Lyrics
[Intro: piano, muted trumpet, bass and sharp guitar hook] [Verse 1] Green light climbs the tower glass Black cars roll where the freight trains pass Above the plate, the champagne shines Below, the daylight never finds A quiet knock, a polished shoe The room goes still when we walk through [Pre-Chorus] Straighten the tie Step out of the rain Someone gets paid Someone takes the blame [Chorus] This is the Turk Ballad Silk against steel A beautiful bargain With teeth in the deal We keep the lights on We darken the doors The planet gets poorer The company wants more Raise your glass to the work we do This is the Turk Ballad And the last round’s due [Instrumental break: brass and guitar trade the hook] [Verse 2] Tseng keeps time with a measured glance Reno sparks and the shadows dance Rude says less than the fists explain Elena sights through the silver rain Rufus smiles from a higher floor One more name behind a closing door [Chorus] This is the Turk Ballad Silk against steel A beautiful bargain With teeth in the deal We keep the lights on We darken the doors The planet gets poorer The company wants more Raise your glass to the work we do This is the Turk Ballad And the last round’s due [Brief soaring guitar solo] [Bridge: stripped piano] When the plate came down There was nowhere left to stand We could name the man who ordered it Still the switch was in our hands When the tower loses power When the polished floors give way Will we drag each other clear Or wait for orders where we stay? [Final Chorus: full band and brass] This is the Turk Ballad Silk against steel The cost of the bargain Is finally real We kept the lights on We darkened the doors The planet grew poorer They still wanted more Raise your glass to the battered few This is the Turk Ballad And the last round’s due [Piano ending] Leave a chair beside the door We’re still waiting for one more