Dress up old Florence in an open-backed gown
Last night was for dancing today is for rest
Her house on Ocean Shore Parkway is warm
But strangely quiet after the songs
And the dancing and card games and one of her friends
Made a pass like a lover she sweetly declined
Cause he?s gone I?m sorry I only have one
And I know that you know how to be along
Cause yours is gone, too
Dress up old Florence she?s falling away
Put on her flowered housecoat and arrange
Her silver hair flowing with a comb and a brush
And powder her pale cheek with rosy blush
And though her daughter talked to her every day of her life
And tended to her while she was losing her life
There were moments of anger and terrible mean
Things were said loudly and tears had to stream
From her face
Left with a sweeping disgrace of a broken glass argument?s haste
Oh what a waste to erase your grace
Dress up old Florence she?s leaving today
And mother and daughter are losing their way
And Florence is frightened but she?ll understand
It?s better than blood thinners and oxygen masks
Now you send for a priest for a blessing a prayer
She?s against them all ?cause they don?t give a damn
And he?s leaving the sacristy he said with a wink
And dropping his robes he grabs a drink
And he?s gone into the arms of a nun
Who has skin and a pulse and a son
And needs someone too like you
Dress up Florence she?s looking so good
And now all her brave friends are coming with food
It should have been hard but by mid-afternoon
You can hear every note as it moves through the room
Remember that time Eric was falling down drunk
In a woman?s dress and they called when he lost
Yeah they made a good team and when they played cards
Christ himself stacked all the odds
Though she?s gone into the arms of our God
I?m so glad to have known someone so strong but not hard