The Ballad Of Jay And Rose Mary Lyrics - Dancing To The Devil's Beat - Strawbs

Cousins 

The sun was rising slowly, furnace hot at dawn 

Jay was in his hammock whittling on a horn 

I was in the kitchen munching stale cakes 

Thinking about Rose Mary and how the cookie breaks. 

All in all, its just another down-home day. 

Rose Mary was nineteen, slender as a wand 

Jay was something else, a bullfrog in a pond 

A viper in disguise, a rattler in a sack 

If you cared to call it, he would double slap you back. 

Rose Mary was smitten, she fell for Jay in style 

Just like Robert Mitchum, full of menace with a smile 

Fluttered her eye lashes, half an inch of hunch 

Jay was like a schoolboy, a kid in need of lunch. 

Jay took her to a dinner and told her of his power 

He checked into a hotel room but only booked an hour 

Rose Mary was no mug, she didnt miss a thing 

When Jay stepped on the gas, whipping off his ring. 

His wedding ring was buried in the pocket of his pants 

Which Rose Mary was going through while Jay was scratching ants 

He opened up the bathroom door, feeling ill at ease 

But Rose Mary was long gone with his clothing and his keys. 

I was getting ready to round up missing steers 

When Rose Mary came knocking in a crocodile of tears 

She asked me what my name was, I said my name was Jay 

She asked me did I sleep well? I said most everyday. 

They say that money talks, mine just said goodbye.