Claudia Bettinaglio Romeo Is Bleeding
Romeo is bleeding but not so as you'd notice
He's over on 18th Street as usual
Looking so hard against the hood of his car
puttin' out a cigarette in his hand
And for all the Pachucos(2) at the pumps
at Romero's Paint and Body(3)
they all seein' how far they can spit
Well it was just another night
and now they're huddled(4) in the brake lights
of a '58 Bel Air(5)
and listenin' how Romeo
killed a sherif with his knife
And they all jump when they hear the sirens
but Romeo just laughs
all the racket(6) in the world
ain't never gonna save that copper's(7) ass
He ain't never gonna see another summertime
for gunnin' down my brother
and leavin' him like a dog
beneath a car without his knife
Romeo says: hey man gimme a cigarette
and they all reach for their pack
and Frankie lights it for him
and pats him on the back
And throws a bottle at a milk truck
and as it breaks he grabs his nuts
They all know they could be just like Romeo
if they only had the guts
Romeo is bleeding but nobody can tell
sings along with the radio
with a bullet in his chest
And he combs back his fenders
and they all agree it's clear
and that everything is cool
now that Romeo's here
Romeo is bleeding
He winces now and then
He leans against the car door
Feels the blood in his shoes
And someone's cryin' at the 5 Points(8)
in the phone booth by the store
Romeo starts his engines
wipes the blood of the door
And he brodys(9) through the signal
with the radio full blast(10)
Leavin' the boys there hikin' up their chinos(11)
And then they all try to stand like Romeo
beneath the moon cut like a sickle
And they're talkin' now in Spanish
all about their hero
Romeo is bleeding
as he gives the man his ticket
He climbs the balcony at the movies
And he'll die without a whimper
like every hero's dream
Like an angel with a bullet
and Cagney on the screen(12)
And Romeo is bleeding
Romeo is bleeding, hey man
Romeo is bleeding, hey man
Romeo is bleeding, hey man
Romeo is bleeding
Andele pues!(13)
Hey Pachuco!
Hey Pachuco!
Hago la lucha!
Dáme esa pistola, hombre!
Hijo de la chingada madre!
Ay, que pinche pancho!
Hey man!
Hago la lucha!
Hago la lucha!
Vamos a dormir, hombre
Hey man!
