Manhattan Transfer

Slip through the last dance
fantastic, you plastic
beguiling, smiling whore.
I don’t know
what you want me for.
But I will do it anyway.
Here in the city
the clatter of trains,
the traffic on the bridges
the pale wan faces
in the corner coffee shops
are worse than the whining
cultural conversations
that drive me insane.
When can we meet again?

You use your phone like a weapon.

Sometimes, I just love you to hell
and back. I don’t know why
you have this hold
on me, Goddam you do,
and you know it.
Bitch. I wish that you were rich
but you are not.
No, nor neither am I.
I want that ticket
here in my hand,
but I know, with a fat wallet
either worked for or stolen
I could never pay.

I could never pay for you.
Never in a lifetime.

I want you so bad.
I want to walk with you.
I want to make love with you.
I want to walk away from you.
You are everything
I cannot stay away from
and do not want in my life.
Exact change, baby.
Here comes the bus.
Takes you downtown.
Takes you uptown.
Takes you crosstown.
Takes you exactly

Where you want to go.

I want that ticket
I want the ticket that buys you.
I want that ticket.
But, baby, I don’t want you.

---- version two ----------

After the last dance
fantastic, orgiastic,
came the feeling
I'd been here before,
but I still don’t know
what it is you want me for.
Whatever it is
I will do it anyway.
Here in the city
the whiff of drains,
the clatter of trains,
traffic on bridges,
all the pale wan faces
in corner coffee shops:
I feel giddy, ethereal,
inane: do you think
that we will meet again?

Lipstick, chewing gum.
I never see you
at rest or standing alone;
I never see you
parted from your mobile phone.
I try to analyze you.
I despise you,
I adore you.
I implore you
let me go. I just don’t want to know
the lines of this soaring crazy song;
when you smile, contained and lazy,
everything feels hazy,
everything feels wrong.
Even with a fat wallet,
either worked for or stolen,
I could never pay for you,
never in a lifetime.

Here comes the bus.
One bus can take you uptown.
I need you ...
One bus can take you downtown.
... but I don't want you.
One bus can take you crosstown,
if that's what you like.
I don't need you ...
Exact change, baby.
Step behind the white line.
... but I want you.
And one bus can take you
anywhere you want to go.
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