[Verse 1] I was Cleopatra, I was young and an actress When you knelt by my mattress, and asked for my hand But I was sad you asked it, as I laid in a black dress With my father in a casket, I had no plans And I left the footprints, the mud stained on the carpet And it hardened like my heart did when you left town But I must admit it, that I would marry you in an instant Damn your wife, I'd be your mistress just to have you around [Chorus] But I was late for this, late for that, late for the love of my life And when I die alone, when I die alone, when I die I'll be on time [Verse 2] And the church discouraged, any lust that burned in me Yes my flesh, it was my currency, but I held out When a man's rejected, but he can fight for your affection And he can act like he never met you and leave low to the ground [Chorus] But I was late for this, late for that, late for the love of my life And when I die alone, when I die alone, when I die I'll be on time [Verse 3] So I drive a taxi, and the traffic distracts me From the strangers in my backseat, they remind me of you But it's all a daydream, but it's you who's behind me But you never recognize me, it brings me to you [Bridge] And the only gifts from my Lord were a birth and a divorce But I've read this script and the costume fits, so I'll play my part [Verse 4] And there are nights I wake up, to the sound of a door shut And I search on the floors but I find no tracks And the nurse in white shoes leads me back to my guestroom It's a bed and a bathroom And a place for the end [Outro] I was late for this, late for that, late for the love of my life And when I die alone, when I die alone, when I die I'll be on time