original text at mamqa.com/ulyricsnew/aos-3-norton-the-first-1802285
Well the last great king we ever had was called Norton the First
Unfortunately he was broke and with a madness cursed
He declared himself Emperor of the USA in 1859
A penniless poor vagabond whose rule was just divine
His rule was just divine
Although he was a 'heed-the-ball'
His letters made the press
Where great men could not pass the door, the fool met with success
Where rational men tried to change the currency and failed
Norton printed up his own
The idiot prevailed
The idiot prevailed
When vigilantes gathered, pogrom on the Chinese
Only Norton stopped them, praying on his knees
He stood stock still out in the street, ashamed they all snuck home
Left the rightful ruler standing madly on his own
They won't plant statues of the real heroes
They won't plant statues of the real heroes
They won't plant statues of the real heroes
They won't plant statues of the real heroes
Like Emperor Norton
Like Emperor Norton
Now Norton died a pauper but the people knew their loss
30,000 people came to see him off
You can take the bull by the tail and face the facts concerning time and space
Sometimes the rightful rulers are not born in the right place
