‘Second Line’ is a fictional tale featuring the mother of the kingpin, recently deceased, and the spectacle of his New Orleans-style funeral. The story is told from the perspective of someone from the outer circle. The mother, as an older woman, is fierce, proud and strong, and emerges as the Queen of the Scene.
Second Line
The march goes forward down the main boulevard
The crowd goes quiet when the band moves past
There’s a line by the corner seven people deep
Everybody wonderin’ how the kingpin will sleep
There’s a line by the corner seven people deep
Everybody wonderin’ how the kingpin will sleep
Roll out the carpet! Strike up the drum!
Bang on the tambourine, the kingpin is gone
We better second line, but don’t go too near
The order is a-changin’, a new scene will be here
Bang on the tambourine, the kingpin is gone
We better second line, but don’t go too near
The order is a-changin’, a new scene will be here
They say there’ll be a show down, who’ll be next in line?
Who’ll sleep with the kingpin, who’ll be left behind?
The brother in his pinstripe, the lover in her hat?
Hollow with her grievin’ in a long black Cadillac
Who’ll sleep with the kingpin, who’ll be left behind?
The brother in his pinstripe, the lover in her hat?
Hollow with her grievin’ in a long black Cadillac
The wife she knows already she can’t win the game
It’s blood, lust or nothin’, she only got his name
His mother in a string o’ pearls, she never miss a step
The king’s reign is over, she want all she can get
It’s blood, lust or nothin’, she only got his name
His mother in a string o’ pearls, she never miss a step
The king’s reign is over, she want all she can get
We better second line boy, show ‘em how we feel
Dance with the ladies, the kingpin ain’t here
We better second line, but leave the rest to me
I’ll go get the story, I’ll see what I can see
Dance with the ladies, the kingpin ain’t here
We better second line, but leave the rest to me
I’ll go get the story, I’ll see what I can see
There’s a crypt in the old church with a heavy armed guard
All the bodies buried there, near the old graveyard
There’s ‘gators in the water, snakes in the drains
Stand back and watch boy, see who take the reins
All the bodies buried there, near the old graveyard
There’s ‘gators in the water, snakes in the drains
Stand back and watch boy, see who take the reins
Some say his brother, some say his wife
My money’s on his mother, she been in this game for life
She got poison in the cocaine, lethal in the smack
A dagger in her stockin’, so don’t you turn your back
My money’s on his mother, she been in this game for life
She got poison in the cocaine, lethal in the smack
A dagger in her stockin’, so don’t you turn your back
She’s the queen of the scene boy, now everybody know
We better second line, we’ll make a real good show
We better second line boy, she’ll build a solid scene
The order is a-changin’, here comes the queen!
We better second line, we’ll make a real good show
We better second line boy, she’ll build a solid scene
The order is a-changin’, here comes the queen!