Silver shone the rooftops, I heard the words, 'You will'
And realized that in your eyes, the force of love could kill
So go and get your wages, get what you deserve
When hope held out its hands today, you laughed and turned and fled

Release, 'cause I wanted the world
All I could get to was a gun or a girl
Release, now I've thrown them away
I'm here and I'm hungry and I hope I can stay

The loch is overflowing, the sun has shed its light
And all that's left to warm your breast's the wine we stole tonight
Bottle merchants, both of us, overdosed on Keats
We smashed them all and watched them fall like magic in the streets

Release, 'cause I wanted the world
All I could get to was a gun or a girl
Release, now I've thrown them away
I'm here and I'm hungry and I hope I can stay

Standing in our new boots, we've lost the urge to hide
Left it with the souvenirs that forced us to decide
How we'd storm the palace, meet me at the gates
There's plenty bread and water here for anyone who waits

Release, 'cause I wanted the world
All I could get to was a gun or a girl
Release, now I've thrown them away
I'm here and I'm hungry and I hope I can stay

But you can't remember where you squandered your hope
A fistful of dollars and a fistful of dope
With your hands in your hair and your hair in your face
You'd summon your soul because we're leaving this place
With a red, red flag and a red, red flag, red, red flag for a souvenir
Red, red flag and a red, red flag and a red, red flag for a souvenir