The Walkmen › Lyrics › Subterrannean Homesick Blues

Johnny's in the basement
Mixing up the medicine
I'm on the pavement
Thinking about the government

The man in the trench coat
Badge out, laid off
Says he's got a bad cough
Wants to get it paid off

Look out kid
It's somethin' you did

God knows when
But you're doin' it again
You better duck down the alley way
Lookin' for a new friend

The man in the coon-skin cap
In the big pen
Wants eleven dollar bills
But you only got ten

Maggie comes fleet foot
Face full of black soot
Talkin' that the heat put
Plants in the bed but

The phone's tapped anyway
Maggie says that many say
They must bust in early May
Orders from the D. A.

Look out kid
They keep it all hid

Walk on your tip toes
Don't try, 'No Doz'
Better stay away from those
Carry around a fire hose

Keep a clean nose
Watch the plain clothes
You don't need a weather man
To know which way the wind blows

Oh, get sick and get well
Hang around a ink well
Hang bell, hard to tell
If anything is goin' to sell

Try hard, get barred
Get back, write braille
Get jailed, jump bail
Join the army, if you fail

Look out kid
You're gonna get hit

By losers, cheaters
Six-time users
Hang around the theaters

Girl, by the whirlpool
Lookin' for a new fool
Don't follow leaders
Watch the parkin' meters

Ah, get born, keep warm
Short pants, romance, learn to dance
Get dressed, get blessed
Try to be a success

Please her, please him, buy gifts
Don't steal, don't lift
Twenty years of schoolin'
And they put you on the day shift

Look out kid
Don't matter what you did

Jump down a manhole
Light yourself a candle
Don't wear sandals
Try to avoid the scandals

Don't wanna be a bum
You better chew gum
The pump don't work
'Cause the vandals took the handles