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mandy patinkin - lily, rosemary, and the jack of hearts lyrics

[verse 1]
the festival was over, the boys were all planning for a fall
the cabaret was quiet except for the drilling in the wall
the curfew had been lifted and the gambling wheel shut down
anyone with any sense had already left town
he was standing in the doorway looking like the jack of hearts

[verse 2]
moved across the mirrored room, “set it up for everyone,” he said
then everyone commenced to do what they wеre doing before hе turned their heads
then he walked up to a stranger and he asked him with a grin
“could you kindly tell me, friend, what time the show begins?”
then he moved into the corner, face down like the jack of hearts

[verse 3]
backstage the girls were playing five+card stud by the stairs
lily had two queens, she was hoping for a third to match her pair
outside the streets were filling up, the window was open wide
gentle breeze was blowing, you could feel it from inside
lily called another bet, drew up the jack of hearts

[verse 4]
big jim was no one’s fool, he owned the town’s only diamond mine
made his usual entrance looking so dandy, so fine
with his bodyguards and silver cane and every hair in place
he took whatever he wanted and laid it all to waste
his bodyguards and silver cane were no match for the jack of hearts
[verse 5]
rosemary combed her hair and took a carriage into town
she slipped in through the side door looking like a queen without a crown
she fluttered her false eyelashes and whispered in his ear
“sorry, darling, that i’m late,” but he didn’t seem to hear
he was staring into sp+ce over at the jack of hearts

[verse 6]
“i know i’ve seen that face before,” big jim was thinking to himself
“hmm, maybe down in mexico or a picture up on someone’s shelf”
but the crowd began to stamp their feet and the house lights did dim
darkness of the room there was only jim and him
staring at the b+tterfly who just drew the jack of hearts

[verse 7]
lily was a princess, she was fair+skinned, precious as a child
she did whatever she had to do, she had that certain flash every time she smiled
she came away from a broken home, had lots of strange affairs
with men in every walk of life which took her everywhere
but she’d never met anyone quite like the jack of hearts

[verse 8]
the hanging judge came in unnoticed and was being wined and dined
drilling in the wall kept up, no one seemed to pay it any mind
it was known all around that lily had jim’s ring
nothing would ever come between lily and the king
no, nothing ever would except maybe the jack of hearts
[verse 9]
rosemary started drinking hard, seeing her reflection in the knife
she was tired of the attention, tired of playing the role of big jim’s wife
she had done a lot of bad things, once even tried suicide
was looking to do just one good deed before she died
she was gazing to the future, riding on the jack of hearts

[verse 10]
lily took her dress off and buried it away
“has your luck run out?” she laughed at him
“well, i guess you must have known it would someday
be careful not to touch the wall, there’s a brand+new coat of paint
i’m glad to see you’re still alive, you’re looking like a saint”
down the hallway footsteps were coming for the jack of hearts

[verse 11]
backstage manager was pacing all around by his chair
“something funny going on,” he said, “i just feel it in the air”
he went to get the hanging judge, the hanging judge was drunk
the leading actor hurried by in the costume of a monk
there was no actor anywhere better than the jack of hearts

[verse 12]
no one knew the circumstance but they say it happened pretty quick
hmm, door to the dressing room burst open, colt revolver cl!cked
big jim was standing there, you couldn’t say surprised
rosemary right beside him, steady in her eyes
she was with big jim but she was leaning on the jack of hearts
[verse 13]
two doors down, boys finally made it through the wall
cleaned out the bank safe, it’s said that they got off with quite a haul
in the darkness by the riverbed they waited on the ground
for one more member who had business back in town
they couldn’t go no further without the jack of hearts

[verse 14]
next day was hanging day, the sky was overcast and black
big jim lay covered up, k!lled by a penknife in the back
rosemary on the gallows, she didn’t even blink
hanging judge was sober, he hadn’t had a drink
only person on the scene missing was the jack of hearts

[verse 15]
cabaret was empty now, a sign said, “closed for repair”
lily had already taken all the dye out of her hair
she was thinking ’bout her father, who she very rarely saw
thinking ’bout rosemary, thinking about the law
but most of all she was thinking ’bout the jack of hearts

- mandy patinkin lyrics

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