Dancing with Mr. D (Live 1973)

[Verse 1]
Down in the graveyard where we have our tryst
The air smells sweet, the air smells sick
He never smiles, his mouth merely twists
The breath in my lungs feels clinging and thick
But I know his name, he's called Mr. D
And one of these days he's going to set you free
A human skull is hanging right around his neck
The palms of my hands is clammy and wet

[Chorus]
Lord, I was dancing, dancing, dancing so free
Dancing, dancing, dancing so free
Dancing, Lord, keep your hands off me
Dancing with Mr. D
Yeah!

[Verse 2]
Will it be poison put in my glass?
Will it be slow or will it be fast?
The bite of a snake, the sting of a spider
A drink of Belladonna on a Toussaint night
Hiding in a corner in New York City
Looking down a .44 in West Virginia

[Chorus]
I was dancing, dancing, dancing so free
Dancing, dancing, dancing so free
Dancing, Lord, keep your hand off me
Dancing with Mr. D
Yeah!

[Verse 3]
One night I was dancing with a lady in black
Wearing black silk gloves and a black silk hat
She looked at me longing with black velvet eyes
She gazed at me strange all cunning and wise
I saw the flesh just fall off her bones
The eyes in her skull was burning like coals
Lord, have mercy, fire and brimstone
I was dancing with mistress D

[Chorus]
And dancing
And dancing
Yeah, I was dancing, dancing so free
Dancing, dancing, dancing so free
Dancing, Lord, keep your hand off me
Dancing with Mr. D
Yeah!

[Audience Applause]