Shamus
Down these mean streets a man must go
come shine, come rain, come hail, come snow;
a trenchcoat, gun and cigarette,
with hardboiled charm and gumshoe sweat.
Pink neon signs light up the place,
the backdrop to a murder case;
the suspect vamp, her legs apart,
gave easy sex and killed my heart.
So what's it matter, I can't feel,
a diamond mind and heart of steel
that cuts through slums and sleazy bars,
a world of wrecks and movie stars.
Expenses and a hundred note,
buys me for keeps and gets my goat;
a dirty job, it ain't no fun,
just go to work and get it done.
As monkey music pounds my beat,
a metronomic film-noir suite;
I really loathe this tinsel town,
there's no excuse, they're going down.
Wisecracking wiseguy, razor wit,
dark detours, cryptic photo-fit;
nail the killer, lose the dame,
it always seems to end the same.
Track down your lover, husband, dog,
price or princess, pig or frog;
clear your name and give you hope,
locate a heiress hooked on dope.
Iced bourbon helps the case to break
and find the lady in the lake;
a gunplay climax ends in death
the big sleep cutting short his breath.
And when it's done I'm left alone,
an office, desk and telephone;
a tarnished soul, a cynic's brain,
no love, no heart, no life...just pain.
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