The Sharpest Thorn

I wore my finest suit of clothes The sharpest thorn defending the rose Hot as a pistol Keen as a blade The sharpest thorn upon parade And it's the same most every year Ghosts of the dear departed are near We raise our glasses and we cheer Should old acquaintance disappear Just as we wipe away a tear Archangel Michael will lead the way Archangel Gabriel is ready to play Although we know we must repent We hit the scene and look for sins That haven't even been invented The strongest cage that guards the prize The longest lash that covers your eyes A sight no eyes are meant to know Then on the third day he arose Archangel Michael will lead the way Archangel Gabriel is ready to play Although we know we must repent We hit the scene and look for sins That haven't even been invented So Good and Evil were having a fight It lasts much longer than any one night It may last longer than a life And turn a mistress into a wife And so confetti fills the air My head is aching My pockets are bare I didn't recognize their warning Then I wasn't born the sharpest thorn I wasn't born the sharpest thorn I wasn't born the sharpest thorn I wasn't born the sharpest thorn I wasn't born the sharpest thorn --- The Sharpest Thorn - Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint