Lyrics: Maureen S. O'Brien, 12/3/95
Music: "Blood Red Roses", Trad. sea chanty
Insp: _La Dame aux Camellias_, Dumas(loosely);_La Traviata_ and _Camille_
I sold my nights to men, you see,
*Turn white, blood red camellias! Turn white!
But full moon nights, I kept them free.
*How I long to feel you!
*Turn white, blood red camellias!
Signaled my nights off with bouquets as red
* Turn white, blood red camellias! Turn white!
As the throats I ripped on the moonwhite dead.
*How I long to feel you!
*Turn white, blood red camellias!
Oh, love and death's what I paid to live.
*Turn white, blood red camellias! Turn white!
When I fell in love, what was left to give?
*How I long to feel you!
*Turn white, blood red camellias!
I broke the bargain that I'd made
*Turn white, blood red camellias! Turn white!
And now my coughs have the same blood shade.
*How I long to feel you!
*Turn white, blood red camellias!
I hunger so for your sweet young blood!
*Turn white, blood red camellias! Turn white!
Don't touch me till I'm dead, my love.
*How I long to feel you!
*Turn white, blood red camellias!
Oh, love and death's what I paid to live.
*Turn white, blood red camellias! Turn white!
When I fell in love, what was left to give?
*How I long to feel you!
*Turn white, blood red camellias!
* I got the idea for this song when I was listening to Cynthia McQuillin's _Moon Shadows_ album; she has a song called "Blood Red Roses" on it, which I thought was going to be a filk of the chanty but wasn't. But her tape got me thinking on vampires, werewolves, and red flowers. And since I had recently found out just why Dumas' old girlfriend was associated with camellias (makes you think about La Traviata and Camille a little differently, eh?), I got to thinking about the whole moon connection.... So the lady is still redeemed by love and a good death, but not quite the same way. :)
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