Song Lyrics

We used to call it Sin City
Now it`s gone way past that.
Painting the town
And then burning it down.
And even that`s old hat.
Now there` a choir of angles
And the fall of Rome
Singing "Ave Maria"
Or "Home Sweet Home"

[Chorus]
It`s just a heathen town
I hear only evil
As my tongue is tightened.
I used to be god-fearing
Now I`m so frightened
`Cause the devil will drag you under
By the sharp tailfin
Of your checquered cab (?)
Now I can`t sit down,
I`m going overboard
In this heathen town.

Starts as an a flirtation
And ends up as an expensive habit.
With one eye on her place in debtor`s
And the other on a girl
Dressed as a rabbit.
Now you can live forever
In your fits and starts
The only stake you cannot raise
Is the one driven through your heart.

[Chorus]

The people all said sit down,
Sit down you`re rocking the boat.
The people all said sit down,
Sit down you`re rocking the boat.
`cause the devil will drag you under
By the sharp lapels of your checkered coat.
Sit down, sit down, sit down, sit down,
Sit down you`re rocking the boat.

Elvis Costello

The duration of Heathen Town is 3:11 minutes and seconds.