the last great american dynasty

Rebekah rode up on the afternoon train
It was sunny
Her saltbox house on the coast
Took her mind off St. Louis
Bill was the heir to the Standard Oil name and money
And the town said, "How did a middle-class divorcee do it?"

The wedding was charming, if a little gauche
There's only so far new money goes
They picked out a home and called it "Holiday House"
Their parties were tasteful, if a little loud
The doctor had told him to settle down
It must have been her fault his heart gave out

And they said
"There goes the last great American dynasty
Who knows, if she never showed up, what could've been
There goes the maddest woman this town has ever seen
She had a marvelous time ruinin' everything"

Rebekah gave up on the Rhode Island set forever
Flew in all her Pack friends from the city
Filled the pool with Champagne and swam with the big names
And blew through the money on the boys and the ballet
And losin' on card game bets with Dalí

And they said
"There goes the last great American dynasty
Who knows, if she never showed up, what could've been
There goes the most shameless woman this town has ever seen
She had a marvelous time ruinin' everything"

They say she was seen on occasion
Pacing the rocks, staring out at the midnight sea
And in a feud with her neighbor
She stole his dog and dyed it key lime green
50 years is a long time
Holiday House sat quietly on that beach
Free of women with madness, their men and bad habits
And then it was bought by me

Who knows, if I never showed up, what could've been
There goes the loudest woman this town has ever seen
I had a marvelous time ruinin' everything

I had a marvelous time ruinin' everything
A marvelous time ruinin' everything
A marvelous time
I had a marvelous time