Artist: Warren Zevon Album: Excitable Boy {1978}

Dry your eyes my little friend
Let me take you by the hand
Freddie get ready, rock steady
When Johnny strikes up the band

They'll be rocking in the projects
Walking down along the strand
Freddie get ready, rock steady
When Johnny strikes up the band
Johnny strikes up the band
When Johnny strikes up the
When Johnny strikes up the
When Johnny strikes up the band

And Johnny is my main man
He's the keeper of the keys
He'll put your mind at ease
He's guaranteed to please
Back by popular demand

Look around my little friend
Jubilation in the land
Freddie get ready, rock steady
When Johnny strikes up the band
Johnny strikes up the band
When Johnny strikes up the
When Johnny strikes up the
When Johnny strikes up the band

Johnny strikes up the band
Johnny strikes up the band
When Johnny strikes up the
When Johnny strikes up the
When Johnny strikes up the band
Johnny!

Roland was a warrior from the Land of the Midnight Sun
With a Thompson gun for hire, fighting to be done
The deal was made in Denmark on a dark and stormy day
So he set out for Biafra to join the bloody fray

Through sixty-six and seven they fought the Congo war
With their fingers on their triggers, knee-deep in gore
For days and nights they battled the Bantu to their knees
They killed to earn their living and to help out the Congolese

Roland the Thompson gunner
Roland the Thompson gunner

His comrades fought beside him - Van Owen and the rest
But of all the Thompson gunners Roland was the best
So the CIA decided they wanted Roland dead
That son-of-a-bitch Van Owen blew off Roland's head

Roland the headless Thompson gunner 
Time, time, time for another peaceful war
Norway's bravest son 
But time stands still for Roland til he evens up the score
They can still see his headless body stalking through the night
In the muzzle flash of Roland's Thompson gun
In the muzzle flash of Roland's Thompson gun

Roland searched the continent for the man who'd done him in
He found him in Mombassa in a barroom drinking gin
Roland aimed his Thompson gun - he didn't say a word
But he blew Van Owen's body from there to Johannesburg

Roland the headless Thompson gunner
Roland the headless Thompson gunner
Roland the headless Thompson gunner
Talkin' about the man
Roland the headless Thompson gunner

The eternal Thompson gunner still wandering through the night
Now it's ten years later but he still keeps up the fight
In Ireland, in Lebanon, in Palestine and Berkeley
Patty Hearst heard the burst of Roland's Thompson gun and bought it

Well he went down to dinner in his Sunday best
Excitable boy, they all said
And he rubbed the pot roast all over his chest
Excitable boy, they all said
Well he's just an excitable boy

He took in the four AM show at the Clark
Excitable boy, they all said
And he bit the usherette's leg in the dark
Excitable boy, they all said
Well he's just an excitable boy

He took little Susie to the Junior Prom
Excitable boy, they all said
And he raped her and killed her, then he took her home
Excitable boy, they all said
Well he's just an excitable boy

After ten long years they let him out of the home
Excitable boy, they all said
And he dug up her grave and built a cage with her bones
Excitable boy, they all said
Well he's just an excitable boy

I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand
Walking through the streets of Soho in the rain
He was looking for the place called Lee Ho Fook's
Going to get a big dish of beef chow mein
A-ooo, Werewolves of London, A-oooooo
A-ooo, Werewolves of London, A-oooooo

If you hear him howling around your kitchen door
Better not let him in
Little old lady got mutilated late last night
Werewolves of London again
A-ooo, Werewolves of London, A-oooooo
A-ooo, Werewolves of London, A-oooooo

He's the hairy-handed gent who ran amuck in Kent
Lately he's been overheard in Mayfair
Better stay away from him, he'll rip your lungs out, Jim
Huh, I'd like to meet his tailor
A-ooo, Werewolves of London, A-oooooo
A-ooo, Werewolves of London, A-oooooo

Well, I saw Lon Chaney walking with the Queen
Doing the Werewolves of London
I saw Lon Chaney, Jr. walking with the Queen
Doing the Werewolves of London
I saw a werewolf drinking a pina colada at Trader Vic's
His hair was perfect, dit
A-oooooo, Werewolves of London
Draw blood
A-oooooo, Werewolves of London

The phone don't ring, no, no
And the sun refused to shine
Never thought I'd have to pay so dearly
For what was already mine
For such a long, long time

We made mad love, shadow love
Random love and abandoned love
Accidentally like a martyr
The hurt gets worse and the heart gets harder
We made mad love, shadow love
Random love and abandoned love
Accidentally like a martyr
The hurt gets worse and the heart gets harder

The days slide by
Should have done, should have done, we all sigh
Never thought I'd ever be so lonely
After such a long, long time
Time out of mind

We made mad love, shadow love
Random love and abandoned love
Accidentally like a martyr
The hurt gets worse and the heart gets harder
We made mad love, shadow love
Random love and abandoned love
Accidentally like a martyr
The hurt gets worse and the heart gets harder

Nighttime in the switching yard
Nighttime in the switching yard
Nighttime in the switching yard
Nighttime in the switching yard
Get it out on the mainline
Listen to the rhythm of the train go by
Get it out on the mainline
Listen to the rhythm of the train go by
Listen to the train whistle whine
Listen to the train whistle whine

Nighttime in the switching yard
Nighttime in the switching yard
Nighttime in the switching yard
Nighttime in the switching yard

See that train, see that train
See that train, see that train
See that train, the midnight train runs both ways
See that train, the midnight train runs both ways
See that train, the midnight train runs both ways
See that train, the midnight train runs both ways

Nighttime in the switching yard
Nighttime in the switching yard
Do it

Listen to the train whistle whine
Listen to the train whistle whine
Listen to the train whistle whine
Listen to the train whistle whine

Listen to the train
Listen to the train
Listen to the train
Listen to the track

I heard Woodrow Wilson's guns
I heard Maria crying
Late last night I heard the news
That Veracruz was dying
Veracruz was dying

Someone called Maria's name
I swear it was my father's voice
Saying, "If you stay you'll all be slain
You must leave now - you have no choice
Take the servants and ride west
Keep the child close to your chest
When the American troops withdraw
Let Zapata take the rest."

I heard Woodrow Wilson's guns
I heard Maria calling,
"Veracruz is dying
And Cuernavaca's falling."

Aquel dia yo jure
Hacia el puerto volvere
Aunque el destino cambio mi vida
En Veracruz morire
Aquel dia yo jure

I heard Woodrow Wilson's guns
I heard them in the harbor
Saying, "Veracruz was dying."

Mama, where's your pretty little girl tonight
Trying to run before she can walk - that's right
She's growing up, she has a young man waiting
She's growing up, she has a young man waiting
Wide-eyes, she'll be street-wise
To the lies and the jive talk
But she'll find true love
And tenderness on the block

Daddy, don't you ask her when she's coming in
And when she's home don't ask her where she's been
She's going out, she has a young man waiting
She's going out, can't keep her young man waiting
She'll be okay, let her have her day
Cos it's a long way, it's a long walk
But she'll find true love
And tenderness on the block

I know how much it hurts to see her go
She has a mind of her own, you know
She's all grown up, she has her young man waiting
She's all grown up, she has her young man waiting
She was wide-eyed, now she's street-wise
To the lies and the jive talk
But she'll find true love
And tenderness on the block
She'll find true love
And tenderness on the block

I went home with the waitress
The way I always do
How was I to know
She was with the Russians too

I was gambling in Havana
I took a little risk
Send lawyers, guns and money
Dad, get me out of this

I'm the innocent bystander
Somehow I got stuck
Between a rock and a hard place
And I'm down on my luck
Yes, I'm down on my luck
Well, I'm down on my luck

And I'm hiding in Honduras
I'm a desperate man
Send lawyers, guns and money
The shit has hit the fan

All right
Send lawyers, guns and money
Send lawyers, guns and money, huh
Send lawyers, guns and money, yeah
Send lawyers, guns and money