And the land of opportunity
Got all confused with fame
You may not wanna hear it
"'Because there is no wrong, there is no right
And the clock strikes midnight in the Garden of Allah
By the El Royale Hotel
He said, "Now that I have your attention
And I sleep very well at night
'Cause you were not afraid of me
And winning, winning, winning'"
Until the Gods found out, we had ideas of our own"
He said, "It's just like home
In the Garden of Allah
Y'know I remember a time when things were a lot more fun around here
I can get you any result you like
What's it worth to you?'"
Before things got so fuzzy"
My fine seersucker suit
"Nice car, I love those Bavarians, so meticulous
Vainly reaching for the bottle full of empty Edens
In the Garden of Allah
This year notoriety
Just data to be manipulated
Just people selling T-shirts'"
I thought I knew him all too well
"You know I've always liked you boy
To the perfumed halls of Allah, for their time in the sun"
Branded specially for the ones who had come with great expectations
I guess my work around here
"I was once a golden boy like you
And war was coming and the Earth was shaking
The marketplace was on a roll
Is all soaking wet"
No shame, no solution, no remorse, no retribution
Here in Gomorrah-by-the-Sea"
And I said, 'Gentlemen, and I use that word loosely
"And drained their pins of bitter ink
"And we sat beneath the palms
And they pawned a biting phrase from the tongues hot with blood"
Now I was somewhere out on Riverside
When good was good and evil was evil
I got something I wanna say
And there was no more ruin in the Garden of Allah
He said, "It's just like home
In the warm afternoons and drank the wine
It's so low-down, I can't stand it
For my talents, my creativity"
Things are gonna get mighty rough
When a stranger appeared in a cloud of smoke
The people gave their blessing to crimes of passion
And the hills are burning
'Cause there's nothing left for him to claim
And the fruit is rotten, the serpent's eyes shine
It was pretty big year for predators
And I dined with the deities who looked upon me with favor
In the Garden of Allah
I am an expert witness because I say I am
Has all been done"
"Today, I made an appearance downtown
With Fitzgerald and Huxley
And I was summoned to the halls of power in the heavenly courts
I will testify for you, I'm a gun for hire, I'm a saint, I'm a liar'"
"And we were stokin' the fires and oilin' up the machinery
Just opportunity to participate in the pathetic little circus
Spawned a whole new breed of men without souls
It's so damn hot I can't stand it
And the devil is downhearted, babe
And the wind is raging
"'Because there are no facts, there is no truth
I'm gonna tell it to you anyway"
It was a dark, dark night of the collective soul
As he wraps around the vine
