Romeo Is Bleeding

Romeo is bleeding but not so as you'd notice He's over on 18th street as usual Looking so hatd against the hood of his car Ans putting out a cigarette in his hand And for all the pachucos at the pumps At romeros paint and body They all seein' how far they can spit Well it was just another night But now they're huddled in the brake lights of a '58 Belair And listenin' how romeo killed a sheriff with his knife And they all jump when they hear the sirens But romeo just laughs and says 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 And 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 And throws a bottle at a milk truck And as it breaks he graps his nuts And they all know they could've just like romeo If they only had the guts But romeo is bleeding but nobody can tell And he sings along with the radio With a bullet in his chest And he combs back his fenders And they all agree its clear That everything is cool now that romeos here But romeo is bleeding And he winches now and then and he leans against The car door and feels the blood in his shoes And someones crying in the phone booth At the five points by the store Romeo starts his engine And wipes the blood of the door And he brodys through the signal With the radio full blast Leavin' the boys there hikin' up their chinos And they all try to stand like romeo Beneath the moon cut like a sicle And they're talkin' now in Spanish about their hero But Romeo is bleeding as he gives the man his ticket And he climbs to the balcony at the movies And he'll die without a wimper Like every hero's dream Just an angel with a bullet And Cagney in the screen --- Romeo Is Bleeding - Tom Waits