Painted ladies linger long As quietly they play Mmmmm Crimson petals softly falling down, Silent as the grave, and still they stay ’Til the dawning of the day When the moon has had his way
I have labored for the darkness, Painted pictures of the night Mmmmmm See the shadows on my face Against a pallet of the purest white And a ribbon made to shine To light the darkness of my eyes
On Fourth Avenue there’s fire in the sky And the dancers fill the night On a wheel spinning round and around In a dream for which to die Mmmmm
The golden pendulum of autumn Singing softly of the end Mmmmmmm The ivory face above the mirror And two lovers who pretend To love again, But the southern bird ascends And burns a candle in the wind
On the corner there’s a band that is playing And the people march along As the trumpet plays a final refrain As the dancers fill the dawn And the dream it lingers on