When Salome Plays The Drum
By: Jimmy Buffett
1981
For Salome, Freddo and Clauvis
When Salome plays the drum
Crowd goes deaf and dumb
Swept up by dark sensations

Partially the heat
More so it's the beat
She moves in syncopation
Gazelle on the run

Skirts slit past her thigh
Boys let out a sigh
The beat begins to quicken
Crowd ascends the stairs
Climbin' on the chairs
The plot begins to thicken
Phasers on stun

Chorus:
Take them to the carnival (take them to the carnival)
Let them hear the conga
Tonight the tempo feels so right
Tomorrow may be wrong-a

(instrumental)

Gendarme close her down
Make her leave the town
She caught the flight to Rio
Nothin' to say

Wavin' from the plane
Pourin' pink champagne
She toasts her loyal trio
It was a lucrative stay

Ooh take them to the carnival (take them to the carnival)
Let them hear the conga
Tonight the tempo feels so right
Tomorrow may be wrong-a

Oh won't you take them to the carnival (take them to the carnival)
Let them play for hours
Tonight the weather feels so right
Tomorrow (tomorrow) feels like showers

- Notes:
Gut string guitar by Barry Chance