LUSH LIFE L.A.
Billy Strayhorn


I USED TO VISIT ALL THE VERY GAY PLACES
THOSE COME WHAT MAY PLACES
WHERE ONE RELAXES ON THE AXIS OF THE WHEEL OF LIFE
TO GET THE FEEL OF LIFE FROM JAZZ AND COCKTAILS
THE GIRLS I KNEW HAD SAD AND SULLEN GRAY FACES
WITH DISTENGUE TRACES THAT USED TO BE THERE
YOU COULD SEE WHERE
THEY'D BEEN WASHED AWAY BY TOO MANY THROUGH
THE DAY TWELVE O'CLOCKTAILS
THEN YOU CAME ALONG WITH YOUR SIREN'S SONG
TO TEMPT ME TO MADNESS
I THOUGHT FOR A WHILE THAT YOUR POINGENT SMILE
WAS TINGED WITH THE SADNESS OF A GREAT LOVE
FOR ME
AH YES I WAS WRONG AGAIN I WAS WRONG
LIFE IS LONELY AGAIN AND ONLY LAST YEAR
EVERYTHING SEEMED SO SURE NOW LIFE'S AWFUL AGAIN
A TROUGH FULL OF HEARTS COULD ONLY BE A BORE
A WEEK IN PARIS WILL EASE THE BITE OF IT 
ALL I CARE IS TO SMILE IN SPITE OF IT
I'LL FORGET YOU I WILL  AND YET YOU ARE
STILL BURNING INSIDE MY BRAIN
ROMANCE IS MUSH  STIFLING THOSE WHO STRIVE 
I'LL LIVE A LUSH
LIFE IN SOME SMALL DIVE AND THERE
I'LL BE WHILE I ROT WITH THE REST
OF THOSE WHOSE LIVES ARE LONELY TOO