Pearly Gates from VIRGILVILLE by Virgilville
Tracklist
| 5. | Pearly Gates | 6:03 |
Lyrics
She knew she had some power
in her strapless summer dresses
and she saw the way the elders looked at her
She’d grown up in the church
and now she was the woman
that the elders used to bounce upon their knees
She never heard the gossip
but she knew they talked about her
and she felt she was on the outside looking in
So when the Reverend came a courtin’
she took it as a sign that he would
save her from her life of secret sin
He’d say, “Remember who you are, girl,
and remember what we stand for
you’re the symbol of the virtue of the fold
Don’t cross your legs on Sunday
and make sure your dress is modest
‘cos you know the kinds of tales that will be told.”
She’d given him a son and she had
given him devotion, but no matter how she tried
it never seemed to be enough
The Reverend couldn’t stand the way
they watched her take communion
and slowly he withdrew from her his touch
She had a body like a serpent
and her raven hair was curlyand he felt that loving her must be a sin
And although he never hit her,
with his countenance upon her
she seemed to wither like a blossom in the sun
He’d say, “Remember who you are, girl,
and remember what you stand for;
you are the symbol of the virtue of the fold
Don’t cross your legs on Sunday,
and be sure your dress is modest
because you know the kinds of tales that will be told
He tried to lift her up!
tried to lead her to the light
at the end of the tunnel of her past
Delilah’s heart was breaking
her virtue suffocating
she knew she’d have to leave to be free at last
So she ran off to the city
and she worked there as a dancer
Shared her virtues there a dollar at a time
She filled the empty spaces
of the life that had been denied her
and she found herself a dollar at a time
She remembered who she was now
and she remembered what she stood for
when she counted the dollar bills
in her collection plate
she’d do six shows on Sunday
and the dress she wore was modest
till the lights hit the stage at “The Pearly Gates”
Credits
Virgil-words and music
