[INTRO — distant voice, stone-room echo] Ghosts of the catacombs Whispers of the ossuary Names worn smooth by fingertips Dust upon the reliquary [VERSE 1] Down where the city Forgets its own feet I hear little histories Under the street Jawbone and candle Key without lock Somebody's eternity Keeping the clock I came with a lantern It came with a flame Every skull in the wall Had forgotten its name [REFRAIN] Ghosts of the catacombs Whispers of the ossuary Nobody leaves here lonely Everybody leaves a story [VERSE 2] Kings without kingdoms Saints without skin Sinners and sweethearts All tucked neatly in I asked an old shadow, "What waits at the end?" It rattled its teeth Like it knew me back then [PRE-CHORUS] Bone upon bone Stone upon stone Funny how crowded Forever gets alone [CHORUS] Ghosts of the catacombs Whispers of the ossuary Sing me something crooked Sing me something ordinary Who did you kiss? Who did you curse? Who held your hand When the good became worse? Ghosts of the catacombs Don't you sing for me— Sing for the ones upstairs Pretending they won't be. [BRIDGE — nearly spoken] You can carve your name in marble. You can hammer it in gold. But the dark has never cared what it was told. [FINAL REFRAIN — voice cracking open] GHOSTS OF THE CATACOMBS WHISPERS OF THE OSSUARY Kings, thieves, mothers, lovers— Same damn cemetery. [OUTRO — almost whispered] Bone upon bone Stone upon stone... Make a little room. I'm going home.
