Robbie Robertson Shanghai Blues Lyrics

Let's go out for a ride to the old Sin City
When the king of the underworld
Ruled without any pity
He wore a silk gown, dried monkey heads on the back
A face carved outta stone and a heart painted black
He believed in omens and was very superstitious
If anyone ever crossed him, his revenge would be vicious

He got blood on his hands
He got blood on his shoes
Cuts his enemies down
With the Shanghai Blues
A Chinese godfather, an offer you can't refuse
Or you might disappear with the Shanghai Blues

When he joined the Green Gang
He was young, hungry, and tough
Took over that crime dynasty
Had all the right stuff
He kept many concubines
And he had many wives
Hooked up with Chiang Kai-shek
That was how he survived He ran the opium trade with gambling and prostitution
Then escaped to Hong Kong before Mao's revolution

He got blood on his hands
He got blood on his shoes
Cuts his enemies down
With the Shanghai Blues
The Chinese godfather, an offer you can't refuse
Or you might disappear with the Shanghai Blues
Player

When someone betrayed him
He would send them a coffin
Or maybe a knife in the back
Which happened quite often

He got blood on his hands
He got blood on his shoes
Cuts his enemies down
With the Shanghai Blues
A Chinese Godfather, an offer you can't refuse
Or you might disappear with the Shanghai Blues

Shanghai Blues
The Shanghai Blues, yeah