Memorial Day lyrics

It should have been so soft

This morning as we left

But the valley was infected

By a different kind of beauty

And the Indians, they knew

It was a devil's sanctuary

Out of this unholy dawn

A car came stirring up the sand

And a woman from a Passion Play

Held up the limousine that brought me

All this way today

And I didn't need to turn around so strong

Was the message

And the man who planned her life

Commanded all that followed

Well, they bellowed, and they hollered

And they threw each other down

Down in this valley

This cruel and lovely valley

Oh, it should have been an alley

In some low down part of town

As the lights came up

There was no sun

And brandy splattered all over the ground

As this woman with her head held high

Yelled love and why, oh, why

You're killing me, oh, follow me

As I watched safe and clean

From the frosted windows in the limousine

Well, they bellowed, and they hollered

And they threw each other down

Down in this valley

This cruel and lovely valley

Oh, it should have been an alley

In some low down part of town

Before, he'd been so funny

Imagining the best

That he'd escape recrimination

For abandoning the nest

He'd been joking and stoned

While he was entertaining me

But then turned and was stunned

By her panic and her misery

And I was in the getaway car

Giving him a chance, to get away

Get away, get away

And how the valley smoked

As he crossed Route 25

With his cymbals and his shattered crown

Leaving all alone

His eyes fixed on the ground

And he didn't need to turn around so strong

Was the message

And he fell into the shallow sky

And was swallowed

Well, they bellowed, and they hollered

And they threw each other down

Down in this valley

This cruel and lovely valley

Oh, it should have been an alley

In some low down part of town