Artist: Steely Dan Album: Can't Buy A Thrill {1972}

In the morning you go gunnin'
For the man who stole your water
And you fire till he is done in
But they catch you at the border
And the mourners are all singin'
As they drag you by your feet
But the hangman isn't hangin'
And they put you on the street

Yeah, you go back Jack, do it again
Wheel turnin' round and round
You go back Jack, do it again

When you know she's no high climber
Then you find your only friend
In a room with your two timer
And you're sure you're near the end
Then you love a little wild one
And she brings you only sorrow
All the time you know she's smilin'
You'll be on your knees tomorrow

Yeah, you go back Jack, do it again
Wheel turnin' round and round
You go back Jack, do it again

Now you swear and kick and beg us
That you're not a gamblin' man
Then you find you're back in Vegas
With a handle in your hand
Your black cards can make you money
So you hide them when you're able
In the land of milk and honey
You must put them on the table

Yeah, you go back Jack, do it again
Wheel turnin' round and round
You go back Jack, do it again

Times are hard, you're afraid to pay the fee
So you find yourself somebody who can do the job for free
When you need a bit of lovin' cos your man is out of town
That's the time you get me runnin' and you know I'll be around

I'm a fool to do your dirty work, oh yeah
I don't wanna do your dirty work no more
I'm a fool to do your dirty work, oh yeah

Light the candle, put the lock upon the door
You have sent the maid home early like a thousand times before
Like the castle in its corner in a medieval game
I foresee terrible trouble and I stay here just the same

I'm a fool to do your dirty work, oh yeah
I don't wanna do your dirty work no more
I'm a fool to do your dirty work, oh yeah

I'm a fool to do your dirty work, oh yeah
I don't wanna do your dirty work no more
I'm a fool to do your dirty work, oh yeah
I don't wanna do your dirty work no more
I'm a fool to do your dirty work, oh yeah
I don't wanna do your dirty work no more

Now they lay his body down
Sad old men who run this town
I still recall the way he led the charge and saved the day
Blue blood and rain, I can hear the bugle playin'

We seen the last of Good King Richard
Ring out the past, his name lives on and on
Roll out the bones and raise up your pitcher
Raise up your glass to Good King John

While he plundered far and wide
All his starving children cried
And though we sung his fame, we all went hungry just the same
He meant to shine to the end of the line

We seen the last of Good King Richard
Ring out the past, his name lives on and on
Roll out the bones and raise up your pitcher
Raise up your glass to Good King John

And though we sung his fame, we all went hungry just the same
He meant to shine to the end of the line

We seen the last of Good King Richard
Ring out the past, his name lives on and on
Roll out the bones and raise up your pitcher
Raise up your glass to Good King John
Raise up your glass to Good King John
Raise up your glass to Good King John

Felonius my old friend
Step on in and let me shake your hand
So glad that you're here again
For one more time let your madness run with mine
Streets still unseen we'll find somehow
No time is better than now

Tell me where are you driving midnight cruiser
Where is your bounty of fortune and fame
I am another gentlemen loser
Drive me to Harlem or somewhere the same

The world that we used to know
People tell me it don't turn no more
The places we used to go
Familiar faces that ain't smilin' like before
The time of our time has come and gone
I fear we been waiting too long

Tell me where are you driving midnight cruiser
Where is your bounty of fortune and fame
I am another gentlemen loser
Drive me to Harlem or somewhere the same

Tell me where are you driving midnight cruiser
Where is your bounty of fortune and fame
I am another gentlemen loser
Drive me to Harlem or somewhere the same

Tell me where are you driving midnight cruiser
Where is your bounty of fortune and fame
I am another gentlemen loser
Drive me to Harlem or somewhere the same

A world become one of salads and sun
Only a fool would say that
A boy with a plan, a natural man
Wearing a white stetson hat
Unhand that gun, begone
There's no one to fire upon
If he's holding it high
He's telling a lie

I heard it was you
Talkin' bout a world where all is free
It just couldn't be
And only a fool would say that

The man in the street draggin' his feet
Don't wanna hear the bad news
Imagine your face there is his place
Standing inside his brown shoes
You do his nine to five
Drag yourself home half alive
And there on the screen
A man with a dream

I heard it was you
Talkin' bout a world where all is free
It just couldn't be
And only a fool would say that

Anybody on the street has murder in his eyes
You feel no pain
And you're younger than you realize
Only a fool would say that, only a fool

I heard it was you
Talkin' bout a world where all is free
It just couldn't be
And only a fool would say that
Only a fool would say that
Only a fool would say that

Your everlasting summer and you can see it fading fast
So you grab a piece of something that you think is gonna last
Well, you wouldn't know a diamond if you held it in your hand
The things you think are precious I can't understand

Are you reelin' in the years
Stowin' away the time
Are you gatherin' up the tears
Have you had enough of mine
Are you reelin' in the years
Stowin' away the time
Are you gatherin' up the tears
Have you had enough of mine

You been tellin' me you're a genius since you were seventeen
In all the time I've known you I still don't know what you mean
The weekend at the college didn't turn out like you planned
The things that pass for knowledge I can't understand

Are you reelin' in the years
Stowin' away the time
Are you gatherin' up the tears
Have you had enough of mine
Are you reelin' in the years
Stowin' away the time
Are you gatherin' up the tears
Have you had enough of mine

I spent a lot of money and I spent a lot of time
The trip we made to Hollywood is etched upon my mind
After all the things we've done and seen you find another man
The things you think are useless I can't understand

Are you reelin' in the years
Stowin' away the time
Are you gatherin' up the tears
Have you had enough of mine
Are you reelin' in the years
Stowin' away the time
Are you gatherin' up the tears
Have you had enough of mine

I decline to walk the line, they tell me that I'm lazy
Worldly wise I realize that everybody's crazy
A woman's voice reminds me to serve and not to speak
Am I myself or just another freak

You know there's fire in the hole
And nothing left to burn
I'd love to run out now
There's noway left to turn, no, no

With a cough I shake it off and work around my yellow stripe
Should I hide and eat my pride or wait until it's good and ripe
My life is boiling over, it's happened once before
I wish someone would open up the door

Don't you know there's fire in the hole
And nothing left to burn
I'd love to run out now
There's noway left to turn

Don't you know there's fire in the hole
And nothing left to burn
I'd love to run out now
There's noway left to turn

A race of angels bound with one another
A dish of dollars laid out for all to see
A tower room at Eden Rock - his golf at noon for free
Brooklyn owes the charmer under me
Brooklyn owes the charmer under me

His lady's aching to bring a body down
She daily preaches on where she wants to be
An evening with a movie queen, a face we all have seen
Brooklyn owes the charmer under me
Brooklyn owes the charmer under me

A case of aces done up loose for dealing
A piece of island cooling in the sea
The whole of time we gain or lose and power enough to choose 
Brooklyn owes the charmer under me
Brooklyn owes the charmer under me
Yeah, Brooklyn owes the charmer under me
Brooklyn owes the charmer under me

If you listen you can hear it
It's the laughter in the street
It's the motion in the music
And the fire beneath your feet
All the signs are right this time
You don't have to try so very hard
If you live in this world
You're feelin' the change of the guard

All the cowboys and your neighbors
Can you swallow up your pride
Take your guns off if you're willin'
And you know we're on your side
If you wanna get thru the years
It's high time you played your card
If you live in this world
You're feelin' the change of the guard

If you wanna get thru the years
It's high time you played your card
If you live in this world
You're feelin' the change of the guard

With stocking face I bought a gun
The plan was set, the plan was done
Look at my watch and started for the door
Now the food here ain't so good no more
And they closed the package store

Love your mama, love your brother
Love 'em till they run for cover
Turn the light off, keep your shirt on
Cry a jag on me, me

Oh Michael, Oh Jesus - you know I'm not to blame
You know my reputation for playing a good clean game
Oh Michael, Oh Jesus - I'll keep my promise when
You turn that heartbeat over again

My poison's named, you know my brand
So please make mine a double, Sam
Stir it up nice, I'll eat it right here
Yeah, this highway runs from Paraguay
And I've just come all the way

Love your mama, love your brother
Love 'em till they run for cover
Turn the light off, keep your shirt on
Cry a jag on me, me

Oh Michael, Oh Jesus - you know I'm not to blame
You know my reputation for playing a good clean game
Oh Michael, Oh Jesus - I'll keep my promise when
You turn that heartbeat over again

We warned the corpse of William Wright
Not to cuss and drink all night
Ticket in hand we saw him laid to rest
Whoa, but zombie see and zombie do
He's here with me and you

Love your mama, love your brother
Love 'em till they run for cover
Turn the light off, keep your shirt on
Cry a jag on me, me

Oh Michael, Oh Jesus - you know I'm not to blame
You know my reputation for playing a good clean game
Oh Michael, Oh Jesus - I'll keep my promise when
You turn that heartbeat over again
Turn that heartbeat over again