Did you get the invitation?
A swan song of a nation
Everyone’s waiting for you inside
We got soda pop and hickory stills
Quinn the Eskimo and espadrilles
And Sally making you feel all right

The baroness and her bayonets
The mad hatter hedging bets
Against the good judgment of the swinging king
'Cause it's the fall of the American Empire
But don't you worry honey you didn’t miss a thing

Coming from the cold like Thelon, like Thelonious did
We got our own sanctimonious kid
And he could suck the diamond off a diamond ring
Just send in the farmers and the National Guard
We'll be in the war room getting hard
Just wear your dress blues
You know you look so damn dashing

Don't be shy Sally won't bite you
Just don’t look too long at the salt of Delilah
'Cause she got her pants on fire
She got her rabid baby calling your name

Fall of the American Empire
Should've been all right
Should've, shut up
But me I'll just work in a sound bite
Just rolling my smokes tight
You know they said it was all right, all right

'Cause Lucy's in the nude
With nothing left to lose
Except them thigh high, kiss the sky
American boy

Sally got dirty with a rock musician
She met in Massachusetts
She was pleased to come to his advances
He was a man of wealthy taste
But she got so caught up by the man who would not stop
Thought?what she needed was love but it was like nothing she thought
And when Lucy came to get her said “Just leave me this way.”

Fall of the American Empire
Should've been all right
Should've, shut up
But me I'll just work in a sound bite
Just rolling my smokes tight
You know they said it was all right, all right
Alright
Alright
Alright
Mr. Holy
Alright
Alright
Alright
Where you going Mr. Holy
Cause Lucy got a found your diamond
They shine like island
From the parlor to the projects babe
she was lookin his stone/store?
oh at less and we've gone
say once you love to get her save me

Fall (all waiting for the fall of the) American empire
Oh she said she wasnt ready
Fall (we’re all in for the fall of the) American empire
Wont you just enjoy the show


Lyrics submitted by Shnydah

Fall of the American Empire song meanings
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  • +1
    General Comment

    Okay I'm not sure who posted the lyrics but they are really wrong like Sharp said... I checked these lyrics against the studio recording... THEY ARE CORRECT!! It changes the meaning quite significantly... Thought ya'll might like them!

    Did you get the invitation? The swan song of a nation, Everyone's waiting for you inside. We got soda pop and hickory stills. Quinn the Eskimo in espadrilles, And Sally makin' you feel all right.

    The baroness and her bayonets, The mad hatter hedging bets, Against the good judgment of the swinging king. It's the fall of the American empire, But don't you worry honey you didn't miss a thing.

    Juiced up dignitaries getting' loose like Thelonious did, We got our own sanctimonious kid, And he can suck the diamond off a diamond ring. Just send in the farmers in the National Guard, We'll be in the war room gettin' hard, Just wear your dress blues you know you look so damn dashing. Don't be shy, Sally won't bite you, 'Cause she got her pants on fire, And she got a rabbit baby calling your name.

    Fall of the American empire, It should've been all right, Should've, should've. But me, I'm just working a sound bite, Just rolling my smokes tight. You know they said it was all right, all right, all right.

    'Cause Lucy's in the nude, With nothing left to lose, Except them thigh-high kiss the sky American boots.

    Sally got dirty with a senator's son, You know the one from Massachusetts, She was pleased to come his advances, For he was a man of wealth and taste. But she got so cut up by the man who would not stop. Thought all she needed was love, But it was like nothing she thought, And when Lucy came to get her, In the corner she lay.

    It's the fall of the American empire, It should've been all right, Should've, should've. But me, I'm just working a sound bite, Just rolling my smokes tight. You know they said it was all right, all right, all right, all right, all right. Where you going Mr. Holy? All right, all right, all right Say where you going Mr. Holy?

    Lucy girl I found your diamonds, They shine like sirens, Singing from the shoals of buzzard's bay. It's worse than we know, How I wish it wasn't so, That all tomorrow's parties have gone away.

    Fall (all in for the fall) of the American empire, They said you would never go away. Fall (all in for the fall) of the American empire, Lucy girl can't you just stay?

    thetimmyd123on May 11, 2009   Link

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