The Decemberists - Oh No! Lyrics

It was on a wedding night
How they danced by the firelight
And the bride was well arrayed
By her fifteen chambermaids

As her father raised a toast
To the health of all the host
We descended from the apse
To bear witness to the whole collapse

And it's oh, no
We're jumped up and ready to go
Where do you think that the money comes from?
Do you think it just naturally grows?
And it's oh, no
We lurk at the end of the row
Listening for whistling, a bang from the drum
And it seems that we've caught you in tow
Between the devil and the devil you know

In the back of the bazaar
By the tramps and the muscle cars
We have gathered two by two
Just to figure out what to do

Pretty Sarah's a sotted mess
Gone and spoiled her party dress
All her suitors so entranced
Who will join her in the ambulance?

And it's oh, no
I'm sure that you'd just love to know
But what will you do when the rumpus is done
And it's time that we all were gone home?
And it's oh, no
Kick up your heels in a row
A song that is sung where my people come from
And it's best when it's not sung alone
Between the devil and the devil you know

And it's oh, no
Dash him in one final blow
Stick to the rackets, the heavy's a hack
And he's singing pianissimo
For the devil and the devil you know

When the casks have all run dry
And we've laid our knuckles by
Standing legless on the pews
Shouting curses to our union dues

Out beyond the city walls
In the grotesque mountain halls
There's a darkness coming on
So it's best I think we rambled on

And it's oh, no
On to the next bloody show
You won't feel so loose with a noose 'round your neck
When those cold winter winds start to blow
And it's oh, no
One more before we go
How can we ever get used to this dreck?
'Cause I'm sick and I want to go home
To the devil and the devil we know
To the devil and the devil we know
To the devil and the devil we know