BALLAD OF THE SPANISH CIVIL GUARD second draft
lyrics by Joel Sattler

based on "Romance de la Guardia Civil Española" by Federico García Lorca

black riders ride their horses black
black riders ride their shoes are black
black riders ride in shining capes
like ink stained black black wax

they have it all so do not cry
their skulls are made of lead
black patent souls they ride the road
and leave behind the dead

riding hunchbacked and nocturnal
and where they go command
silence like a rubber darker
fear as fine as sand

so they go where they will
and hide within their heads
vague on the astronomy
with guns they have misread

black riders black riders
they go where they will
black riders black riders
eager and ready to kill

oh thou city of gypsies!
street corners hung with flags
the moon and then the pumpkin
sweet cherries in tin cans
oh thou city of gypsies!
who could see and then forget?
city of sorrow city of musk
towers of cinnamon and regret

and when came the terror night
the deep darkest night did come
the gypsies in their red hot forges
made arrows they labored suns

then a bloody wounded horse
called at all doors out there
and glass roosters were all singing songs
jerez de la frontera

the naked wind it turned and turned
the corner and it was surprised
the night turned into platinum
the deepest deepest darkest night

the Virgin and Saint Joseph see
they lost their castanets
and went looking for the gypsies
but they haven't found them yet

the Virgin came down dressed so real
dressed up like the mayor dresses
in chocolate paper crown to heel
and with almond necklaces

Saint Joseph moves his holy arms
under a layer of silk and tick
while coming up from far behind
is Pedro, Pedro Dominik

three Persian sultans are arriving too
the half moon knows that it was dreaming
the storks fly up in ecstasy
while lanterns glow and banners streaming

sobbing in mirrors jumping roofs
ballerinas without proofs
water and shadow shadow and water
jerez de la frontera

oh thou city of gypsies!
street corners hung with flags
turn off all your green lights
for your distinguished guests
oh thou city of gypsies!
who could see and forget yes?
leave her far from the sea
without a comb for her tresses.

two by two they turn and turn
the city of fiesta burns
as rumor of the evergreens
invades the bandoleras

two by two they turn and turn
dressed in the doubled night
they crave the sky the sky all right
a window full of spurs

the city to be free of fear
the doors are multiplying
and forty Civil Guards
have come to sack the dying

the clocks have stopped their lies
with bottles full of cognac
it was November in disguise
but not as long as was suspected

there was a flight of long long screams
which rose between the weathervanes
the sabres cut in two the breeze
was trampled under hooves again

and then on the penumbral streets
the Roma finally fled the old
while the horses were asleep
with their crocks of coins of gold

but still up on the steeper streets
and up the alleyways
the leaving and the shooting ceased
the swirl of scissors played

and in the stable Bethlehem
the gypsies congregated
Saint Joseph though was full of wounds
enshrouded a young maiden

high pitched stubborn rifles then
were sounding all the night
the Virgin healed the children
with spittle from a star so bright

but still the Civl Guard
came scattering the fires
where the young and naked
burned up with their desires

the Rose of the Camborios
was moaning in the doorway
two breasts had been cut off mi Dios
and were sitting in a tray

the other girls ran out the road
and were tortured for their braids
the very air it did explode
black powder rose in rage

then all the roofs were ruts
up in the mountain zone
and dawn she rocked her shoulders
a profile made of stone

oh thou city of gypsies!
the Civil Guard departs
through tunnels made of silences
as flames surround your hearts
oh thou city of gypsies!
who could misunderstand
you look down in my forehead
at the game of moon and sand

black riders black riders
they go where they will
black riders black riders
eager to kill
eager so eager
to kill


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