Memorial Day

It should have been so soft
This morning as we left
But the valley was infected
By a different kind of beauty
And the Indians they knew
It was a devil's sanctuary

Out of this unholy dawn
A car came stirring up the sand
And a woman from a passion play
Held up the limousine that brought me
All this way today

And I didn't need to turn around so strong
Was the message
And the man who planned her life
Commanded all that followed

Well they bellowed, and they hollered
And they threw each other down
Down in this valley
This cruel and lovely valley
Oh it should have been an alley
In some low down part of town

As the lights came up
There was no sun
And brandy splattered all over the ground
As this woman with her head held high
Yelled love and why oh why
You're killing me, oh follow me
As I watched safe and clean
From the frosted windows of my limousine

Well they bellowed and they hollered
And they threw each other down
Down in this valley
This cruel and lovely valley
Oh it should have been an alley
In some low down part of town

Before he'd been so funny
Imagining the best
That he'd escape recrimination
For abandoning the nest
He'd been joking and stoned
While he was entertaining me
But then turned and was stunned
By her panic and her misery

And I was in the get-away car
Giving him a chance, to get away
Get away, get away

And how the valley smoked
As he crossed Route 25
With his cymbals and his shattered crown
Leaving all alone
His eyes fixed on the ground
And he didn't need turn around so strong
Was the message
And he fell into the shallow sky
And was swallowed

Well they bellowed and they hollered
And they threw each other down
Down in this valley
This cruel and lovely valley
Well it should have been an alley
In some low down part of town