Taming The Tiger

The general offered
No apologies
He said "the soldiers erred in judgement
They should have hired a hooker"
No apologies
To the outraged japanese
No "sorry little girl"
The pigs just took her
Tireskids and teethmarks
What happened to this place?
Lawyers and loan sharks
Are laying america to waste

Freddie said that "juan thinks, i think
He's the devil"
What a lofty title
For such a petty little tyrant
Bigger beasts abound
And they kick this world around
At this crazy speed
With violence and greed
Tireskids and teethmarks
What happened to this place?
Lawyers and loan sharks
Are laying america to waste

So what makes a man a man
In these tough times
As druglords buy up the banks
And warlords radiate the oceans
Ecosystems fail
Snakes and snails and puppy tails
Are wagging in the womb
Beneath the trampled moon
Tireskids and teethmarks
What happened to this place?
Lawyers and loan sharks
Are laying america to waste

The general offered
No apologies

I went so numb on christmas day
I couldn't feel my hands or feet
I shouldn't have come
She made me pay
For gleaming with donald down her street
She put blame on him
And shame on me
She made it all seem so tawdry and cheap
"oh, let's be nice, mama, open up your gifts
You know, happiness is the best facelift"

I mean, after all, she introduced us
Oh, but she regrets that now
Shacked up downtown
Making love without a license
Same old sacred cow
She said, "did you come home to disgrace us?"
I said, "why is this joy not allowed?
For god's sake, i'm middle-aged, mama
And time moves swift
And you know happiness is the best facelift"

Oh, love takes so much courage
Love takes so much shit
He said "you've seen too many movies, joni"
She said "snap out of it!"
Oh, the cold winds blew at our room with a view
All helpful and hopeful and candlelit
We kissed the angels and the moon eclipsed
You know, happiness is the best facelift

We pushed the bed up to the window
To see the christmas lights
On the east bank across the steaming river
Between the bridges lit up paris-like
This river has run through both our lives
Between these banks of our continuing delights
Bless us, don't let us lose the drift
You know, happiness is the best facelift.

"kiss my ass!" i said
And i threw my drink
Tequila trickling
Down his business suit
Must be the irish blood
Fight before you think
Turn it now
You can't cowtow
You can't undo it
It's his town
And that went down
Like a lead balloon
Lead lead lead lead balloon
He said "sic her, rover"
That went over
Like a lead balloon
Lead lead lead lead balloon
Lead balloon

An angry man is just an angry man
But an angry woman
Bitch!
I had to ask him for a helping hand
It came with the heart
Of a bonaparte
Of a frozen fish
It's his town
And that went down
Like a lead balloon
Lead lead lead lead balloon
He said "sic her, rover"
That went over
Like a lead balloon
Lead lead lead lead balloon
Lead balloon

Lead balloon, lead lead lead lead balloon
Lead balloon, lead lead lead lead balloon
Lead balloon, lead lead lead lead balloon
Lead balloon

It's his town
And that went down
Like a lead balloon
Lead lead lead balloon
He said "sic her, rover"
That went over
Like a lead balloon
Lead lead lead lead balloon
Lead balloon
Lead lead lead lead balloon
Lead lead lead lead balloon
Lead balloon

He said "you think you're a lady
But i know you're a woman
We are as young as the night"
I said "no telephones ringing
No company coming
Just the lap of the lake and the firelight"
And the lonely loon and the crescent moon
What a pocket of heavenly grace
But in france they say
Everyday
Love puts on a new face
Love has many faces

About a month or so later he said
"why can't you be happy
You make me feel helpless when you get this way"
I said "i'm up to my neck in alligators
Jaws gnashing at me
Each one trying to pull a piece away"
Darling, you can't slay these beasts of prey
Some bad dreams even love can't erase
But in france they say
Everyday
Love puts on a new face
Love has many faces

He said "i wish you were with me here
The leaves are electric
They burn on the river bank
Countless heatless flames"
I said "send me some pictures then
And i'll paint pyrotechnic
Explosions of your autumn till we meet again
I miss your touch and your lips so much
I long for our next embrace"
But in france they say
Everyday
Love puts on a new face
Love puts on a new face
Love has many faces
Many many faces

It was a dark and a stormy night
Everyone was at the wing-ding
They weren't the wing-ding type
So they went up on the train bridge
Where the weather was howling
And oh, oh, my my
When that train comes rolling by
No paper thin walls, no folks above
No one else can hear
The crazy cries of love

They were laughing, they were dancing in the rain
They knew their love was a strong one
When they heard the far off whistle of a train
They were hoping it was going to be a long one
Cuz oh, oh, my my
When that train comes rolling by
No paper thin walls, no folks above
No one else can hear
The crazy cries of love

In the back booth of an all night cafe
Two dripping raincoats are hanging
Outside in the weather
The shade on the streetlight is clanging
And they smile ear to ear and eye to eye
Ice cream is melting on a piece of pie
Oh, my my
No one else can hear
The cries of love

Every kiss was sweet and strong
Every touch was totally tandem
As the train come a-rumbling along
They sang a lover's song of wild abandon
And oh, oh, my my
When that train comes rolling by
No paper thin walls, no folks above
No one else can hear
The crazy cries of love
No paper thin walls, no folks above
No one else can hear
The crazy cries of love