She drove me and Mingus mad
her skirts raised on the wind
whole circuses of light
took us in

Chorus
Empress, empress
empress, empress
empress, she’s the empress of night

She draws them from Fez and Ohio
tramps, prophets and cutthroats
losing to grifters and ghosts
window by window by window

She makes sure we see
her shadow from the street
she hums a song for boys and beasts

Her Chrysler crown
her taxi beat
her siren song
her iridescent street