2004-09-09 New York, NY | Knitting Factory

Audio recorded by pattivill:

opening
Dance Anthem of the 80s
interlude
Baby Jesus
interlude
Aquarius
interlude
Poor Little Rich Boy
interlude
8th Floor
interlude
Uncle Bobby
interlude
Mermaid
interlude
The Wallet
interlude
Making Records
interlude
Hero (of the Story) *
interlude
You *
interlude
Ode to Divorce *
interlude
Edit *
interlude
Loveology *
interlude
Samson
closing

* with Chris Kuffner on bass and Ben Kalb on cello

Video recorded by Henry L:

Mermaid

Written by: regina spektor

Available Recordings: Click to view

Lyrics (fan transcription):

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...