The clouds are gray over Tokyo city These shadows crowd up in Jerusalem's wall Shanghai sits under the weight of the towers Athens dodges another curveball Fast train races from London to Paris The HongKong harbor glistens in the sun Purity red down in New York City and German machines on the Autobon Prayers are ringing from every corner Bowing and chanting in silent procedure The lane changes in every tower The clawing, and counting, and planting, and reaching The glory's still turning and twisting revolving The body count grows, yeah but what is it solving? The forest is lonely, the riverbed's growing The sun is still scorching and the rain isn't falling
Can you feel the tide is turning? Can you see the hearts are yearning? Can you feel your gut churning? And Rome...is burning
Old ways are crumbling Policies fumbling Walls are eroding and music's evolving Stories forgotten and cultures imploding Terror is raining with pins and explosives End times are near, end times are far Preachers of doom and optimists stars Scripture's are taken and beaten and stolen Salvation and gluttony bellies are swollen
Can you see the lines are blurring Can you hear the engines whirring? Can you hear the fat cat's purring? And Rome... is burning
Cleopatra gets herself a Hollywood star and sings Walk like an "Egyptian at a karaoke bar" Brutus in the backroom sharpening knifes Greets us fast with a kiss and a dirty surprise Keep the clips, the slaves in the place where they belong Throw the rest in the arena let the mob cheer on The center and the army in a bloody battle fight And Nero likes the fireworks on Fourth of July Can information and agitation just to fight an invasion with a hidden equation Gender confusion Moral absolution Kill off the kid as a notable notion
