Heat and dust
A shout above the din
Pushed into the corner
The creeping little thing

Down in the basement the ugly band plays

In the middle of the night
A light behind the door
Stubbing out a cigarette and stumbling to the floor
Outside in the desert
Out across the waves
We're listening to the country boys and dancing on their graves

Down in the basement the ugly band plays

Me and my brother Clive
We were chased like dogs
Down by the harbour-side while the captain burned the log
The submarines go sailing
Out under the sea
Off to melt the ice cap and make the deserts bloom

Down in the basement the ugly band plays

On the surface of the atlas
Distorted by greed
Bright rainbow boundaries and deep hollow seas
And God is in his heaven
Blowing clouds around
Tuning in his radio and listening to the sounds

Down in the basement the ugly band plays
Tired of his music and licking its teeth

Heat and dust and broken finger nails
The tracks of my tears stretch out on dirty little roads

Down in the basement the ugly band plays
Tired of his music and licking its teeth