Stephin Merritt Follow

just outside this window
blood might get on your shoes
please don't track it in though
thank you

we've all read the news
outside, it's drums and trumpets
but here, it's tea and crumpets
here at madam plum's
where everybody comes
we watch the world decay
and dance the night away
here at madam plum's
their trumpets and their drums
are hardly ever heard
and war is just a word

it may be raining fire
but here, we don't enquire
we find it necessary
to take a spot of sherry
and so we find a very
secluded sanctuary
way down in the slums
we step over the bums
behind the liquor store
to find the hidden door
down at madam plum's
we spend fantastic sums
and all our idle hours
admiring the flowers
here at madam plum's
we grow chrysanthemums
of every size and kind
however you're inclined...

here at madam plum's
where everybody comes
we watch the world decay
and dance the night away
here at madam plum's
their trumpets and their drums
are hardly every heard
and war is just a word