Tom Waits: Romeo Is Bleeding

Romeo is bleeding
But not so as you'd notice
He's over on 18th street as usual
Lookin' so hard against the hood of his car
And puttin' out a cigarette in his hand
For all the pachucos at the pumps
At Romeos paint and body
They all seein' how far they can spit
Well it was just another night
But how they're huddled in the brake lights of a 58 Belair
And listenin' to how Romeo killed a sherrif with his knife

And they all jump when they hear the sirens
But Romeo just laughs
All the racket in the world ain't never gonna
Save that coppers ass
He'll never see another summertime for gunnin' down my brother
And leavin' him like a dog beneath a car without his knife

Romeo says, "Hey man gimme a cigarette"
And they all reach for their pack
and Frankie lights it for him and pats him on the back
Throws bottle at a milk truck
And as it breaks he grabs his nuts
And they all know they could be just like Romeo
If they only had the guts

But Romeo is bleeding
But nobody can tell
He sings along with the radio
With a bullet in his chest
And he combs back his fenders
And they all agree it's clear
That every thing is cool now that Romeos is here

Romeo is bleeding
He winces now and then
He leans against the car door
Feels the blood in his shoes
Someones crying in the 5 point
In the phone booth by the store
Romeo starts his engines
And wipes the blood off the door

And he brodys through the signal
With the radio full blast
Leavin' the boys there hikin' up there chinos
And they all try to stand like Romeo
Beneath the moon cut like a sickle
And they're talkin' now in spanish all about their hero

Romeo is bleeding
As he gives the man his ticket
He climbs to the balcony at the movies
He'll die without a wimper
Like every heros dream
Like an angel with a bullet
And Cagney on the screen

Romeo is bleeding
Romeo is bleeding, hey man
Romeo is bleeding, hey man
Romeo is bleeding, hey man
Romeo is bleeding