Respectable Lyrics by Nellie McKay

Respectable Lyrics

    There's a rich boy
    but he doesn't spend
    he just drinks his Poland Spring
    he's a quick boy walkin' round the bend
    or at home alone reading
    and he wants to do good
    and he wants to do right
    so he does what he should
    but he's got to subscribe
    to the rules of the tribe
    now you're
    playin' for the team
    everybody loves to love a winner
    and you're bustin' the beguine
    everybody knows you're no beginner
    but ah the bums say oh
    things ain't what they seem

    you're the respectable member of society
    but you don't have nothin' on me
    you gotcha east side certified pedigree
    but you won't have nothin' you'll see
    because I warned you
    they would scorn you
    but you never did a thing

    when you go in for the kill
    everybody wants to make it happen
    and you make a hundred mil
    everybody wants to scratch your back then
    but ah the freaks say oh
    things ain't what they seem

    you're a respectable member of society
    but you don't have nothin' on me
    you gotcha uppercrust dinner tux sanctimony
    but you won't have nothin' you'll see
    because I told you
    they would mold you
    but you never did a thing

    are you gonna tell
    are you gonna hide
    are you
    gonna join the crowd or split
    who are you payin'
    ah what are you sayin'
    are you gonna sell
    are you gonna buy
    are you gonna fizzle out or hit
    where are you layin'
    ah what are you sayin'

    he's a grown man
    and he wears a tie
    and his laugh is hard and fast
    he's a old man
    far before his time
    and his jacket holds a flask
    and he tried to do good
    and he tried
    to do right
    so he did what he could
    but he had to subscribe
    to the rules of the tribe

    now you're lookin' for a queen
    everybody talks too much and argues
    and it makes you wanna scream
    don't these little punks
    realize who they're talkin' to
    but ah the scrubs say oh
    things ain't what they seem

    you're a respectable member of society
    but you don't have nothin' on me
    you gotcha caterers and prada and your maitre'd
    but you won't have nothin' you'll see
    because I warned you
    they would burn you
    but you never did a thing
    you're the respectable members of society
    but you don't have nothin on me
    you're the respectable members of society
    you're so respectable
    you're the respectable members of
    you're so respectable


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