Dance Back from the Grave - Marc Cohn

I used to wake up every morning saying I must be getting away with something

here

Every day was like parole before the levees overflowed;

I refuse to think it

could all just disappear (I refuse to think)

How long before the street car rattles down St. Charles Avenue and beads swing

from two hundred year old trees

How long before they walk down long Lake Pontratrain with the smell of just

magnolia on the breeze

Yeah I’ve seen people laughing all the way down to the cemeteries just to send

another soul off on its way

Yeah I’ve seen them dance right up to the edge of it

But this time their gonna dance back from the grave

Dance back

Dance back

Dance back

Dance back from the grave

Well a thousand souls crossed over and they were greeted by an all-star band

And while the saints go marching in there’s still hell to pay back down in

Dixie Land

Yeah the storms are headed south again and the hour’s getting pretty late

Somebody better build that levee its already Mardi Gras at heavens gate (yeah)

Dance back

Dance back

Dance back

Dance back from the grave

Dance back

Dance back

Get your tambourines, slide trombones

And dance… back from the grave

Oh yeah, ooh yeah, ooh yeah

So don’t shed a tear for them tonight as they circle and swoop and promenade

They’re just carrying their torches and marching in a heavenly parade

No don’t shed a tear but take their cue there’s only one thing left to do in

the name of every soul we didn’t save

From the ninth ward to the quarter to the Mississippi border dance back from

the grave

Dance back

Dance back

Dance back

Dance back from the grave

Dance back

Dance back

Get your tambourines, slide trombones

And dance… back from the grave

Oh yeah, oh yeah

Get your tambourines, slide trombones

And dance… back from the grave