Belinda

(album: Patchwork - 1971)

When I first met Belinda
It was down in Corpus Christi
Back in August I believe, back in '53

She was working as a dancer
And her life-size tinted photo
Beckoned tantalizingly from the marquee

The red neon was flashing
Music poured out on the street
And the club, I'm sure, had seen it's better days

And a sea of blurry eyes
And upturned faces watched Belinda
As she danced within the noisy, smoky haze

You may know my body
But you cannot know my mind
She moved her lips but didn't make a sound

You may know my body
But you cannot know my mind
Then she'd dip and twirl and smile and dance around

Belinda was a beauty
She revealed her body slowly
So that all the cowboys strained and craned to see

Her sequined skirts would swirl and twirl
And catch the light and sparkle
And Belinda's eyes would wander restlessly

Now I did not know Belinda
When she was a little girl
But as a child, I'm sure she often dreamed

And I used to wonder, used to ponder
Just what did go wrong
But then Belinda was not always what she seemed

You may know my body
But you cannot know my mind
She moved her lips but didn't make a sound

You may know my body
But you cannot know my mind
Then she'd dip and twirl and smile and dance around

Then one night I wrote a hasty note
And threw it on the stage
Asking her if she would have a drink with me

And we talked of many things
About the sunshine and the country
And a tear came to her eye quite suddenly

And I listened to her, thought about her
Finally I asked her
"Tell me, Belinda, what does your life mean?"

She looked me in the eye
And told me "Forty bucks a week"
And to be a damn good dancing Burlesque queen

Ah, you may know my body
But you cannot know my mind
She said to me as she prepared to go

You may know my body
But you cannot know my mind
Then she laughed and left to do her second show