It was a pretty big year for fashion

A lousy year for rock and roll

The people gave their blessing to crimes of passion

It was a dark, dark night for the collective soul

I was somewhere out on Riverside

By the El Royale Hotel

When a stranger appeared in a cloud of smoke

I thought I knew him all too well



He said, "Now that I have your attention

I got somethin' I wanna say

You may not wanna hear it

I'm gonna tell it to ya anyway

You know, I've always liked you, boy

'Cause you were not afraid of me

But things are gonna get mighty rough

Here in Gomorrah-By-The-Sea"



He said, "It's just like home

It's so damned hot, I can't stand it

My fine seersucker suit is all soakin' wet"



And the hills are burning

The wind is raging

And the clock strikes midnight

In the Garden of Allah



"Nice car.........

I love those Bavarians.....so meticulous

Y'know, I remember a time when things were a lot more fun around here

When good was good, and evil was evil

Before things got so.......fuzzy

Yeah, I was once a golden boy like you

I was summoned to the halls of power in the heavenly court

And I dined with the deities who looked upon me with favor

For my talents; my creativity

We sat beneath the palms in the warm afternoon

And drank the wine with Fitzgerald and Huxley



They pawned a biting phrase

From tongues hot with blood

And drained their pens of bitter ink

Vainly reaching for the bottle of empty Edens

Branded specially for the ones

Who had come with great expectations

To the perfumed halls of Allah

For their time in the sun



We were stokin' the fires

And oilin' up the machinery

Until the gods found out we had ideas of our own"



And the war was coming

The earth was shakiung

And there was no more room

In the Garden of Allah



"Today I made and appearance downtown

I am an expert witness, because I say I am

And I said, 'Gentleman....and I use that word loosely...I will testify for you

I'm a gun for hire, I'm a saint, I'm a liar

Because there are no facts, no truth, just data to be manipulated

I can get you any result you like....what's it worth to ya?

Because there is no wrong, there is no right

And I sleep very well at night

No shame, no solution

No remorse, no retribution

Just people selling t-shirts

just opportunity t participate in this pathetic little circus

And winning, winning, winning' "



It was a pretty big year for predators

The marketplace was on a roll

And the land of opportunity

Spawned a whole new breed of men without souls

This year, notoriety got all confused with fame

And the devil is downhearted

Because there's nothing left for him to claim



He said, "It's just like home

It's so low-down, I can't stand it

I guess my work around here has all been done



And the fruit is rotten

The serpent's eyes shine

As he wraps around the vine

In the Garden of Allah