The Last Request of Elijah Rose - Roger Alan Wade

Junkies, punks, and Jezebels

Stagger and sashay

Up and down the boulevard

Through them joints and alleyways

And outside the Crazy Chicken Lounge

Blood-red neon glows

Angelina asked Switchblade Charlie, «Have ya’n seen Elijah Rose?»

«I ain’t seen him Angie,»

Switchblade Charlie said

«But he best get out of this town, he’s in over his pretty head

He’s been dancing with the devil

Stepping on the wrong toes

You just save yourself some sorrow

Forget Elijah Rose»

Anglina’s lips spoke not a word

She walked into th Chicken Lounge

Found a table by the bandstand

Set her tender young body down

Alone there in the violence, amid the dreadlocks and ducktails and afros

She listened to Downtown Johnny’s guitar, and dreamed of Elijah Rose

And like the calm before the storm

There was danger all around

Downtown Johnny felt it comin'

He laid his magic guitar down

And all the old-timers swear, the cheap whiskey froze

As with a smile on his face and a price on his head

In walked Elijah Rose

He walked straight to Angelina

And kissed her warm red lips

He bought the house a round of drinks

And gave the waitresses their tips

Then he kindly asked Downtown Johnny, to play anything Angelina chose

As Angelina stood up to dance with her wild Elijah Rose

And they laughed and danced as lovers

'Til there rang a jealous shot

Elijah Rose just crumbled

Angelina screamed, «Oh God»

And with his last breath he found

The strength to propose

Angelina swore, «Yes I’ll be your soulmate, forever, Elijah Rose»

Now junkies, punks, and Jezebels

They stagger and sashay

Up and down the boulevard

Through the joints and alleyways

And outside the Crazy Chicken Lounge

In ragged widow’s clothes

She’s carrying his baby

And dancing with a lamppost

She’s carrying his unborn child

And dancing with his ghost

Angelina’s softly humming

The last request of Elijah Rose