| I was ahead |
| I was a seer |
| I left for Babylon |
| You and Herodias stayed in the wilderness |
| I was the one |
| With the halo on |
| But it was all to no avail |
| To know a veil of tears |
| When I was John the Baptist |
| When I was John the Baptist |
| When I was John the Baptist Jones |
| Ahead on points, ahead of my time |
| I was neck and neck with the Kings of Crime |
| I worked the rivers, I owned my own home |
| I was head and shoulders over flesh and bone |
| But when you did the dance of the seven veils |
| Salome, Salome, there was only the crockery below me |
| I was ahead |
| I was a divine |
| My success, like shampoo, washed you clean out of my mind |
| How could I know |
| The lengths you would go |
| When you’re ahead of Jesus Christ you don’t look behind |
| When I was John the Baptist |
| When I was John the Baptist |
| When I was John the Baptist Jones |
| Ahead of schedule, ahead of the hoard |
| I had the Moral Majority drunk as a Lord |
| I … I ducked adulterers and did it alone |
| I was head and shoulders over flesh and bone |
| But when you did the dance of the seven veils |
| Salome, Salome, there was only the crockery below me |
| Believe me, reprieve me, can you forgive me? |
| My sweet Salome, can you reprieve me? For just one night, dear |
| You put yourself below me |
| Heavens above Salome, put yourself below me |
| … For just one night |