ARABIAN NIGHTS
Shrieks of Sheikhs as they come across the movie screen
A thousand sand-dune soldiers led by an Arabian Queen
And the Harem girls move like Clancy's dancers
Through my dirty dreams
I wake up on the floor clutching the bed lamp
Mama comes in, she screams
"Hey you been out with that tramp again last night
That silver-sequined Arab black bitch
You know the one Mama don't like?"
But Mama she sings me moontime melodies
With this great Top 40 hook
Mama just stares and Papa don't care but he says
A thousand sand-dune soldiers led by an Arabian Queen
And the Harem girls move like Clancy's dancers
Through my dirty dreams
I wake up on the floor clutching the bed lamp
Mama comes in, she screams
"Hey you been out with that tramp again last night
That silver-sequined Arab black bitch
You know the one Mama don't like?"
But Mama she sings me moontime melodies
With this great Top 40 hook
Mama just stares and Papa don't care but he says
"Look Mama, the girl's alright. The girl's alright"
He turns and says "Tell me son what’s the word"
Cause you know he can't hear
Papa the word's out on the curb
But don't go near it
It's criticised as too absurd
Even the animals fear it
Papa says "Fetch me my flashlight son"
And stumbles out the front door
So come out from behind your bunkers
'Cos the lift-offs been a bust
Papa's gone and Mama's dead
And buried in my rocket dust
Whoa you're alone now for the first time
Don't worry cause that's all right
Because all fear will completely disappear
Come the Arabian Night
Now soundman smiles and turns the dials
To set the meter readin' rising
He pulls the singer's voice from out of his pocket
To see if the audience likes it
And in the very first row sits sweet Jenny Row
With a bell on her shoe and she wants him to make it
He flicks a switch but Jenny moves too fast
And the audience sways to the sound of her shotgun blast
The manager comes running out from behind stage and says
"Check the band's arms for bullet holes
Make that man roll up his sleeves"
The drummer shoots himself with cyanide
And then asks to be relieved
And me, I just say, "It's too crazy in here
Which is the stage door out
He turns and says "Tell me son what’s the word"
Cause you know he can't hear
Papa the word's out on the curb
But don't go near it
It's criticised as too absurd
Even the animals fear it
Papa says "Fetch me my flashlight son"
And stumbles out the front door
So come out from behind your bunkers
'Cos the lift-offs been a bust
Papa's gone and Mama's dead
And buried in my rocket dust
Whoa you're alone now for the first time
Don't worry cause that's all right
Because all fear will completely disappear
Come the Arabian Night
Now soundman smiles and turns the dials
To set the meter readin' rising
He pulls the singer's voice from out of his pocket
To see if the audience likes it
And in the very first row sits sweet Jenny Row
With a bell on her shoe and she wants him to make it
He flicks a switch but Jenny moves too fast
And the audience sways to the sound of her shotgun blast
The manager comes running out from behind stage and says
"Check the band's arms for bullet holes
Make that man roll up his sleeves"
The drummer shoots himself with cyanide
And then asks to be relieved
And me, I just say, "It's too crazy in here
Which is the stage door out
I gotta get up tomorrow morning for work"
The promoter says "Man, once you're in they all lead out
Whats the matter man, ain't you heard?
There's a war going on on the outside
And I'm paying you to sing like a bird
So get in and get tough or get up and get out
Because things are'nt too tight"
I told him "Don't worry man, everything's gonna loosen up
Come the Arabian Night
Oh yeah, come the Arabian Night"
Well I got back in bed
But outside my window I heard another gang fight
It's Duke and the boys against the Devil's best men
And both sides have drawn their knives
Now Duke he's a well-known knife-fighter
And with one quick jab he brings the Devil down
He smiles 'cos he knows there's a good bounty on Devil's
In any God-fearin' town
So Duke sold the Devil to some priest in Pennsylvania
To exhibit on his altar Christmas Night
But the Devil's eyes they're still burn red with fire
As long as Duke walks upright
And he swears there's going to be a showdown
Come sundown on the Arabian Night
Whoa on the Arabian, Arabian night
The promoter says "Man, once you're in they all lead out
Whats the matter man, ain't you heard?
There's a war going on on the outside
And I'm paying you to sing like a bird
So get in and get tough or get up and get out
Because things are'nt too tight"
I told him "Don't worry man, everything's gonna loosen up
Come the Arabian Night
Oh yeah, come the Arabian Night"
Well I got back in bed
But outside my window I heard another gang fight
It's Duke and the boys against the Devil's best men
And both sides have drawn their knives
Now Duke he's a well-known knife-fighter
And with one quick jab he brings the Devil down
He smiles 'cos he knows there's a good bounty on Devil's
In any God-fearin' town
So Duke sold the Devil to some priest in Pennsylvania
To exhibit on his altar Christmas Night
But the Devil's eyes they're still burn red with fire
As long as Duke walks upright
And he swears there's going to be a showdown
Come sundown on the Arabian Night
Whoa on the Arabian, Arabian night
NOCHES ÁRABES
Gemidos de Jeques llegan del otro lado de la pantalla
Mil soldados de dunas de arena guiados por una Reina Árabe
Y las chicas del harén se mueven como bailarinas de Clancy
A través de mis sueños obscenos
Me levanto sobre el suelo sujetando la lámpara
Mamá entra y grita
“¡Oye! ¿Estuviste anoche con esa vagabunda otra vez
Esa zorra árabe negra vestida de lentejuelas plateadas
Que sabes que no le gusta a tu madre?”
“Pero mamá, ella me canta melodías lunares
Con ese gran estilo de los 40”
Mamá mira fijamente y Papá no se inmuta pero dice
”Mira Mamá, la chica está bien. La chica está bien”
Se gira y dice: “Dime hijo, ¿cuál es la noticia?”
Puesto que sabes que no te oye
“Papá la noticia está en la calle
Pero no te acerques
Es criticada por demasiado absurda
Incluso los animales la temen”
Papá dice: “Recoge mi linterna, hijo”
Y tropieza al salir con el portal
Así que sal de detrás de tu litera
Porque el despegue ha sido una catástrofe
Papá se ha ido y Mamá está muerta
Y enterrada bajo el polvo de mi cohete
Ahora estás sólo por primera vez
No te preocupes porque eso está bien
Porque todo temor desaparecerá completamente
Se acerca la Noche Árabe
El técnico de sonido sonríe y gira los diales
Para ajustar el aumento del contador
Se saca la voz de cantante de su bolsillo
Para ver si a la audiencia le gusta
Y en plena primera fila se sienta la dulce Jenny Row
Con una campana en su zapato y deseando que él lo haga
Aprieta un interruptor pero Jenny es demasiado rápida
Y la audiencia baila al son del estruendo de su disparo
El mánager sale corriendo de detrás del escenario y dice
“Examinen los brazos de la banda por si hay agujeros de bala
Hagan que ese hombre se arremangue”
El batería se dispara a sí mismo con cianuro
Y después pide ser relevado
Y yo sólo digo: “Demasiada locura por aquí
¿Cuál es la salida del escenario?
Mañana tengo que madrugar para trabajar”
El promotor dice: “Tío, una vez estás dentro, ellos mandan
¿Qué te pasa tío, no lo has oído?
Hay una guerra librándose afuera
Y te pago para que cantes como un pájaro
Así que entra y resiste o levántate y márchate
Porque las cosas no van muy bien”
Yo le digo: “No te preocupes, todo está a punto de cambiar
Se acerca la Noche Árabe
Oh, sí, se acerca la Noche Árabe”
Regreso a la cama
Pero delante de mi ventana oigo otra pelea de bandas
Son Duque y los chicos contra los mejores hombres del Diablo
Y ambos bandos han sacado sus navajas
Duque es famoso usando la navaja
Y con un rápido directo tumba al Diablo
Sonríe porque sabe que hay una gran recompensa por el Diablo
En cualquier ciudad devota
Así que el Duque vende al Diablo a algún cura de Pennsylvania
Para exhibirlo en su altar en Noche Buena
Pero los ojos del Diablo aún arden rojos de ira
Mientras el Duque camina erguido
Y jura que habrá otro combate
Llega el crepúsculo en la Noche Árabe
En la Noche Árabe, la Noche Árabe
Tras sentirse abandonado en la calle Randolph, la ‘Noche Árabe’ (o el rock & roll) se presenta como la única salida que contempla para su desesperada situación.
Un gran tema.
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