lyrics
A Lonely Night in Algiers
January 1, 1990
It was a hot summer night down south in Algiers
In a bedroom near the swamps the sweat was dripping off the wall
In the corner sat Carlos his hands over his ears
Didn’t want to answer the phone though he was waiting for a call
Iris picked it up after she ran across the room She knew Carlos had to go and he had better be leaving soon “There’s a shipment coming in, “ she said, “up on pier forty-two and if anything goes wrong they’re gonna put the blame on you”
It was another lonely night for Carlos and his gun And if someone had to die he wished that he would be the one All the years of this job had worn away his will to live But it was his love for Iris that kept him in this place Howe he longed to hold her hand and kiss her sweet face If only she knew just how much love he had to give
Down on pier forty-two things were getting underway Carlos did the dirty work his boss got richer every day To them he was a pawn, quiet, useful on the side Pay him well enough to keep him but not enough to save his pride
At first if was the danger that drew Carlos in It was the counting of the cash and the killing of the men But one night something changed as he lay bleeding on the floor If I make it out alive I cannot do this anymore
It was another lonely night for Carlos and his gun Full of bullet holes and knife wounds he swore his job was done Only to return within the week And it was his love of Iris that kept him in this place How he wished that they would fall in love and leave without a trace All the pleasures of the world together they could seek
Carlos did the job everything went according to plan “Now it’s time to lock up and get my money from the man” He strode into the warehouse and spoke to his friend Slim “When I get the cash I’m taking off, you won’t see me again”
Carlos faced the boss man when he spun around his chair He said “You did all right, I’ll see you get your share” Carlos said “I want it now, I’m leaving here tonight It’s time to quit this game and get the hell on with my life”
His boss he looked surprised but still held out his hand He said “Go home and count it boy and rethink your foolish plan” “I’m tired,” Carlos said, “of living on the wrong side of the tracks and you can let me walk away in peace or you can shoot me in the back”
It was another lonely night for Carlos and his gun As he walked out of the warehouse he swore his job was done Never to return again But it was his love for Iris that plagued him night and day If he could only make her feel his love and take her far away Maybe just this once he could win
Carlos packed his things he planned on leaving there that night He scribbled a note to Iris then he drove on out of sight The note was plain and simple it said “Dear Miss McGill I love you, I always have and I always will”
He drove down to the Algiers swamps and jumped out of his car And with more pride than he’d ever felt before strode right into the bar He sat down in the corner where he’d been so many years And to think of leaving Iris nearly brought him to tears
It was another lonely night for Carlos and his gun As he sat down in the corner he thought of what he’d done He knew it was the right choice to make And though his love of Iris had kept him in this place He had to give her the note and leave and probably never again see her face It was a chance he simply had to take
Iris spotted Carlos and began to walk across the room Carlos jumped up and shouted “No!” as he sensed his oncoming doom Three men burst through the door and one was his friend Slim Who shouted as they drew their guns “Yeah over here, that’s him!”
“I know you’re planning to go out of this town But the boss don’t want you alive so he sent us to shoot you down” Eight bullets hit Carlos before he hit the floor His lips they whispered “Iris” but he would speak nevermore
Iris knelt beside him – she knew that he was dead But in his hand he clasped a note, which she quickly read And as she read the words they struck her heart with pain For all the years that she had known him she had felt the same
It was another lonely night for Carlos and his gun As he lay dying on the floor he knew his time had come Just as he had found the will to live Though it was his love of Iris that had kept him in this place How he longed to hold her hand and to kiss her sweet face If only he knew just how much love she had to give…
Iris picked it up after she ran across the room She knew Carlos had to go and he had better be leaving soon “There’s a shipment coming in, “ she said, “up on pier forty-two and if anything goes wrong they’re gonna put the blame on you”
It was another lonely night for Carlos and his gun And if someone had to die he wished that he would be the one All the years of this job had worn away his will to live But it was his love for Iris that kept him in this place Howe he longed to hold her hand and kiss her sweet face If only she knew just how much love he had to give
Down on pier forty-two things were getting underway Carlos did the dirty work his boss got richer every day To them he was a pawn, quiet, useful on the side Pay him well enough to keep him but not enough to save his pride
At first if was the danger that drew Carlos in It was the counting of the cash and the killing of the men But one night something changed as he lay bleeding on the floor If I make it out alive I cannot do this anymore
It was another lonely night for Carlos and his gun Full of bullet holes and knife wounds he swore his job was done Only to return within the week And it was his love of Iris that kept him in this place How he wished that they would fall in love and leave without a trace All the pleasures of the world together they could seek
Carlos did the job everything went according to plan “Now it’s time to lock up and get my money from the man” He strode into the warehouse and spoke to his friend Slim “When I get the cash I’m taking off, you won’t see me again”
Carlos faced the boss man when he spun around his chair He said “You did all right, I’ll see you get your share” Carlos said “I want it now, I’m leaving here tonight It’s time to quit this game and get the hell on with my life”
His boss he looked surprised but still held out his hand He said “Go home and count it boy and rethink your foolish plan” “I’m tired,” Carlos said, “of living on the wrong side of the tracks and you can let me walk away in peace or you can shoot me in the back”
It was another lonely night for Carlos and his gun As he walked out of the warehouse he swore his job was done Never to return again But it was his love for Iris that plagued him night and day If he could only make her feel his love and take her far away Maybe just this once he could win
Carlos packed his things he planned on leaving there that night He scribbled a note to Iris then he drove on out of sight The note was plain and simple it said “Dear Miss McGill I love you, I always have and I always will”
He drove down to the Algiers swamps and jumped out of his car And with more pride than he’d ever felt before strode right into the bar He sat down in the corner where he’d been so many years And to think of leaving Iris nearly brought him to tears
It was another lonely night for Carlos and his gun As he sat down in the corner he thought of what he’d done He knew it was the right choice to make And though his love of Iris had kept him in this place He had to give her the note and leave and probably never again see her face It was a chance he simply had to take
Iris spotted Carlos and began to walk across the room Carlos jumped up and shouted “No!” as he sensed his oncoming doom Three men burst through the door and one was his friend Slim Who shouted as they drew their guns “Yeah over here, that’s him!”
“I know you’re planning to go out of this town But the boss don’t want you alive so he sent us to shoot you down” Eight bullets hit Carlos before he hit the floor His lips they whispered “Iris” but he would speak nevermore
Iris knelt beside him – she knew that he was dead But in his hand he clasped a note, which she quickly read And as she read the words they struck her heart with pain For all the years that she had known him she had felt the same
It was another lonely night for Carlos and his gun As he lay dying on the floor he knew his time had come Just as he had found the will to live Though it was his love of Iris that had kept him in this place How he longed to hold her hand and to kiss her sweet face If only he knew just how much love she had to give…
J Wilford 1990