Romeo is bleeding, not so as you'd notice
He's over on 18th street as usual
Lookin' so hard against the hood of his car
Puttin' out a cigarette in his hand
For all the pachucos at the pumps
At Romero's Paint and Body

They're all seein' how far they can spit
Well, it was just another night
And now they're huddled in the
Brake lights of a 58 Belair
And listenin' to how Romeo killed
The Sheriff with his knife

And they all jump when they hear the sirens
Romeo just laughs
"All the racket in the world ain't never gonna
Save that Coppers' ass
He ain't never gonna see another summertime
For gunnin' down my brother
Leavin' him like a dog
Beneath a car without his knife"

Romeo says," Hey man, gimme a cigarette"
And they all reach for their pack
Frankie lights it for him and pats him on the back
An' throws a bottle at a milk truck
And as it breaks, he grabs his nuts
An' they all know, they could be just like Romeo
If they only had the guts

Romeo is bleeding, nobody can tell
An' he sings along with the radio
With a bullet in his chest
An' he combs back his fenders
They all agree it's clear
That everything is cool, and if Romeo was here

Romeo is bleeding an' he winces now an' then
An' he leans against the car door
Feels the blood in his shoes
Someone's cryin' at the fire point
In the phone booth by the store

Romeo starts his engines
Wipes the blood off the door
And he brodys through the signal
With the radio full blast
Leavin' the boys there, hikin' up their chinos
And now they're all tryin' to stand like Romeo
With the moon, cut like a sickle
And they're talkin' now in Spanish, all about their hero

Romeo is bleeding as he gives the man his ticket
And he climbs the balcony at the movies
And he'll die without a whimper
Like every hero's dream
Like an angel with a bullet
And Cagney on a screen

Romeo is bleeding
Romeo is bleeding
Hey man, Romeo is bleeding
Hey man, Romeo is bleeding
Hey man, Romeo is bleeding

Copyright: BMG Rights Management, JALMA MUSIC
Writer(s): TOM WAITS