This song also goes back to 2002, sort of a prequel to “Starving Time” (see post of Feb.27) Not sure which one I wrote first, actually, I’ll have to check my old notebooks.
Welcome to the Banquet
the table’s piled high
with the dreams of all the children in their cages
They’re having a special sale today,
five dances for a dollar
with the girls in fancy dresses and ribbons in their hair
And the stalls are overflowing
with treasures for the slaves:
they’re richer than the masters in their palaces and graves
A thousand shining trinkets,
necklaces and jewels
made by the sons and daughters of the ones who broke the rules
the Rules of the party
the Rules of the show
the spectacle of the conquerers, the ones who think they know
They think the know the secret,
they think they solved it all,
they built the road to salvation and a thousand shopping malls
Welcome to the banquet, the table’s piled high
And the dogs are running crazy
hunting for the pearls
that the warden throws by handfuls on the ground
yes Welcome to the Banquet,
the Feast is finally here:
eat well my friends, and drain your cups,
for the starving time is near
