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lyrics

black wine black wine
that black black wine
from the bottle to the belly of the child
she's fine black wine
there are other things that shine
and you lose when you smile

I wouldn't call it the warmest greeting but
it's true that nothing breakable got thrown
we felt like spies at a secret meeting
like spiders in an ice cream cone
and I wouldn't call it gracious how everyone sat
and barely gave a sideways glance
we tried to let you know we left our baseball bat
with those friends we made in france

black wine black wine
that black black wine
from the bottle to the belly of the child
she's fine black wine
there are other things that shine
and you lose when you smile

half-eaten meat on a piece of purple cloth
and a mean hound warily surveys
us digging up the bones of your favorite visigoth
and displaying all the findings on trays
someone opened up the mouth and a stone fell out
and it rolled beneath the flower-patterned couch
we were fabricating tombstones from bowling balls and grout
when we heard the dirty jawbone saying "ouch"

black wine black wine
that black black wine
from the bottle to the belly of the child
she's fine black wine
there are other things that shine
and you lose when you smile

there were halfhearted gestures like really weak tea
and they intensified the chips and the dip
we picked up the message that you don't get it for free
it's more like you earn it with a whip
there was all this white mist and the big picture view
was looping a defective cliche
saying love is a horse that will someday turn to glue
and lovers are pieces of hay

black wine black wine
that black black wine
from the bottle to the belly of the child
she's fine black wine
there are other things that shine
and you lose when you smile

when you took us on the road to the overseer's house
we were slipping on the cold hard-packed ground
you were gnawing on the neck bone of a ring-necked grouse and you were
hoping that he wouldn't be around
you were tearing down the trees with your big fat hands just as
idly as a baby throws a book
you were dreaming of a trial where there is no witness stand and
the jurors have all promised not to look

black wine black wine that
black black wine
from the bottle to the belly of the child
she's fine black wine there are
other things that shine
and you lose if you smile

when we finally had our dinner in the dining room I was
glad you left the football game on
it was pork on pork on pork on pork
it was yet another spiritual dawn
no one said anything remotely close
to certain things that people could have said
it was a dangerous reckless super-dose
of the savior's tasteless bread

black wine black wine that
black black wine
from the bottle to the belly of the child
she's fine black wine there are
other things that shine
and you lose when you smile

there were many miles to go in that dead-grey place
where you figured you would take us just for kicks
so you had us carve pictures of your horrible face
with our fingertips bleeding on the bricks
you were laughing at a thought so hollow and dull when you
idly swung your club around your knees
you killed one of your kids with a stove-in skull
so you had us all throw her in the trees

black wine black wine that
black black wine
from the bottle to the belly of the child
she's fine black wine there are
other things that shine
and you lose when you smile

I was eating and drinking to keep from speaking
and solving any problems of the day
like a backwards boat the house was leaking
there were tables and there were chairs in the bay
I thought I heard the window start to chuckle
I believe that I heard it say
everything is wild it's a dream it's a name
it's a mind it's a bone on a tray

black wine black wine that
black black wine
from the bottle to the belly of the child
she's fine black wine there are
other things that shine
and you lose when you smile

credits

from Dragon Chinese Cocktail Horoscope, released March 24, 2009

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Michael Zapruder Austin, Texas

“Michael Zapruder makes beautiful folk-pop ballads resonant of the voice of Rufus Wainwright and wordplay of Andrew Bird" – Pitchfork

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