Maybe its just age or a thousand other fears That took me back tonight to my early carnival years I can see the period moving like the source of the old Golf Stream Oh, what a lovely dream Adolescent lust was begging for a start As I sidestepped those brothers with their sacred hearts Yep, those two weeks a year, it was all about sin Follies chasing death, you can count me in Theres flambeau man with a golden ring And a cruel, north wind, smells like kerosene Here comes the float with the carnival queen I wanna wrap her in serpentine Hands up high, eyes open wide Throw me something, mister, thats why you ride Cracker jacks with tares inside Kneel beyond our wildest dreams Foots and masks that are too Some things really are the way they seem Beads and confetti were littering the air When the queen looked at me with her Ava Gardner stare Though tomorrow would bring ashes and penance by the ton Mardi Gras is where I learned to have fun Theres flambeau man with a golden ring And a cruel, north wind, smells like kerosene Im still in love with the carnival queen I wanna wrap her in serpentine Still wanna wrap her in serpentine It was the devil!

A long stone and my day's all serpentine The tired tarnish in my chest rests sense of SARS And one dull dawn where they hum that splits its length Does my name sting your tongue? Now does it beg? Your thin frame has set my eyes to fray On our dim stretch of this street, how it aches For every grey and sad and taut to coil And our frail eyes and there watch to finally talk One brash phrase cut crush these fragile days My thoughts swirl in some shrill sad cannonade And one such spur that caused my throat to creak The one dull dawn that I've since sensed to repeat

My descent is the story of everyman I am hatred, darkness and despair My descent is the story of everyman I am hatred, darkness and despair Oh Evoked and entertained through centuries Wrathful and sullen, dormant still The ferocity pervades everywhere Waiting to be released at last Hear my offering Ye bastards, sons and daughters Share my sacrifice Share my sacrifice My descent is the story of everyman I am hatred, darkness and despair My descent is the story of everyman I am hatred, darkness and despair Reconcile not with the fear of the snake But embrace it as your own Inject its venom into your veins And replant the seed that gives growth Still shrouded in mystery Until you arise above perception A veil of ignorance is in motion Continuing throughout generations (A veil of ignorance is in motion) (Continuing throughout multiple generations) (Let me be the one that delivers you from the deceit) (And back into perfect accordance with the laws of nature) The snake is notoriously tempting But the snake is fair What is worse than not knowing? To live or disappear? The ferocity pervades everywhere Waiting to be released at last Hear my offering Ye bastards, sons and daughters Share my sacrifice Share my sacrifice

Say, yes, they know that you fought yourself another time Don't they know that you're full of pain already? Yes, they know that you've hurt yourself another time Decadence isn't easy, is it? Yes, they know that you've hurt yourself another time Don't they know that you're full of pain already? Yes they know that you've hurt yourself another time Decadence isn't easy Then you slowly recall all your mind Why your soul's gone cold and all hope has run dry? Dead inside Never enough to forget that you're one of the lonely Slowly recall all your mind Say, yes, they know that you've hurt yourself another time Don't they know that you're full of pain already? Yes, they know that you've hurt yourself another time Decadence isn't easy, is it? Yes, they know that you've hurt yourself another time Don't they know that you're full of pain already? Yes, they know that you've hurt yourself another time Decadence isn't easy Then you slowly recall all your mind Why your soul's gone cold and all hope has run dry? Dead inside Never enough to forget that you're one of the lonely Slowly recall all your mind If I scare you now Don't run from me I've been hiding my pain, you see Said if I scare you now Don't run from me I've been hiding my pain, you see Slowly recall all your mind Why your soul's gone cold and all hope has run dry? Dead inside Never enough to forget that you're one of the lonely Slowly recall all your mind Slowly recall all your mind Say, yes, they know that you've hurt yourself another time Don't they know that you're full of pain already? Yes, they know that you've hurt yourself another time Decadence isn't easy, is it?