Russian Ballerina

It takes ten years just to get
Your stinking leg up
Then five more to make it
Not look like shit

Soviet children form a crowd
Sized and tested who will be a star
Hero of passion, of whom they'll say
She took her final breath in grand plié

Oh, my mother
Russian ballerina
You were a swan, but now you're swimming in the Caribbean

Oh, my mother
Russian ballerina
Nobody knows how you can live without the love of your life

Everybody's asking me
Where is Mary?
I don't see her at the theater
Or the parties

That's right, because she's carving bamboo
Far from the artistic milieu
Never thought she'd live without
Allegiance to a life of art

Oh, my mother
Russian ballerina
You were a swan, but now you're swimming in the Caribbean

Oh, my mother
Russian ballerina
Nobody knows how you can live without the love of your life

La la la, la la la la la
La la la, la la la la la
La la la, la la la la la
La la la, la la la la la

Life changes
One day it's eggshells and bread
Married to an intellect
The next you drive a Corvette

Things change
You live your life for the stage
'Til your kidney floats away
Throw in a car accident

A time for art, a time for living
Sometimes the two can be conflicting
And mama I'll meet you at Caribana
Together we're the highest form of art

Oh, my mother
Russian ballerina
You were a swan, but now you're swimming in the Caribbean

Oh, my mother
Russian ballerina
Nobody knows how you can live without the love of your life

Oh, my mother
Russian ballerina
Too bad, your pirouettes now look almost as bad as mine

Oh, my mother
Russian ballerina
Who needs that bullshit, we can drink at the casino all night

(Everybody now)
La la la, la la la la la
La la la, la la la la la
La la la, la la la la la
La la la, la la la la la
La la la, la la la la la
La la la...