The Basketball Diaries movie - Catholic Boy lyrics

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Song by Jim Carroll<br /><br>

I was born in a pool, they made my mother stand<br>

And I spat on that surgeon and his trembling hand<br>

When I felt the light I was worse than bored<br>

I stole the doctor's scalpel and I slit the cord<br>

<br>

I was a Catholic boy<br>

I was redeemed through pain<br>

Not through joy<br>

<br>

I was two months early, they put me under glass<br>

I screamed and cursed at children when their nurses passed<br>

I was convicted of theft as I slipped from the womb<br>

They led me straight from my mother to a cell in the Tombs<br>

<br>

I was a Catholic boy<br>

I was redeemed through pain<br>

Not through joy<br>

<br>

They starved me for weeks, they thought they'd teach me fear<br>

I fed on cellmates' dreams, it gave me fine ideas<br>

When they cut me loose, the time had served me well<br>

I made allies in heaven, I made comrades in hell<br>

<br>

I was a Catholic child<br>

The blood ran red<br>

The blood ran wild<br>

<br>

I make angels dance and drop to their knees<br>

When I enter a church the feet of statues bleed<br>

I understand the fate of all my enemies<br>

Just like Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane<br>

<br>

I was a Catholic boy<br>

I was redeemed through pain<br>

An not through joy<br>

<br>

I watched the sweetest psalm stolen by our choir<br>

I dreamed of martyrs' bones hanging from a wire<br>

I make a contribution, I get absolution<br>

I make a resolution to purify my soul<br>

<br>

I'm a Catholic boy<br>

Redeemed through pain<br>

Not through joy<br>

<br>

And they can't touch me now<br>

I got every sacrament behind me<br>

I got baptism, I got penance<br>

I got communion, I got extreme unction<br>

Man, I've got confirmation<br>

<br>

I was a Catholic boy<br>

Redeemed through pain<br>

And not through joy<br>

<br>

And now I'm a Catholic man<br>

I put my tongue to the rail whenever I can<br>

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