The festival was over, the boys were all plannin' for a fall
The cabaret was quiet except for the drillin' in the wall
The 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 Hearts
He 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 heads
Then 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 Hearts
Backstage the girls were playin' five-card stud by the stairs
Lily had two queens, she was hopin' for a third to match her pair
Outside 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 Hearts
Big Jim was no one's fool, he owned the town's only diamond mine
He made his usual entrance lookin' so dandy and so fine
With 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 Hearts
Rosemary combed her hair and took a carriage into town
She slipped in through the side door lookin' like a queen without a crown
She 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 shelf."
But 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 Hearts
Lily 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 smiled
She'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 Hearts
The 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 mind
It 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 Hearts
Rosemary 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 wife
She 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 Hearts
Lily washed her face, took her dress off and 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 Hearts
The 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 Hearts
Lily's arms were locked around the man that she dearly loved to touch
She forgot all about the man she couldn't stand who hounded her so much
"I've missed you so," she said to him, and he felt she was sincere
But just beyond the door he felt jealousy and fear
Just another night in the life of the Jack of Hearts
No one knew the circumstance but they say that it happened pretty quick
The door to the dressing room burst open and a cold revolver clicked
And 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 Hearts
Two 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 haul
In 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 Hearts
The next day was hangin' day, the sky was overcast and black
Big Jim lay covered up, killed by a penknife in the back
And 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 Hearts
The cabaret was empty now, a sign said, "Closed for repair,"
Lily had already taken all of the dye out of her hair
She 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
O festival acabara, os rapazes estavam planejando uma queda,
O cabaré estava silencioso, exceto por uma perfuração na parede
A placa "closed" havia sido suspensa e a roda de apostas guardada
Qualquer um com um pouco de senso já teria deixado a cidade
Ele estava de pé perto da porta parecendo com o Valete de Copas.
Ele se moveu atravessando o quarto espelhado, "Apronte tudo para todos" ele disse,
Então todos começaram a fazer o que faziam antes dele virar suas cabeças.
Então ele encostou em um estranho e lhe perguntou com um sorriso
"Você teria a bondade de me dizer amigo, que horas o show começa?
"Então ele se posicionou em um canto, rosto para baixo como o Valete de Copas.
Nos bastidores as meninas jogavam cartas perto da escada
Lily tinha duas rainhas, ela torcia por um terceiro para compor a dupla
Lá fora as ruas enchiam a janela estava toda aberta
A brisa gentil soprava Você podia senti-la, lá de dentro
Lilly apostou novamente e puxou o Valete de Copas.
Big Jim não era tolo para ninguém era dono da única mina de diamantes da cidade,
Ele fez sua entrada habitual todo emperiquitado e bonito
Com seus guarda-costas e bengala de prata e cada fio de cabelo no lugar
Ele tomava o que ele queria e deixava estragar
Mas seus guarda-costas e bengala de prata não eram páreos para o Valete de Copas.
Rosemary penteava o cabelo e pegou uma carruagem até a cidade,
Ela entrou pela porta lateral parecendo uma rainha sem coroa
Ela batia seus cílios postiços e sussurrou em seu ouvido
"Desculpe querido, estou atrasada" Mas ele não pareceu ouvir
Estava olhando para o espaço ao redor do Valete de Copas.
"Eu sei que já vi este rosto antes" Big Jim estava pensando para si ,
"Talvez tenha sido no México, ou em um retrato na prateleira de alguém"
Mas então o povo começou a bater o pé e as luzes da casa abaixaram
E na escuridão da sala havia apenas Big Jim e ele
Encarando a borboleta que acaba de puxar um Valete de Copas.
Lily era uma princesa, ela tinha pela alva e preciosa como uma criança,
Ela fez o que precisou fazer havia um certo brilho cada vez que sorria
Ela veio de longe de uma casa com pais separados teve vários casos estranhos
Com toda espécie de homens que a levaram para todos os lugares
Mas ela nunca encontrou ninguém bom como o Valete de Copas.
O juiz enforcador entrou despercebido e estava sendo servido de vinho e jantar
A perfuração na parede continuava mas ninguém parecia dar muita atenção
Era sabido por todos que Lily tinha o anel de Jim
E nada jamais interferiria entre Lily e o rei
Não, nada interferiria exceto talvez o Valete de Copas.
Rosemary estava bebendo muito e olhando seu reflexo em uma faca,
Ela estava cansada da atenção, cansada de fazer o papel de esposa de Big Jim.
Ela tinha feito muitas coisas ruins até certa vez tentou suicídio,
Estava tentando fazer apenas uma coisa boa antes de morrer
Ela estava olhando para o futuro, cavalgando no Valete de Copas.
Lily lavou o rosto tirou o seu vestido e o enterrou (deixou de lado)
"Será que sua sorte se esgotou?" ela lhe diz rindo "Bem, suponho
Que você deveria saber que acabaria algum dia
Cuidado para não tocar na parede há uma nova demão de tinta
Fico feliz em ver que continua vivo, você mais parece um santo"
Descendo o corredor pegadas chegam atrás do Valete de Copas.
Nos bastidores o gerente estava andando nervoso ao redor da cadeira
"Há algo estranho acontecendo", ele diz, "Eu simplesmente posso senti-lo no ar"
Ele foi pegar o juiz enforcador mas o juiz enforcador estava bêbado,
Enquanto o ator principal se apressava com sua roupa de monge
Não havia em lugar algum ator melhor do que o Valete de Copas.
Os braços de Lily se fechavam em torno do homem que ela tanto adorava tocar
Ela se esqueceu completamente do homem ela não podia suportar tanto a perseguição
"Senti tanto sua falta" ela disse e ele sentiu que ela estava sendo sincera,
Mas além da porta ele sentiu o ciúme e o medo
Apenas mais uma noite na vida do Valete de Copas.
Ninguém sabia as circunstâncias mas dizem que aconteceu bem rápido
A porta para o vestiário abriu-se repentinamente e um revólver frio clicou
E Big Jim estava de pé lá, não se pode dizer surpreso,
Rosemary ao seu lado firme no seu olhar
Ela estava com Big Jim mas se direcionava para o Valete de Copas.
Duas portas depois os garotos finalmente passaram pela parede
E limparam o cofre do banco, dizem que levaram um bom bocado
Na escuridão ao lado do rio eles aguardaram no terreno
Por mais um membro que tinha negócios a tratar na cidade
Pois não podiam ir mais sem o Valete de Copas.
No dia seguinte era dia de enforcamento o céu estava nublado e negro,
Big Jim foi estendido e encoberto, morto por uma facada nas costas
E Rosemary na forca ela sequer piscou
O juiz enforcador estava sóbrio, ele não tocou em uma gota
A única pessoa faltando na cena era o Valete de Copas.
O cabaré estava vazio agora, uma placa dizia, "Fechado para reparos"
Lily já havia tirado toda a tinta de seu cabelo
Ela estava pensando em seu pai, quem ela muito raramente via,
Pensando em Rosemary e pensando sobre a lei
Mas, principalmente ela estava pensando no Valete de Copas.
