Quietly Making Noise

Oscar Wilde died in bed several floors above my head
Living well beyond his means in that crazy Paris scene
Rain falls down in sheets so clear, no one ever calls me here
Traveling by myself these days, I'm into jazz and felt berets
Far from the that old eastern shore, searching for strange metaphors

I don't want to be another victim of fashion
No, I don't want to see my name in the paper each day
You can leave that to the young Turks, they're more handsome and dashing
Posing for paparazzis down Laguna way

Now down in the metro, I feel the world start to multiply
Bastille, rubber wheels, spiked heels, subterranean lullaby
Met an African prancer, a hemisphere dancer, spied the ghost of Brassens
We smiled at the secret we shared and I hid it like contraband

Quietly making noise, making noise
Starts with kindergarten toys
Not too soft, not too loud
Just enough to draw a crowd
Quietly, quietly, quietly making noise

Followed the beat, I found myself in this patois spot
Outside a blizzard was blowing, but inside the joint was hot
Zouk songs, rubber thongs, sing-a-longs, the words flew right by my face
You know rhythm and motion's a blamma jamma potion you cannot erase

Quietly making noise, making noise
Pissin' off the old killjoys
Glass packs on a hot Mustang
A Telecaster with a twang
Quietly, quietly, quietly making noise

Singers and writers and poets have flocked here for centuries
The city of light is built upon mountains of memories
Baritone saxophone, monotones speak with the voice I've heard before
It's a lasting impression, a Gypsy expression you cannot ignore

We're quietly making noise, making noise
Starts with kindergarten toys
Not too soft, not too loud
Just enough to draw a crowd
Quietly, quietly, quietly making noise

We're quietly making noise, making noise
Pissin' off the old killjoys
Not too soft, not too loud
Just enough to draw a crowd
We're quietly, quietly, quietly
Quietly, quietly, quietly
Quietly, quietly, quietly making noise

Oh yeah, a whole lot of beautiful noise
Come on children, play those kindergarten toys
Everyone's a drummer tonight
Let it ring now, let it ring