It was a pretty big year for fashion
A lousy year for rock and roll
The people gave their blessing to crimes of passion
It was a dark, dark night of the collective soul
I was somewhere down by Riverside
By the El Royale Hotel
When a stranger appeared in a cloud of smoke
I thought I knew him all to well
He said, "Now that I have your attention
He said, "It's just like home
And the hill are burning
"Nice car........
"They pawned a bitting phrase
"We were stokin' the fires
And the war was coming
"Today I made an appearance downtown
It was a pretty big year for predators
He said, "It's just like home
And the fruit is rotten
I got somethin' I wanna say
You may not want to hear it
I'm going to tell it to you anyway
You know, I've always liked you, boy
'Cause you were not afraid of me
but things are going get mighty rough
Here in Gomorrah-By-The-Sea"
It's so damn hot, I can't stand it
My fine seersucker suit is all soakin' wet"
The wind is raging
And the clock strikes midnight
In the Garden of Allah
I love those Bavarians........so meticulious
Y'know, I remember a time where things were a lot more
fun around her
When good was good, and evil was evil
Before things got so........fuzzy
Yeah, I was once a golden boy like you
I was summoned to the halls of power in the heavenly court
And I dined with the deities who looked upon me with favor
For my talents; my creativity
We sat beneath the plams in the warm afternoons
And drank the wine with Fitzgerald and Huxley"
From tongues hot with blood
And drained their pens of bitter ink
Vainly reaching for the bottle full of empty Edens
Branded specially for the ones
Who had come with great expectations
To the perfumed halls of Allah
For their time in the sun"
And oilin' up the machinery
Until the gods found out we had ideas of our own"
The earth was shaking
And there was no more room
In the Garden of Allah
I am an expert witness, because I say I am
And I said, 'Gentlemen....and I used that word loosely....
I will testify for you
I'm a gun for hire, I'm a saint, I'm a liar
Because there are no facts, there is no truth
Just data to be manipulated
I can get you any result you like
What's it worth to ya?
Because there is no wrong, there is no right
And I sleep very well at night
No shame, no solutoin
No remorse, no retribution
Just people selling t-shirts
Just opportunity to participate in the pathetic little circus
And winning, winning, winning'"
The marketplace was on a roll
And the land of opportunity
Spawned a whole new breed of men without souls
This year, notoriety got all confused with fame
And the devil is downhearted
Because there's nothing left for him to claim
It's so low down, I can't stand it
I guess my work around here has all been done"
The serpent's eyes shine
As he wraps around the vine
In the Garden of Allah