By a birdbath of Connemara marble
I watched a girl draw another there
Her dress cut black with flowers like Kahlo
The corner of her mouth caught her wind-strewn hair
You could hear a tune from a river wedding
The band in bloom and the cameras out
It was something local they were singing
With my rusty French i could just make out
La Nouvelle Ville, c'est pas tranquille
Je reconnais que tu es très gentile
Where the hopeless spit and the helpless steal
The deal is split by morning
Under the bridge, up to the water
I never got close to the edge 'til I saw
A tangle of minnows all fighting over
A morsel of bread from the night before
They picked and they pecked
I followed beside them
I shouldn't've checked but most missed the prize
Cursing the luck of each interested party
I slipped past a couple lost watching the skies
La nouvelle Ville, c'est pas facile
Je reconnais que tu es très gentile
Where the blusher hides what the cheeks reveal 'n' tries conceal 'til morning
Crossing the path, passing the merchants, wasting their time just by catching their eye
I don't have the room to be hanging such pictures and having no room seems enough to get by
So, to spears, their cases entombing
L'Quai Branly, I disappear to trumpets, sabres, sceptres, diviners
A worship fan of Oṣun, our seer
La nouvelle ville, c'est versatile
Je reconnais que tu es tres gentile
Where you fall in apples if you miss your meal
But you'll be all healed by morning
I slipped in the street, the routes loosen quickly
Grabbing the wrist of the first passer-by
He said
"Don't break your head, son, it's not worth the trouble
It looks like you're laughing whenever you cry!
Just lay down dazed 'til your focusses steady
Whatever you say they've heard before
I wouldn't go hitting the drink til you're ready
As soon as you start they start offering more"
La nouvelle ville, c'est pas facile
Je reconnais que tu es tres gentile
While the Sirens serve to crash your keel
So keep nerves of steel 'til morning