Pete, he was broke-
he was broke- broken- broke.
Fifteen cents left to spend
on a call and a half
Let me know he was leaf-
he was le- leaving- left
Gone in the dusk of the Ape
April night.
Pete on a bus
on a bus
On a bus
on a bus to Manhattan to visit a friend
Left with a tick-
with a tick- ticka- ticket
Rang in my head he said
"This was the end."
I had a head covered over with ringlets
I had a voice with a faberge sound
Now I'm an alto called Charlie because he
Emptied my soul-box and let it resound
Pete had a piece of a broke- broken teacup
Dull in the trunk of his stepmother's car
Wh'never I drink now the cup's always broken
Broken me, broken teacup wherever we are
The skyline was hot as he seeped through Manhattan
Tears fell to pavement between smokestack and spire
And he finally wept in the rain of the city
That the skyline was beautiful, rosy on fire.