[Verse]~
G
I was Cleopatra

G
I was young and an actress

G
and you knelt by my mattress

D
and asked for my hand

G
And I was sad you asked it

G
as I laid in a black dress

G
with my father in a casket

D
I had no plans
(yea)

[Verse]~
G
And I left the footprints

C G
The mud stained on the carpet

G
and it hardened like my heart did

D
when you left town

G
But I must admit it

C G
that I would marry you in an instant

G
Damn your wife I’d be your mistress

D
just to have you around

[Chorus]~
G D
But I was late for this

C G
Late for that

C G D
Late for the love of my life

G D
When I die alone

C G
When I die alone

C G D
When I die I’ll be on time

D G
(aye)

[Verse]~
G
And the Church discouraged

C G
any lust that burned within me

G
Yes my flesh it was my currency

D
but I held out

G
When a man’s dejected

C G
well he can fight for your affections

G
or he can act like he never met you

D
and even go to the ground

[Chorus]~
G D
But I was late for this

C G
Late for that

C G D
Late for the love of my life

G D
And when I die alone

C G
When I die alone

C G D
When I die I’ll be on time

D G
(aye)

[Verse]~
G
So I drive a taxi

C G
and the traffic distracts me

G
from the strangers in my backseat

D
They remind me of you

G
But it’s all a daydream

C G
when it’s you who’s behind me

G
but you never recognize me

D
appraising you

[Bridge]~
Em G
And the only gifts from my Lord

C D G
were a birth and a divorce

Em
but I’ve read this script

C G
and the costume fits

C G D
so I play my part

[Verse]~
G
And there are nights I wake up

C G
to the sound of a door shut

G
and I search on the floor but

D
I find no tracks

[Verse]~
G
And the nurse in white shoes

C G
leads me back to my guest room

G
it’s a bed and a bathroom

D
and a place to relax

[Chorus]~
G D
but I was late for this

C G
late for that

C G D
late for the love of my life

G D
When I die alone

C G
When I die alone

C G D
When I die I’ll be on time

D
(aye)

[Ending]~
G