Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts

The festival was over and the boys were all plannin' for a fall
The cabaret was quiet except for the drillin' in the wallThe curfew had been lifted and the gamblin' wheel shut down
Anyone with any sense had already left town
He was standin' in the doorway lookin' like the Jack of HeartsHe moved across the mirrored room, "Set it up for everyone" he said
Then everyone commenced to do what they were doin'
Before he turned their headsThen he walked up to a stranger and he asked him with a grin
"Could you kindly tell me, friend, what time the show begins?"
Then he moved into the corner, face down like the Jack of HeartsBackstage the girls were playin' five-card stud by the stairs
Lily had two queens, she was hopin' for a third to match her pairOutside the streets were fillin' up, the window was open wide
A gentle breeze was blowin', you could feel it from inside
Lily called another bet and drew up the Jack of HeartsBig Jim was no one's fool, he owned the town's only diamond mine
He made his usual entrance lookin' so dandy and so fineWith his bodyguards and silver cane and every hair in place
He took whatever he wanted to and he laid it all to waste
But his bodyguards and silver cane were no match for the Jack of HeartsRosemary combed her hair and took a carriage into town
She slipped in through the side door lookin' like a queen without a crownShe fluttered her false eyelashes and whispered in his ear
"Sorry, darlin', that I'm late" but he didn't seem to hear
He was starin' into space over at the Jack of Hearts"I know I've seen that face before," Big Jim was thinkin' to himself
"Maybe down in Mexico or a picture up on somebody's shelfBut then the crowd began to stamp their feet and the house lights did dim
And in the darkness of the room there was only Jim and him
Starin' at the butterfly who just drew the Jack of HeartsLily was a princess, she was fair-skinned and precious as a child
She did whatever she had to do
She had that certain flash every time she smiledShe'd come away from a broken home, had lots of strange affairs
With men in every walk of life which took her everywhere
But she'd never met anyone quite like the Jack of HeartsThe hangin' judge came in unnoticed and was being wined and dined
The drillin' in the wall kept up but no one seemed to pay it any mindIt was known all around that Lily had Jim's ring
And nothing would ever come between Lily and the king
No, nothin' ever would except maybe the Jack of HeartsRosemary started drinkin' hard and seein' her reflection in the knife
She was tired of the attention, tired of playin' the role of Big Jim's wifeShe had done a lot of bad things, even once tried suicide
Was lookin' to do just one good deed before she died
She was gazin' to the future, riding on the Jack of HeartsLily took her dress off, buried it away
"Has your luck run out?" she laughed at him
"Well, I guess you must have known it would someday""Be careful not to touch the wall, there's a brand-new coat of paint
I'm glad to see you're still alive, you're lookin' like a saint"
Down the hallway footsteps were comin' for the Jack of HeartsThe backstage manager was pacing all around by his chair
"There's something funny going on" he said
"I can just feel it in the air"He went to get the hangin' judge, but the hangin' judge was drunk
As the leading actor hurried by in the costume of a monk
There was no actor anywhere better than the Jack of HeartsNo one knew the circumstance
But they say that it happened pretty quick
The door to the dressing room burst open and a cold revolver clickedAnd Big Jim was standin' there, ya couldn't say surprised
Rosemary right beside him, steady in her eyes
She was with Big Jim but she was leanin' to the Jack of HeartsTwo doors down, the boys finally made it through the wall
And cleaned out the bank safe
It's said that they got off with quite a haulIn the darkness by the riverbed they waited on the ground
For one more member who had business back in town
But they couldn't go no further without the Jack of HeartsThe next day was hangin' day, the sky was overcast and black
Big Jim lay covered up, killed by a penknife in the backAnd Rosemary on the gallows, she didn't even blink
The hangin' judge was sober, he hadn't had a drink
The only person on the scene missin' was the Jack of HeartsThe cabaret was empty now, a sign said, "Closed for repair"
Lily had already taken all of the dye out of her hairShe was thinkin' 'bout her father, who she very rarely saw
Thinkin' 'bout Rosemary and thinkin' about the law
But most of all she was thinkin' 'bout the Jack of Hearts