Belle Of The Blues

I'm the belle of the blues, and it's easy to see

If I win or I lose, it's all one to me

I was born on a shelf in the rare books library

I reside by myself with my books and my T.V.

I'm an old age pension for the fossilized routine

Anybody for nostalgia, put a record on and see

Here's a memory of olden days

And a heartbreak grown cold

All that glitters isn't gold

You get no love for free

You live and you die

And I'll probably throw it away

But in the end it's mine

And nobody has a right to say

"Go down lightly - go down silently"

I'll go down screaming

"Give it back - it belongs to me"

I'm the belle of the blues - I'm used to mingling

With the crème de la crème of higher society

I promise them roses, and an eight-by-ten of me

But when the party's over

They're all too glad to leave

Their children sing of sorrow

It's the same old routine

They've begged and they've borrowed

Someone else's misery

It's an easy act to follow

At least, an easy one for me

Give me my tomorrows

You can have my memories

Souvenirs from an old-fashioned school

Plays coquette on the pillow

Like an old-fashioned fool

Go down lightly

Go down silently

You go down lonely

You go down like me