies
                  Em
So lovely and so true
           A
Have been handed to the soldiers
                            D
When in Rome do as the Romans do


[Verse 2]
G
Frail and afraid in the mists of the morning

The snakes and the spiders were sadly performing
     C
The bark of the dogs kept up the warning
             G
Inside the wood
    Em
Sweating and swearing I crawled from the manger
      Am
The highway appeared to take me from danger
           D7
Is there anyone here who would pick up a stranger?
C               G
Oh I wish you could
   B7
Then someone replied "Would you like a ride?"
Em
"Come in" he said
 B7
We drove for a while, he gave me a smile
Em
And a piece of bread
    B7
The hammer was hard in the chrome of the car
Em
As I cracked his head
          D            G
Then we took off in a spin
        D                G
Oh I smashed his skull again
         D              G
Oh thank you my good friend
            A
I feel so good


[Chorus]
     Bm
And all the high-born ladies
                  Em
So lovely and so true
           A
Have been handed to the soldiers
                            D
When in Rome do as the Romans do


[Verse 3]
            G
Late in the evening I came to the city

I fell to the sidewalks sighing for pity
     C
A diamond was dropped from the hands of the pretty
      G
To be so kind
   Em
Cowards and corpses were busy competing
     Am
The rhymes of the riots were busy repeating
     D7
I raced to the corner and sped from the speeding
   C        G
To save my mind
B7
Latches and locks, companies of cops
Em
Ran from the rain
B7
There was silk in the stores for the whims of the whores
      Em
That shone with shame
    B7
I asked for a light from a priest in the night
     Em
Then I fanned the flames
         D                  G
And the traffic all stood still
    D                        G
To see if someone had been killed
       D                G
I was glad to leave a thrill
    A
So far behind


[Chorus]
     Bm
And all the high-born ladies
                  Em
So lovely and so true
           A
Have been handed to the soldiers
                            D
When in Rome do as the Romans do


[Verse 4]
   G
A monk and his mother were dancing so dandy

The topless nun was handing out candy
        C
The beautiful bishop broke out the brandy
              G
The kiss we crave
        Em
They stuttered and stammered, would I feel like staying
    Am
We fell to our knees, feverishly praying
    D7
The salt in the saltpeter seemed to be saying
   C           G
Be brave, be brave
B7
I reached for a robe, I preached and I probed
      Em
And I taught the tomb
 B7
And the greed for the guilt was played to the hilt
     Em
As I promised doom
  B7
I toyed with their fears 'til coins and tears
  Em
Filled the room
        D                 G
Then I took off down the road
    D                  G
Laughing madly like a toad
    D                     G
God bless every soulless soul
              A
That would be saved


[Chorus]
     Bm
And all the high-born ladies
                  Em
So lovely and so true
           A
Have been handed to the soldiers
                            D
When in Rome do as the Romans do


[Verse 5]
    G
A chorus of children were passing the hours

I joined in their fun and gave them my flowers
   C
Covered with kisses and showered with showers
       G
That they repaid
  Em
Taken and trusting, would I be their teacher?
     Am
She looked so appealing, I wanted to touch her
 D7
Just out of reach, unable to reach her
  C               G
Their hands were raised
   B7
Charmed by the chalk, the lessons were taught
  Em
Inside the class
  B7
They studied the rules of the Samurai schools
 Em
They had to pass
     B7
The room was adjourned, the lessons were learned
   Em
I turned on the gas
       D                        G
And I watched them make their pleas
       D                   G
They passed the test with ease
     D               G
I gave them their degrees
      A
They made the grade


[Chorus]
     Bm
And all the high-born ladies
                  Em
So lovely and so true
           A
Have been handed to the soldiers
                            D
When in Rome do as the Romans do


[Verse 6]
   G
Feeling my weakness, a coward for company

I joined the ranks of the hot and hungry
     C
To teach what it means to have love for your country
      G
We marched away
     Em
We lowered our lives for the lines of a border
     Am
We danced with the mothers, played with the daughters
   D7
We followed our fantasies following orders
       C        G
It was child's play
B7
After the war the bullets were bored
   Em
So we kept the game
B7
With cynical smiles we put them on trial
   Em
To place the blame
B7
Now what kind of beast would love such a feast
     Em
Have you no shame?
      D                 G
So we hung them by the feet
       D                 G
Oh, we shot them in the street
        D           G
Oh, the victory was sweet
           A
On victory day


[Chorus]
     Bm
And all the high-born ladies
                  Em
So lovely and so true
           A
Have been handed to the soldiers
                            D
When in Rome do as the Romans do


[Verse 7]
    G
The bread and the circuses came to be nearing

The Savior or somebody must be appearing
  C
Pagans and pageants were all disappearing
       G
Inside my head
      Em
The stones on the statues were staring and stalling
   Am
Caesar and Cassius were cursing and calling
     D7
The empire had risen and now it was falling
   C      G
Or so it seemed
     B7
The crown and the cross seemed empty and lost
    Em
In dark despair
     B7
And luminous lies, and death in disguise
Em
Were everywhere
     B7
The canvas was cold, the story was old
Em
I said my prayer
       D                  G
Then I crowned him on the head
       D                 G
Oh, I blessed him as he bled
      D                  G
Oh at last, the King is dead
              A
God save the Queen


[Chorus]
     Bm
And all the high-born ladies
                  Em
So lovely and so true
           A
Have been handed to the soldiers
                            D
When in Rome do as the Romans do


[Verse 8]
     G
Now nothing remains for building or burning

The losing of lovers was all I was learning
   C
A time to escape and a time for returning
     G
Had come to me
Em
Back through the ashes and back through the embers
Am
Back through the roads and the ruins I remembered
    D7
My hands at my side I sadly surrendered
C          G
Do as you please
    B7
The hero was home, proven and grown
Em
I fell on the floor
B7
Mad with romance they started to dance
   Em
Their star was born
 B7
I bled like the rain, exploded in pain
    Em
Then I screamed for more
   D                G
Oh, make me feel sublime
     D              G
Release me from my mind
     D                G
Oh, kill me one more time
     A
And set me free


[Chorus]
     Bm
And all the high-born ladies
                  Em
So lovely and so true
           A
Have been handed to the soldiers
                            D
When in Rome do as the Romans do