Captain Swing - Lyrics
(Don't You Mess Around With) My Little Sister
God is a Real Estate Developer
Looks Like Mona Lisa (Smells Like Tuna Fish)
(A)It was that kind of(G#) misting rain
It (G)was that kind of(F#) night
(B7)Nothing was wrong
It just wasn't right
(A)It weren't the(D7) blues
(A)It weren't low (D7)rent
It was (A)just a( D7) cement(A) lament(E7)
All these late night alleys
All these late night alley cats
It starts raining harder
He adjusts his hat
It weren't the blues
It weren't low rent
It was just a cement lament
A streetlight goes out
He makes his wish
A taxi turns the corner
A puddle makes a splish
It weren't the blues
It weren't low rent
It was just a cement lament
How many years has it been
Since you left that old hometown
Both eyes on your feet
Both feet on the ground
It's not the blues
It's not low rent
It's just a cement lament
It's not superstition
It's just playing it smart
Dont' step on the cracks, now
Don't you break your mama's heart
It's not the blues
It's not low rent
It's just a cement lament
The(A) sun's rolling up the (G#)East River
It (G)slowly dawns on( F#) you
You're(B7) smoking your last cigarette
The rain has stopped, the sky is blue
(A)Time to shake this(D7) mood
(A)Someone's got (D7)to pay the rent
(A)Someone's shift just(D7) started
(A)Singing the (D7)cement lament
(A)Singing the (D7)cement lament
(A)Singing(D7)
(A)Swinging(D7)
(A)Singing and(D7) swinging
(A)Swinging and(D7) singing
(E7)She's a rocker she takes after me
And she's (A7)a roller runs in the family
She's a(B7) rock and roll baby a real gone twister
But I'm (A7)telling you Mister
Don't you mess around with my (E7)little sister
I don't know you but I know your kind
I know I'm right, 'cause I can read your mind
Now I know you think you can't resist her
But I'm telling you Mister
Don't you mess around with my little sister
(A7)I promised the folks I would not keep her out late
Because she's(E7) too young to party
Too young to date
So (A7)take your hands off her
Find yourself another or you're
(B7)Gonna have to answer to this big brother
And now I tell you, I ain't had fun all night
'Cause all you fellas keep trying to treat her right
She may blow your mind like an old transistor
But I'm telling you Mister
Don't you mess around with my little sister
Don't you mess around
Don't you mess around
Don't you mess around with my little sister now
(G)God is a real estate developer
(C7)With offices around the(G) nation
They say one day (G7)he'll liquidate
His (C7)holdings up on high
(G)I say it's (D7)all specul(G)ation
He may be an absentee landlord
This may be a low rent universe
The roof may need repairs
But at least the floor is there
And the rent is not due til the first
So(C7) save one last dance for the Savior
When that(G) final Hail Mary is said
(C7)Life is a dancehall
That's (G)why we've got(E7) all those
Little (A)angels dancing around (D7)with pinheads
The Lord Almighty Limited
And his chosen elect
Sit on the Up on High Development Board
Quoting the Bible as they hoard
The Good Book has a new look, I suspect
I'm (D7)admitting I was drifting
When I (G)came into your harbor
But I (D)feel my spirits lifting
Like a(G) wind just off to starboard bow
Now I (E7)know I swore that I would love no more
But (A)you hauled in and(G#) cal(G)led (F#)my bluff
You (D7)took the wind out of my sails
It (G)must be luff, it(F#) must be(G) luff
Oh (D7)luff
(G)L U F F
Oh (D7)luff
It must be (G)luff(F#) (G)
I've been down, I've been around
I drink the whiskey, don't drink no water
Yes and this ain't my first seaport town
No, I'm a salty seaman's daughter
But you rock my boat til it will hardly float
And when you talk that soft romantic stuff
You take the wind out of my sails
It must be luff, it must be luff
So fly that Jolly Roger high
Don't lie, you are a pirate
Shanghai'd my heart, stole my soul
Don't you try to deny it
Oh how I cried when you took my pride
And when that just weren't enough, oh no
You took the wind out of my sails
It must be luff it must be luff
(A)Send me a dozen long stem roses
I'll tell you what I will do
I'll bend them into a crown of thorns
And then(E7) send them right back(A) to you
Your (A)love (E7)love (A)love (E7)
Won't(A) keep me(E7) sat(A)isfied(E7)
And (A)though I've never(E7) been there
I (A)know it's always(E7) greener
On the greener(A) side
Say you want to give me a run for my money
There's something I'm gonna admit
It may sound funny, but Romeo honey
I don't want none of your
My love is like a wishing well
Your love is like a clear blue sky
Sometimes it takes a thunder storm
To fill me when I'm dry
I need this(C7) hopeless feeling
Like I need a(G7) hole in my head
Give up a(C7) whole days wages
For this (G7)hole in the wall
I call a (C7)holster that is empty
Just a gun to the(G7) head
I am a (D7)holy roller(C7)
I'm playing russian(G) roulette
(C7)I've been told gambling's (G)a sin
I'm gonna(C7) place my bet
I'm gonna play (G)to win
(C7)Yes I'm sure it's a cure for the(G) blues
You (D7)lose you win(C7), you win (G)you lose
I'm in a holding pattern
I've got this hole in my vein
Somebody hold me tighter
I'm in a whole lot of pain
I'll be a whole lot older
When this day is done
I say russian roulette
Is just a hole in one
Pass me down that bottle of gin
I'm gonna place my bet
I'm gonna play to win
Yes I'm sure it's a cure for the blues
You lose you win, you win you lose
When you(G) asked me
Michelle, do you(G7) love me?
(C)I didn't know what to say
So I just (D7)laid down beside you and I
(C)loved you in a silent(G) way(D7)
And when you asked me
To forgive you
For all your cheating days
I just laid down beside you and I
forgave you in a silent way
(C)Silence is golden
Words are made(G) of (G7)lead
And in the (D7)alchemy of love
Some (C)things are better left(G7) unsaid(D7)
And when you told me you were
leaving me
I did not ask you to stay
But my eyes told no lies
And my tears fell in a silent way
(C7)Sleep comes creeping in
(G)At four in the morning
(C7)Sneaking up the stairs
(D7)Shoes in her hands
Don't you know what time it is?
I've been worried about you, baby
I say the least that you could do was
Phone to say you'd be late
Sleep keeps me awake all night
I wonder where she is right now
I told her if she's late to call
Or don't come home at all
Last week it was one AM
This week it was two AM
Last night it was three AM
And tonight it's four AM
I'm telling you what time it is
Cause I've been worrying about you baby
I think the least that you could do was
Phone to say you'd be late
(C7)You never mind about that now
(G)Come lay down beside me baby
(C7)Let me hold you in my arms
(G)Let me hold you in my arms
(C7)Let me kiss you, kiss (G)you baby
(C7)Let me hold you in my(G) arms
(C7)Let me kiss you, let me(G) kiss you
I keep a pile of pennies in the pocket of my pants
I pay my toll to the sidewalk troll
My entrance fee to street romance
Oh streetcorner ambassador this city treats you well
Provides the finest newsprint sheets
The penthouse suite Park Bench Hotel
Conferring with the delegates around imported port
Important issues of the day say Unity will buy a quart
Oh streetcorner ambassador keeps highbrow company
They drink the finest of liqueur at the A Train Embassy
And it's toss into the old tin cup
A shiny copper penny
Sing along that old refrain
Can you spare just a little change, man
Can you spare just a little change
The cop said move on or I'm gonna take you to the shelter
She beat a quick retreat that's how he knew that he had helped her
Oh streetcorner ambassador it seems so clear to me
The more you are ignored it's called diplomatic immunity
Now if you find my money on the street you let it be
Consider it my joint account with one who really needs it
Oh, streetcorner ambassador
Back from Vietnam or up from the south
Those patronizing liberals
Took the words out of your mouth
And it's toss into the old tin cup
A shiny copper penny
Sing along that old refrain
Can you spare just a little change, man
Too little too(C) late
Don't you tell me how(F) it used to be
I've seen the record and(G) it clearly reads
To date, too little (C)too late
Too little too late
Don't you talk about the way things was
Bringing roses and the turtle doves don't rate
Too little too late
I should have( F) known that it was now(C) or never
But you know that(F) good things come to (C)those who wait
But when nothing(F) came except the (C)eleventh(A7) hour
I said I'm (D7)taking the liberty (G)to liberate myself
Too little too late
Then was then but honey now is now
If I don't call then you can just learn how to wait
Too little too late
Too little too late
Too little too late
Too late
If she had it to do all over again
It would be a photograph
She would have a wide grin
But no, it was an artist with a long and loving style
So when the paint was dry all that remained was a faint, strange smile
She's ripe with broken dreams
Her lovers never stay
It looks like Mona Lisa
Is having a bad day
The Book of History has many missing pages
Murmurs the Madonna of the Middle Ages
But in between her cracks you can read between the lines
She'd love nothing better than to rob the Louvre blind
Baroque and complicated
Her lover's never stay
It looks like Mona Lisa
Is having a bad day
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