Jean The Birdman

He gambles on the saddle He's pulling on the mane He thrashes on the horse's back Ambition is a bloody game Horse doesn't want to jump The river looks too wide Well he faces every hurdle With a nervous state of mind Stay with me, breathe deeply Take three passes back Turn and make a full attack The gods are laughing And they're tugging at the reins But he's taken to his wings And they hit the bank Heaven may stone him But jean the birdman pulls it off His finger's on the trigger His eye is on the clock He doesn't give the game away And quickly fires the bullets off Six hearts cut short Still dreaming they're alive Blown 'round in dusty circles Like an absent state of mind Who hunter? who victim? God love America He surely doesn't love him Hitching out of nowhere Lines of traffic knee deep A chance to stave the morning off And get some sleep Heaven may stone him But jean the birdman pulls it off He wears a crucifix His mother left to him It's wrapped in chains around his heart Rusted and wafer thin Don't count on luck son All the angels sing Don't need to check a weathervane We all know what tomorrow brings Life is a cattle farm Coyotes with the mules Life is a bullring For taking risks and flouting rules Who needs a safety net The world is open wide Just look out for card sharks And the danger signs Heaven may stone him But jean the birdman pulls it off --- Jean the Birdman - David Sylvian and Sylvian/Fripp