Bye and Bye

By and by¹ I'm breathing a lover's sigh,

Well, I'm sitting on my watch so I can be on time,

I'm singing love's praises with sugarcoated rhyme,

By and by on you I'm casting my eye.

I'm painting the town, swinging my partner around,

Well, I know who I can depend on, I know who to trust,

I'm watching the roads, I'm studying the dust,

I'm painting the town, making my last go-round.

Well, I'm scuffling and I'm shuffling and I'm walking on briars,

I'm not even acquainted with my own desires.

I'm rolling slow, I'm doing all I know,

I'm telling myself I found true happiness,

That I've still got a dream that hasn't been repossessed,

I'm rolling slow, going where the wild roses grow.

Well, the future for me is already a thing of the past,

You were my first love and you will be my last.

Papa gone mad, mama, she's feeling sad.

Well, I'm gonna baptize you in fire so you can sin no more,

I'm gonna establish my rule through civil war,

Gon' make you see just how loyal and true a man can be.

¹ The title of this song is a play on words, referring to the adverbial phrase "by and by", meaning "eventually" or "before long", and to the word "bye".