I'm a mermaid   but I've sold my voice   for a pair of feet   that tend to bleed   when I go walking in the road      I'm a mermaid   but I've sold my voice   for a couple of feet   and they always bleed   when I go walking in these streets      and I once saw a most beautiful man   at the local record store   he bumped into me and said,   well excuse me, young ma'am,   but haven't I seen your pretty eyes somewhere before?   I smiled but gestured at my throat   to show that I was mute   well, he quickly looked down at the floor   and shuffled in his boots   he was out of there so fast      I'm a mermaid   but I've sold my voice   for a midnight train   and a bump of cocaine   and an old photo of ballets russes      I'm a mermaid   but I have sold my voice   for a bottle of gin   cause I can't swim   and I sure don't want to float      I was so lonely walking out of that store   and back into the busy people street   when overhead I heard an argument   a woman opened up her window, threw a flower pot from it   I was startled by the crash   but went over to find a little plant   I quickly emptied out my paper coffee cup and   adopted it   transplanted it   took it home and   named it mozart      I am a mermaid   but I've sold my voice   and I got rid of my tail   at a junkyard sale   along with some favorite childhood toys      I'm a mermaid   but I have sold my voice   for a couple of feet   that tend to bleed   when I go walking in the street...      I'm a mermaid   but I have sold my voice   for a couple of feet   and they always bleed   no matter how clean...