Maybe its just age or a thousand other fears That took me back tonight to my early carnival years I can see the period moving like the source of the old Golf Stream Oh, what a lovely dream Adolescent lust was begging for a start As I sidestepped those brothers with their sacred hearts Yep, those two weeks a year, it was all about sin Follies chasing death, you can count me in Theres flambeau man with a golden ring And a cruel, north wind, smells like kerosene Here comes the float with the carnival queen I wanna wrap her in serpentine Hands up high, eyes open wide Throw me something, mister, thats why you ride Cracker jacks with tares inside Kneel beyond our wildest dreams Foots and masks that are too Some things really are the way they seem Beads and confetti were littering the air When the queen looked at me with her Ava Gardner stare Though tomorrow would bring ashes and penance by the ton Mardi Gras is where I learned to have fun Theres flambeau man with a golden ring And a cruel, north wind, smells like kerosene Im still in love with the carnival queen I wanna wrap her in serpentine Still wanna wrap her in serpentine It was the devil!