pandæmonium

“rhyme being […] but the invention of a barbarous age, to set off wretched matter and lame metre” -  John Milton, preface to Paradise Lost

in the hustle of the city the living isn’t pretty

pandæmonium’s a hell of a sight

keep your feet on the ground and see the people all around you

‘cause everyone’s a devil tonight

well, you got the movers and the shakers, the triers and the fakers

you got the jokers, the bankers and the brokers

the runners and the walkers, hearers and the talkers

and everyone’s a devil tonight

yes, you got the readers and the writers, the lovers and the fighters

believers and the doubters, you got the shouters

the hurters and the healers, users and the dealers

and everyone’s a devil tonight

lucifer’s a charmer, he’s the hero of the drama

you know he’s gone all-in for you

he’ll raise you to a fever as he makes you a believer

that every word he says is true

well, you got the winners and the losers, you got the boozers

the likers and the haters, the diners and the waiters

the muggers and the grabbers, the kickers and the stabbers

‘cause everyone’s a devil tonight

well, you got the builders and the plumbers, you got the drummers

the farmers and the growers, the swimmers and the rowers

the beatles and the monkees, the princes and the flunkeys

              and everyone’s a devil tonight

yeah, you got the laughers and the criers, the sellers and the buyers

wholesale or retail (devil’s in the detail)

the yellers and the screamers, strivers and the dreamers

              and everyone’s a devil tonight

beelzebub and mammon in the band are getting jammin’

cause all the best tunes are here

the scores are all by riddle, paganini’s on the fiddle

you really got to lend an ear

yeah, you got the drivers and the riders, the showers and the hiders

the fallers and the climbers, you got the rhymers

the dancers in their gowns - send in the clowns

cause everyone’s a devil tonight

well, you got the planners and designers, the drillers and the miners

accountants and the lawyers, and their employers

a million politicians, academicians

and everyone’s a devil tonight

yes, you got the hippies and the rockers, the stevedores and dockers

the panel-beaters, the blaggers and the cheaters

little bobby dylan scaring all the children

and everyone’s a devil tonight

the wine is ever flowing so the party’s always going

have yourself a vodka beer

eve is down with adam, paparazzi pointing at ‘em

hoping for a souvenir

 yeah, you got the finders and the keepers, the sewers and the reapers

the actors and the singers, the fornicating swingers

blind johnny milton slumming at the hilton

and everyone’s a devil tonight

written by tom yates 14 december 2015