American Jerusalem Lyrics - All Fall Down - Shawn Colvin

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