Streetlife Serenade

Roberta, you say you know me
But i see only what you're paid to show me
Oh, i wish you had the time
Oh, i wish you had the time

Oh, roberta, i understand you
I know you need to move in other circles too;
It's tough for me, it's tough for you

Roberta, how i've adored you
I'd ask you over but i can't afford you
Oh, i wish you'd take the time
Oh, i wish you'd take the time

Oh, roberta, the night goes slowly
I know you're workin' but you must get lonely too;
It's tough for me, ah, it's tough for you

And i'm in a bad way and wanna make love to you, ooh, ooh


Oh, i wish you had the time

Oh, i wish you had the time

Oh, roberta, i really need you
But i suppose that my small change won't see you through;
It's tough for me, ah, it's tough for you

A picture postcard
A folded stub
A program of the play
File away your photographs
Of your holiday

And your mementos
Will turn to dust
But that's the price you pay
For every year's a souvenir
That slowly fades away
Every year's a souvenir
That slowly fades away

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

Streetlife serenader
Never sang on stages
Needs no orchestration
Melody comes easy

Midnight masquerader
Shoppin' center heroes
Child of eisenhower
New world celebrator

Streetlife serenaders
Have such understanding
How the words are spoken
How to make the motions

Streetlife serenaders
Have no obligations
Hold no grand illusions
Need no stimulation

Midnight masqueraders
Workin' hard for wages
Need no vast arrangements
To do their harmonizing

Well if money makes a rich man
Then i might never make the grade
I'll be a small time operator
If i just get the landlord paid
But if time is an indication
Of the wealth that i never knew
Then i'm the last of the big time spenders
'cause i've been spending time on you, woo oo oo woo

It takes time to appreciate
Lord knows that you can learn to hate it
I believe, 'cause i've been there too
When it gets down to desperation
You make the best of the situation
I can tell, i've seen it thru, oh, oh, oh

Though it seems like the day is wasted
And the nights have been overdue
Well, i'm the last of the big time spenders
And i've been spendin' time on you, woo oo oo woo

It's been so long since we got together
In between it seems to take forever
But i'm a dreamer, i'll be there soon

It takes time to appreciate
All of those that you can learn to hate
I believe, i've seen it thru, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

You can call me the great pretender
And in a way it might be true
But i'm the last of the big time spenders
And i've been spendin' time on you, woo oo oo woo