American Jerusalem Lyrics

Shawn Colvin American Jerusalem

New York City rain Don't know if it's makin' me Dirty
or clean Went for the subway but there was no train And
the tunnel was grumbling for repairs again And the sign
says welcome to American Jerusalem

I've been around You could spend forever Makin' a
friend in this town All you get to do Is lay your
dollar down Until you're stumbling drunk up the stairs
again And the sign says welcome to American Jerusalem

In the temples of American Jerusalem They buy an ounce
of South African gold They don't care who was bought or
sold Or who died to mine it

In the temples of American Jerusalem They buy an ounce
of Marseille white Somewhere on a street with no light
Somebody dies tryin' it

Then somewhere in a crowd Lookin' that kinda way
That'll make you turn around There'll be somebody who
knows What it's about And he'll take the ribbons from
your hair again And welcome you to American Jerusalem

In the alleys of American Jerusalem The homeless lie
down at the dawn The pretty people wonder what they're
on And how they afford it

In the ashes of American Jerusalem The prophets live
their deaths out on the corner The pretty people say
there should've been a warnin' But nobody heard it

Then shadows lick the sun The streets are paved with
Footsteps on the run Somebody musta got double Cuz I
got none I forgot to collect my share again So go west
to breathe the cleansing air again Go Niagara for your
honeymoon again Go on the road if you're gonna sing
your tune again Go out to sea and learn to be a man
again Until you come on home to American Jerusalem