New Messiah
A Cezanne was hanging from the wall of the Holiday Inn
Down the hall from the Pepsi machine and the fresh ice bin
A Dominican midget selling Bibles had attracted quite a crowd
But he swore he wasn’t liable for the passages that he read out loud
A hired picture-taker asked the family to step outside
By the dancing alligator and the low-rent cupid along for the ride
The wedding band was playing medleys no one even wanted to hear
And a well-tanned debutante was asking if the judgment day was near.
(chorus)
Everybody’s looking for the new Messiah
Some holy man with all the right words
Everybody wants to sing in the choir
Chip in a dollar for their home-grown Lourdes
Everybody’s looking for the New Messiah
The expressway was sluggish and the toll booth attendants wore teal
And the mantra was druggish and just another reason to kneel
The midget and his long-haired friend wore kimonos of white
And all of the tourists tried to pretend it was just for the night
A drunken old lady with a jaguar sweatshirt on the train
Wore a face like Picasso had painted her out in the rain
The image consultant told the midget he should moderate his views
And we watched the resultant stigmata each night on the six o clock news
(chorus)