Paul Shapera
Raven’s Opening
[Raven]
When your world’s been crushed
And your new world is fear
And your dreams brutalized
And shattered like mirrors
And you flee on the run
With a face full of tears
Join us my love
Join us right here

There’s a strange land that you might say
Is so close yet far away
In which our dear carnival prowls

It's a long, lonely, dusty time
Since someone mentioning stopped by
And the time’s come to speak of it now

There’s cobwebs and dust
Unholy things gone to rust
And our crew’s usually blind drunk by noon

But for you we'll make due
Crank the old wheel anew
As our carnival comes back to town
For those of you far out there listening
To this little humble, odd transmission
Who awaited a weird west cabaret

Well don't reach for that dial yet
Miss Helen and her cast of friends
Are joining our circus today

They're on the run, afraid
And need a place they can escape
And this I can help with, I might

But before you all go
Tour our grounds, see our show
As our carnival comes back to life

[Floozies]
Raven, baby, hey, whatcha got to say?

[Raven]
Step right up step right up, what a show we have today

[Floozies]
Raven, baby, hey, whatcha got to say?

[Raven]
All you little Albionites listening, dont you go away
It’s been so long since we've have crowds to coquet, seduce and bait
Our circus has been stuck for so long in this god forsaken place
That at night I finger razor blades
But Hamlet’s soliloquy can wait
This week peruse our carnival of debauchery and disarray
[Floozies]
Raven, baby, hey, say whatcha got to say?

[Raven]
The cast of your favorite cabaret is with us here today

[Floozies]
Raven, baby, hey, say whatcha gotta say?

[Raven]
Please welcome our desperate fugitives, and Miss Helen… enchantee
Kiss my grits and panties, it's so exciting here, don't you know?
They're on the run but first they'll tour our grounds and see our show
Sit back, relax, I swear there’s no reveals or big surprise
We all know who's coming, its just a question of when they arrive

Our carnival has been around
Exotic lands and foreign towns
We've welcomed so many inside

Angels, demons both alike
Every tarot card and every sign
Has howled at the moon in our time

And here I’d thought our day done
The last act where I suck a gun
But now my loves you have arrived
Every fetish is fine
You can have some of mine
As the carnival comes back to town