[Intro] [Spoken] Oh, do sit up straight, darlings The dead are watching And they are terribly judgmental about posture [Verse 1] [Spoken] They bow when I pass Or rattle, same sentiment I glide through marble jaws and mossy velvet Names carved in stone like gossip frozen mid-sentence He was the miracle in a moth-eaten cloak, my father They called him the White Magical Hat Such a silly title for a man Who could turn a plague into a parlor trick [Sung] I learned my light by candle and cough By fever dreams and teacups of frost He smiled, said, “Daughter, don’t fear the dark” “It’s just lost light that forgot its way home” [Chorus] [Sung] I’m the Black Death Duchess, darling Curtsying at curtain call graves Spinning little halos out of hand-me-down horrors Keeping his honor engraved In a kingdom of skulls and cracked tiaras Where the worms write everyone’s names I laugh at the chaos, lift up my lantern And waltz through the end of all games [Verse 2] [Spoken] Our sovereign? Oh, the King of the Skull Servants is a sweetheart He apologizes when he steps on a rib He thanks the crows for attending his speeches He wears his crown like borrowed china Afraid he’ll chip it if he breathes too hard [Sung] He calls me “my lady of lanterns” And blushes, which is difficult, given The lack of circulation We sign edicts with borrowed time Ink that dries on yesterday’s sighs I light the council chamber with a fingertip Tiny stars under their hollowed eyes [Chorus] [Sung] I’m the Black Death Duchess, darling Curtsying at curtain call graves Spinning little halos out of hand-me-down horrors Keeping his honor engraved In a kingdom of skulls and cracked tiaras Where the worms write everyone’s names I laugh at the chaos, lift up my lantern And waltz through the end of all games [Bridge] [Spoken] You’d be amazed what people pray for On their last little breath “Save me” “Save her” “Save my favorite shoes” My father tried to answer all of them Such an overachiever He burned himself down to a rumor of light [Sung] So I took his hat, all frayed and bright Set it on a throne of bone-white branches Swore by every flicker in my blood I’d turn their panic into second chances [Spoken] Do I enjoy it? The screaming, the scheming, the sudden silence? Of course It’s theater, my love Tragedy tastes better when you season it with a little mercy [Chorus] [Sung] I’m the Black Death Duchess, darling Curtsying at curtain call graves Spinning little halos out of hand-me-down horrors Keeping his honor engraved In a kingdom of skulls and cracked tiaras Where the worms write everyone’s names I laugh at the chaos, lift up my lantern And waltz through the end of all games [Outro] [Spoken] So when your breath gets caught on the border Between my ballroom and your bed Remember the Hat, and his troublesome daughter Who braids stray light through the dread Now chin up If you’re going to die in my kingdom At least do it with a little style Now chin up.
