Letters to the Vatican - Rubén Blades

Rosie sits inside a bar smoking a large man’s cigar

In a place called «Sammy's» on Amsterdam Avenue

She doesn’t look a day over 65, though she’s really 29

She likes records from the '60s

They remind her of the good old times

And after some wine and some scotch

Rosie starts to let it hang out

She throws a glass at the mirror and asks Big Max for a pen

She writes a letter to the Vatican

«I'm gonna write a letter to Him:

Dear Pope, send me some soap and a bottle of Bombay gin»

A letter to the Vatican

«I'm gonna write a letter to Him:

Dear Pope, send me some hope or a rope to do me in»

And no one stops her

We all lend a hand

We all knew her before she was this mad

We just hold her until the shaking stops

Because the heart says only what the heart knows

«I wanna hear some Diana Ross

I wanna hear a little bit of Marvin Gaye

I wanna hear a song that reminds me of a better day»

Rosie slaps a pretty girl in the mouth

And running to the jukebox she tries to put a quarter in

She says, «I've had enough of you men

And I’ll never say yes again;

it’s holiness or nothing

For me in this life…»

She writes a letter to the Vatican

«I'm gonna write a letter to Him:

Dear Pope, send me some soap and a bottle of Bombay gin»

A letter to the Vatican

«I'm gonna write a letter to Him:

Dear Pope, send me some hope or a rope to do me in»

And no one stops her

We all lend a hand

We all knew her before she was this mad

We just hold her until the shaking stops

Because the heart says only what the heart knows