The Crooked Christmas Star, '73 Lyrics

star of wonder

star of night

star of royal

beauty bright

westward leading

still proceeding

guide us with

thy perfect light



he brought me a star

he carved out of wood

he stole from my own back yard

uneven unpolished

repainted unfinished

unwrapped and without any card

hey

how do you like the star

he says

we're out havin' dinner that night

terrific i tell him

and how is your kid?

my kid? oh he's doin' all right

do you think you'll get married?

i ask in my worst

artificial rehearsed

type of voice

eat your chop suey

he orders

then answers

she waited too late

and i don't have a choice

star of wonder

star of whim

royal beauty

burning dim



he brought me a star

he carved out of wood

to hang on my xmas tree

uneven unpolished

repainted half-finished

i think it's a portrait of me

we

only made it but one time

y'know

she wanted to get knocked up

she worked it out

with her astrology chart

i let go of my hot coffee cup

and his elbow is scalded

(the embroidered heart

on his sleeve pulls apart

at the seam)

astrology chart

astrology chart

i better laugh quick

either that or i'll scream!



star of wonder

star of woe

ragged beauty

burning low



the spirit of christmas

is something like love

it's hope

but it's mainly mirage

and after the season

the hope has been lost

with the tinsel you've tossed

behind the garage

the empress of china

she laughs when i laugh

we've both played this scene before

hey how is your kid?

and i don't have a choice

and once more

and once more

and once more

i stare at my fork

the empress would grab it

and stand up and stab it

in his neck

he lies and he cheat

and he eats from my plate

and hates himself 'cause

he can't pay the check!



still

there's that star

he stole with his hands

and carved with his heart

for the limb

at the top of my tree

it's a portrait of me

ain't it also a portrait of him?

a saint who's been tainted

repainted rejected

a dead resurrected

crooked star

he's low but he's high

but hell so am i

ain't that why i love him

i love him

i love him

i love him

i love him

i love him

i love him

i love him

i love him?



star of wonder

star of doubt

ragged beauty

burning out...