It's not very far from sulfur to sugar cane
Everywhere I travel pretty girls call my name
I give them a squeeze and they shoot me a wink
I buy their hard-headed husbands a long cool drink
You better come up smelling sweet 'cos you're a long time stinking
It's a little too late to complain
It's not very far from sulfur to sugar cane

Now if you catch my eye and it seems to run down your leg
It's like striking a match pretty hard upon a powder keg
They tell you from the borders to the waters of the gulf
If you take all the sugar you will end up in the sulfur
And you're burning
Hello baby I'm pleased to meet ya
I wouldn't do you wrong, honey
I wouldn't cheat ya, honey
When can I see you again?
Wrap you up in cellophane
It's not very far from sulfur to sugar cane
It's not very far from sulfur to sugar cane

Then your eyes fill up with brine
When you're drowning in wine
It's like the last days of Rome
With the despots and divine
And there's no place like home for a little doll from China
It's a little too late to complain
It's not very far from sulfur to sugar cane

You can go west to Texas
Go east to Mississippi
You can run out of money
You can run out of pity
Throw open your purse until you're crying for mercy
Go to Alabama
Escape Louisiana
I'm digging like a miner North and South Carolina
And then if you continue you will end up in Virginia

Writer : ELVIS COSTELLO, T BONE BURNETT
Copyright : Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, BUG MUSIC