Natalie Merchant--Ophelia

OPHELIA

Ophelia was a bride of God 
A novice Carmelite 
In sister cells 
The cloister bells tolled on her wedding night 

Ophelia was the rebel girl 
A blue stocking suffragette 
Who remedied society between her cigarettes 

And Ophelia was the sweetheart 
To a nation overnight 
Curvaceous thighs 
Vivacious eyes 
Love was at first sight 
Love was at first sight 

Ophelia was a demigoddess in pre-war Babylon 
So statuesque a silhouette in black satin evening gowns 

Ophelia was the mistress 
To a Vegas gambling man 
Signora Ophelia Maraschina 
Mafia courtesan 

Ophelia was the circus queen 
The female cannonball 
Projected through five flaming hoops 
To wild and shocked applause 
To wild and shocked applause 

Ophelia was a tempest cyclone 
A goddamn hurricane 
Your common sense, your best defense 
Lay wasted and in vain 

For Ophelia'd know your every woe 
And every pain you'd ever had 
She'd sympathize and dry your eyes 
And help you to forget 
Help you to forget 
And help you to forget 

Ophelia's mind went wandering 
You'd wonder where she'd gone 
Through secret doors down corridors 
She wanders them alone 
All alone 


LIFE IS SWEET

It's a pity, It's a crying shame 
He pulled you down again 
How painful it must be 
To bruise so easily 
Inside 

It's a pity, it's a downright crime 
It happens all the time 
You wanna stay little daddy's girl 
You wanna hide from the viscous world... 
Outside 

Don't cry, you know the tears will do no good 
So dry your eyes 
Your daddy, he's the iron man 
Battle ship wrecked on dry land 
Your mamma, she's a bitter bride 
She'll never be satisfied 
You know, and that's not right 

But don't cry 
You know the tears will do no good 
So dry your eyes 
They told you life is hard 
Misery from the start, it's dull 
It's slow, it's painful 
But I tell you life is sweet 
In spite of the misery 
There's so much more, be grateful 
Well, who do you believe 
Who will you listen to, who will it be 
Because it's high time that you decide 
In your own mind 

I've tried to comfort you 
I tried to tell you to be patient 
That they are blind and they can't see 
Fortune gonna come one day 
It all gonna fade away 
Your daddy the war machine 
And your momma the long and suffering 
Prisoner of what she can not see 

For they told you life is hard 
Misery from the start, it's dull, 
It's slow, it's painful 
But I tell you life is sweet 
In spite of the misery 
There's so much more, be grateful 
So who will you believe 
Who will you listen to 
Who will it be 
Because it's high time that you decide 
It's time to make up your own 
Your own state of mind 

They told you life is long 
Be thankful when it's done 
Don't ask for more, be grateful 
But I tell you life is short 
Be thankful, because before you know it 
It will be over 
Because life is sweet 
Life is all so very short 
Life is sweet 
And life is all so very short 
Life is sweet 
Life is sweet  



KIND AND GENEROUS

La-la-la-la... 
You've been so kind and generous 
I don't know how you keep on giving 
For your kindness, I'm in debt to you 
For your selflessness, my admiration 
For everything you've done, you know I'm bound 
I'm bound to thank you for it 

La-la-la-la... 
You've been so kind and generous 
I don't know how you keep on giving 
For your kindness, I'm in debt to you 
And I never could have come, this far without you 
For everything you've done, you know I'm bound 
I'm bound to thank you for it 

La-la-la-la... 
Oh, I want to thank you for so many gifts you gave 
The love, the tenderness, I wanna thank you 
I want to thank you for your generosity, the love 
And the honesty that you gave me 
I want to thank you show my gratitude 
My love, and my respect for you, I want to thank you 
Oh, I want to thank you, thank you; thank you, thank you 
I want to thank you, thank you; thank you, thank you  


FROZEN CHARLOTTE

Blue like the winter snow in the full moon 
Black like the silhouettes of the trees 
Late blooming flowers lie frozen underneath the stars 
I want you to remember me that way 

Far away... I'll be gone, will you wait for me here 
How long... I don't know, will you wait for me here 

Still as the river grows in December 
Silent and perfect blinding ice 
Spring keeps her promises 
No cold can keep her back 
I want you to remember me that way 

Far away... I'll be gone, will you wait for me here 
How long... I don't know, but wait for me here 
Follow... don't follow me 
To where 
To where I go 

Far away... I'll be gone, will you wait for me here 
How long... I don't know, will you wait for me here 
Follow... don't follow me, to where I have gone 
Follow... don't follow me, to where I have gone 
Someday you'll take my place 
And I'll wait 
For you there  


MY SKIN

Take a look at my body 
Look at my hands 
There's so much here that I don't understand 
Your face say these promises 
Whispered like prayers 
I don't need them 

Because I've been treated so wrong 
I've been treated so long 
As if I'm becoming untouchable 
Well, content loves the silence 
It thrives in the dark 
With fine winding tendrils 
That strangle the heart 
They say that promises sweeten the blow 
But I don't need them, no 
I don't need them 

I've been treated so wrong 
I've been treated so long 
As if I'm becoming untouchable 
I'm the slow dying flower 
In the frost killing hour 
Sweet turning sour anduntouchable 

Oh, I need the darkness 
The sweetness 
The sadness 
The weakness 
Oh, I need this 
I need a lullaby 
A kiss good night 
Angel sweet love of my life 
Oh, I need this 

I'm the slow dying flower 
In the frost killing hour 
Sweet turning sour anduntouchable 
Do you remember the way that you touched me before 
All the trembling sweetness I loved and adored 
Your face saying promised whispered like prayers 
I don't need them 

Oh, I need the darkness 
The sweetness 
The sadness 
The weakness 
Oh, I need this 
I need a lullaby 
A kiss good night 
Angel sweet love of my life 
Oh, I need this 

Well is it dark enough 
Can you see me 
Do you want me 
Can you reach me 
Oh, I'm leaving 
You better shut your mouth 
And hold your breath 
And kiss me now 
And catch your death 
Oh, I mean this 
Oh, I mean this  


BREAK YOUR HEART

Oh, people downcast in despair 
See the disillusion everywhere 
Hoping that their luck will change 
It's a little harder every day 

People struggle, people fight 
For the simple pleasures in their lives 
The trouble comes from everywhere 
It's a little more than you can bear 

I know it will be hurt 
I know it will break your heart the way things are 
And the way they've been 
And the way they've always been 

People shallow self absorbed 
See the push and shove for their rewards 
With nothing nice on their minds 
You can read about it in their eyes 

People ruthless, people cruel 
The damage that some people do 
Full of hatred, full of pride 
It's enough to make you lose your mind 

I know that it will hurt 
I know that it will break your heart the way things are 
And the way they've been 
Yeah I know that it will hurt 
I know it will hurt 
I know that it will break your heart 
The way things are and the way they've been 
Don't spread discontent, don't spread the lies 
Don't make the same mistakes with your own life 
You know it will always came back 

Yeah, I know that it will hurt 
I know that it will hurt 
I know that it will break your heart 
The way things are and the way they've been 
Don't spread discontent, don't spread the lies 
Don't make the same mistakes with your own life 
And don't disrespect yourself, don't lose your pride 
And don't think everybody is gonna chose your side 
Oh no... Oh no... no..  


KING OF MAY

Farewell today 
Travel on now 
Be on your way 

Go safely there 
And never worry, never care 
Beyond this day 

Farewell tonight 
To all joy and to all the life 
Go on, go peacefully 
We can't keep your majesty 
Be on your way 

Make may for the last king of May 
And make a cardboard crown for him 
And make your voices one 
Praise the crazy mother's son, who loved his life 

Farewell today 
Travel on now 
Be on your way 
Can't bear the very thought that we 
That we could keep your majesty 
Be on your way 

Make way for the last king of May 
And make a hole in the cloud for him 
Raise your voices up 
Drink your loving cup 
To his long life 
To his long life 
Make way for the last king of May 
Make a hole in the sky for him 
And raise your voices up 
Lift your loving cup 
To his long life 
His long life 

And raise your voices up 
Lift you loving cup 
To his long life 
To his long life 
His long life 
His long life  


THICK AS THIEVES

Remember how it all began 
The apple and the fall of man 
The price we paid 
So the people say 

Down the path of shame and let us dare 
To bite the hand that fed us 
Fairy tale, the moral end 
Wheel of fortune, never turns again 
Never turns again 

The worst of it has come and gone 
In the chaos of millennium 
And the falling out 
Of the doomsday crowd 
Their last retreat is moving slow 
They burn their bridges as they go 
The heretic is beautified 
Teach the harlot's child to smile 

Rocked again by indecision 
Should we make that small incision 
Testify, to the bleeding heart inside 
We cut, we scratched 
We ran, and we slashed 
And when he opened up at last 
Found a cul de sac 
Deepened black 
Of smoke and ash 
Deepened black 
Smoke and ash 

The wicked king of parody 
Is kissing all his enemies 
On the seventh day 
On the seventh week 
The tyrant's voice has softened now 
But just for one forgiving hour 
Before the rise of his 
Iron fist again 
Fist again 

I've come tonight 
I've come to know 
The way we are the way we'll go 
And to measure this 
The width of the wide abyss 

I've come to you in restless sleep 
Were all your dreams turned bitter sweet 
With voodoo doll philosophies 
Day gloy holy trinities 
The wicked raft that leaves the shore 
Of ferries drunken souls a board 
Pilgrims march to Compostela 
Of visions of their saint in yellow 

Follow deep in trance 
Lost in a catatonic dance 
Know no future 
Damn the past 
Blind war, ecstatic 
To save their lives  


EFFIGY

I'm an effigy 
A parody of 
Who I appear to be 
Put your flaming torches under me 

I'm an effigy 
A parody of 
Who I appear to be 
Put your flaming torches under me 

I'm an effigy 
A parody of 
Who I appear to be 
Put your flaming torches under me 

Endless so far in myself, follow me 


THE LIVING

What's it like there outside 
With the living, with the living 
Here I've found a place I can hide 
From the living, from the living 
Because I don't care to stay with the living 

Oh, the bottle has been to me 
My closest friend, my worst enemy 
For a flavor I walked a fine life 
Squandered it all and wasted my time 
And I don't stand a chance among the living 

For the lovers I've gambled and lost 
Count my mistakes whatever the cost 
I'll go off, I'll make myself scarce 
Oh, come tomorrow 
You won't find me here 

Because I don't care to stay with the living 
I don't think I'll remain with the living 

And I don't care to stay with the living 
No, I don't care to stay  


WHEN THEY RING THE GOLDEN BELLS

There's a land beyond the river 
That they call the sweet forever 
And we only reach that shore by faith's decree 
One by one we'll gain the portals 
There to dwell with the immortals 
When they ring the golden bells for you and me 

Don't you hear the bells now ringing 
Don't you hear the angels singing 
'Tis the glory hallelujah Jubilee 
In that far off sweet forever, 
Just beyond the shining river 
When they ring the golden bells for you and me 

We shall know no sin or sorrow 
In that heaven of tomorrow 
When our hearts shall sail beyond the silvery sea 
We shall only know the blessing 
Of our Father's sweet caressing 
When they ring the golden bells for you and me 

Don't you hear the bells now ringing 
Don't you hear the angels singing 
'Tis the glory hallelujah Jubilee 
In that far off sweet forever 
Just beyond the shining river 
When they ring the golden bells for you and me 

When our days shall know their number 
When in death we sweetly slumber 
When the King commands the spirit to be free 
Nevermore with anguish laden 
We shall reach that lovely Eden 
When they ring the golden bells for you and me 
When they ring the golden bells for you and me