Back when I was living in the Quarter
You had just moved in with trouble's daughter
I was insisting that I loved you better than her
All of the crimes that I'd committed
I left them to lie in the sun for a minute
How could I bear to be a sinner in your sweet name?
And what do you mean by that?
Do you mean to break my heart?
Do you mean to break my heart in two?
It was down on the cobblestones where I found you
Way out on Rampart, by Toulouse.
Come on upstairs, I'll tell you my story
I'll sing you my song.
You know that the cold ground was my bed last night
Blanket of clouds, stars for my nightlight.
And all that I had was a pocketful of prayers and unanswered dreams
And what do you mean by that?
Do you mean to break my heart?
Do you mean to break my heart in two?
I'm calling on Dymphna to heal and protect us
Remember your sisters down in this world below
I've been in the trenches and I'm here to tell you
It's a hard row to hoe
Most of my heroes died in the gutter
Johnson and Foster, McTell and Hurston
I follow them down, and ride with the current that's pulling me home
And what do you mean by that?
Do you mean to break my heart?
Do you mean to break my heart in two?