Johnny Mathis' Feet (live SBE 96) - The Divine Comedy

I laid all my songs at Johnny Mathis' Feet

I said "Johnny, Johnny tell me, won't you tell me how to live?

All my hopes are unravelling and I just lost my lease

On a house without love, doors or windows -

Without peace..."

And with a wave of his jewel-encrusted hand

Across a glittering Las Vegas scene,

He said: "You've got to learn how to disappear

In the silk and amphetamines."

Johnny looked at my songs, and he said:

"Well, at first guess,

Never in my life have I ever seen such a mess;

Why do you say everything as if you were a thief?

Like what you stole has no value,

And like what you preach is far from belief?"

And with a wave of his red, and blue hand

Across a glittering Hollywood scene,

He said: "You've got to learn how to disappear

In the silk and amphetamines."

Johnny looked at my collection of old punk rock posters -

Anonymous scenes of disaffection, chaos and torture -

And he said: "You are on the right track,

But you are a lamb jumping for the knife;

A real showman knows how to disappear in the spotlight..."