Carmen Miranda’s Ghost

Carmen Miranda’s ghost is haunting Space Station Three
Half the staff have seen her, plus the portmaster and me
And if you think we’ve had too much of Cookie’s home-made rum
Just tell me where those basket hats of fruit keep coming from

Don’t go down the cargo bay when there’s no ship in dock
You just might hear maracas clack and get a nasty shock
And if you hear a rumba beat, don’t pass the mess room door
You just might see a tangerine come rolling down the floor

We sometimes catch a glimpse of her by station night or day
But when we try to catch her, she just laughs and fades away
The station’s chief head-shrinker takes his notes and drains his cup
We get rotated often but she still keeps showing up

We don’t know why we’re haunted here, or why it’s her that haunts
We’ve got a betting pool for all who wonder what she wants
The best odds say she likes the rhythms of the station's drive
They didn’t have phase generators while she was alive

Carmen Miranda’s ghost is haunting Space Station Three
Not that we’re complaining, since the fresh fruit all comes free
But now and then we wonder what it means for the human race
That ghosts of generations past are taking off for space!