Greatest Hits Volume I

Some folks like to get away, take a holiday from the neighborhood
Hop a flight to miami beach or hollywood.
I'm taking a greyhound on the hudson river line-
I'm in a new york state of mind.

I seen all the movie stars in their fancy cars and their limousines,
Been high in the rockies under the evergreens,
But i know what i'm needing and i don't want to waste more time-
I'm in a new york state of mind.

It was so easy living day by day
Out of touch with the rhythm and the blues,
But now i need a little give and take,
The new york times, the daily news...

It comes down to reality-and it's fine with me 'cause i've let it slide,
Don't care if it's chinatown or riverside,
I don't have any reasons, i've left them all behind-
I'm in a new york state of mind.

Repeat 3rd verse

I'm just taking a greyhound on the hudson river line-
'cause i'm in a new york state of mind.

Well we all have a face
That we hide away forever
And we take them out and
Show ourselves
When everyone has gone
Some are satin some are steel
Some are silk and some are leather
They're the faces of the stranger
But we love to try them on

Well we all fall in love
But we disregard the danger
Though we share so many secrets
There are some we never tell
Why were you so surprised
That you never saw the stranger
Did you ever let your lover see
The stranger in yourself?

Don't be afraid to try again
Everyone goes south
Every now and then
You've done it, why can't
Someone else?
You should know by now
You've been there yourself

Once i used to believe
I was such a great romancer
Then i came home to a woman
That i could not recognize
When i pressed her for a reason
She refused to even answer
It was then i felt the stranger
Kick me right between the eyes

Well we all fall in love
But we disregard the danger
Though we share so many secrets
There are some we never tell
Why were you so surprised
That you never saw the stranger
Did you ever let your lover see
The stranger in yourself?

Don't be afraid to try again
Everyone goes south
Every now and then
You've done it why can't
Someone else?
You should know by now
You've been there yourself

You may never understand
How the stranger is inspired
But he isn't always evil
And he isn't always wrong
Though you drown in good intentions
You will never quench the fire
You'll give in to your desire
When the stranger comes along.

she's always a woman


She can kill with a smile
She can wound with her eyes
She can ruin your faith with her casual lies
And she only reveals what she wants you to see
She hides like a child
But she's always a woman to me

She can lead you to love
She can take you or leave you
She can ask for the truth
But she'll never believe you
And she'll take what you give her, as long as it's free
She steals like a thief
But she's always a woman to me

Chorus
Oh-she takes care of herself
She can wait if she wants
She's ahead of her time
Oh-and she never gives out
And she never gives in
She just changes her mind

And she'll promise you more
Than the garden of eden
Then she'll carelessly cut you
And laugh while you're bleedin'
But she'll bring out the best
And the worst you can be
Blame it all on yourself
Cause she's always a woman to me

Chorus

She is frequently kind
And she's suddenly cruel
She can do as she pleases
She's nobody's fool
But she can't be convicted
She's earned her degree
And the most she will do
Is throw shadows at you
But she's always a woman to me

Anthony works in the grocery store
Savin' his pennies for someday
Mama leone left a note on the door,
She said,
"sonny, move out to the country."
Workin' too hard can give me
A heart attack
You oughta know by now
Who needs a house out in hackensack?
Is that what you get with your money?

Chorus
It seems such a waste of time
If that's what it's all about
If that's movin' up then i'm movin' out.

Sergeant o'leary is walkin' the beat
At night he becomes a bartender
He works at mister cacciatore's down
On sullivan street
Across from the medical center
He's tradin' in his chevy for a cadillac
You oughta know by now
And if he can't drive
With a broken back
At least he can polish the fenders

Chorus

You should never argue with a crazy mind
You oughta know by now
You can pay uncle sam with overtime
Is that all you get for your money?

Chorus

It's nine o'clock on a saturday
The regular crowd shuffles in
There's an old man sitting next to me
Makin' love to his tonic and gin

He says, "son, can you play me a memory?
I'm not really sure how it goes
But it's sad and it's sweet and i knew it complete
When i wore a younger man's clothes"

La la la, de de da
La la, de de da da da

Chorus:
Sing us a song, you're the piano man
Sing us a song tonight
Well, we're all in the mood for a melody
And you've got us feelin' alright

Now john at the bar is a friend of mine
He gets me my drinks for free
And he's quick with a joke or to light up your smoke
But there's someplace that he'd rather be
He says, "bill, i believe this is killing me."
As the smile ran away from his face
"well i'm sure that i could be a movie star
If i could get out of this place"

Oh, la la la, de de da
La la, de de da da da

Now paul is a real estate novelist
Who never had time for a wife
And he's talkin' with davy who's still in the navy
And probably will be for life

And the waitress is practicing politics
As the businessmen slowly get stoned
Yes, they're sharing a drink they call loneliness
But it's better than drinkin' alone

Chorus

It's a pretty good crowd for a saturday
And the manager gives me a smile
'cause he knows that it's me they've been comin' to see
To forget about life for a while
And the piano, it sounds like a carnival
And the microphone smells like a beer
And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar
And say, "man, what are you doin' here?"

Oh, la la la, de de da
La la, de de da da da

Chorus

I am the entertainer
And i know just where i stand
Another serenader
And another long-haired band
Today i am your champion
I may have won your hearts
But i know the game, you'll forget my name
And i won't be here in another year
If i don't stay on the charts

I am the entertainer
And i've had to pay my price
The things i did not know at first
I learned by doin' twice
Ah, but still they come to haunt me
Still they want their say
So i've learned to dance with a hand in my pants
I let 'em rub my neck and i write 'em a check
And they go their merry way

I am the entertainer
Been all around the world
I've played all kinds of palaces
And laid all kinds of girls
I can't remember faces
I don't remember names
Ah, but what the hell
You know it's just as well
'cause after a while and a thousand miles
It all becomes the same

I am the entertainer
I bring to you my songs
I'd like to spend a day or two
I can't stay that long
No, i've got to meet expenses
I got to stay in line
Gotta get those fees to the agencies
And i'd love to stay but there's bills to pay
So i just don't have the time

I am the entertainer
I come to do my show
You've heard my latest record
It's been on the radio
Ah, it took me years to write it
They were the best years of my life
It was a beautiful song
But it ran too long
If you're gonna have a hit
You gotta make it fit
So they cut it down to 3:05

I am the entertainer
The idol of my age
I make all kinds of money
When i go on the stage
Ah, you've seen me in the papers
I've been in the magazines
But if i go cold i won't get sold
I'll get put in the back in the discount rack
Like another can of beans

I am the entertainer
And i know just where i stand
Another serenader
And another long-haired band
Today i am your champion
I may have won your hearts
But i know the game, you'll forget my name
I won't be here in another year
If i don't stay on the charts