Billy Joel Album

Well, you went uptown riding in your limousine
With your fine Park Avenue clothes.
You had the Dom Perignon in your hand
And a spoon up your nose.
When you wake up in the morning with you head on fire
And your eyes too bloody to see,
Go on and cry in your coffee,
But don't come bitching to me.

Because you had to be a big shot, didn't you?
You had to open up your mouth.
You had to be a big shot, didn't you?
All your friends were so knocked out.
You had to have the last word last night.
You know what everything's about.
You had to have the white hot spot light.
You had to be a big shot last night.

They were all impressed with your Halston dress
And the people that you knew at Elaine's.
And the story of your latest success,
Kept them so entertained.
But now you just don't remember all the things you said
And you're not sure that you wanna know.
I'll give you one hint, honey,
You sure did put on a show.

Yes, yes, you had to be a big shot, didn't you?
You had to prove it to the crowd.
You had to be a big shot, didn't you?
All your friends were so knocked out.
You had to have the last word last night,
You're so much fun to be around.
You had to have the front page, bold type.
You had to be a big shot last night.

Well, it's no big sin to stick your two cents in
If you know when to leave it alone.
But you went over the line,
You couldn't see it was time to go home.

No, no, no, no, you had to be a big shot, didn't you?
You had to open up your mouth.
You had to be a big shot, didn't you?
All your friends were so knocked out.
You had to have the last word last night.
You're so much fun to be around.
You had to have the white hot spot light.
You had to be a big shot last night.

If you search for tenderness
It isn't hard to find
You can have the love you need to live
But if you look for truthfulness
You might just as well be blind
It always seems to be so hard to give

CHORUS

Honesty is such a lonely word
Everyone is so untrue
Honesty is hardly ever heard
And mostly what I need from you

I can always find someone
To say they sympathize
If I wear my heart out on my sleeve
But I don't want some pretty face
To tell me pretty lies
All I want is someone to believe

CHORUS

I can find a lover
I can find a friend
I can have security
Until the bitter end
Anyone can comfort me
With promises again
I know, I know

When I'm deep inside of me
Don't be too concerned
I won't ask for nothin' while I'm gone
But when I want sincerity
Tell me where else can I turn
Because you're the one that I depend upon

CHORUS

Got a call from an old friend we used to be real close
said he couldn't go on the American way
closed the shop sold a house bought a ticket to the west coast
now he gives them a stand-up routine in LA

I don't need you to worry for me cos im alright
I don't want you to tell me it's time to come home
I don't care what you say anymore this is my life
go ahead with your own life leave me alone

I never said you had to offer me a second chance
I never said I was a victim of circumstance
I still belong, don't get me wrong
you can speak your mind but not on my time

They will tell you, you can't sleep alone in a strange place
then they'll tell you you cant sleep with somebody else
oh but sooner or later you'll sleep in your own space
either way its ok you wake up with yourself

I don't need you to worry for me cos im alright
I don't want you to tell me its time to come home
I don't care what you say anymore this is my life
go ahead with your own life leave me alone

I never said you had to offer me a second chance
I never said I was a victim of circumstance
I still belong, don't get me wrong
you can speak your mind but not on my time

I don't care what you say anymore this is my life
go ahead with your own life leave me alone

Ali dances and the audience applauds
Though he's beathed in sweat he hasn't lost his style
Ali don't you go downtown
You gave away another round for free

Me, I'm just another face at Zanzibar
But the waitress always serves a secret smile
She's waiting out in Shantytown
She's gonna pull the curtains down for me, for me

CHORUS
I've got the old man's car,
I've got a jazz guitar
I've got a tab at Zanzibar
Tonight that's where I'll be

Rose, he knows he's such a credit to the game
But the Yankees grab the headlines every time
Melodrama's so much fun
In black and white for everyone to see
Me, I'm trying just to get to second base
And I'd steal it if she only gave the sign
She's gonna give the go ahead
The inning isn't over yet for me

CHORUS

Tell the waitress I'll come back to Zanzibar
I'll be hiding inthe darkness with my beer.
She's waiting out in Shantytown
She's gonna pull the curtaains down for me, for me

CHORUS

She cuts you once, she cuts you twice
But still you believe
The wound is so fresh you can taste the blood
But you don't have strength to leave
You've been bought, you've been sold
You've been locked outside the door
But you stand there pleadin',
With your insides bleedin',
'Cause you deep down want some more
Then she says she wants forgiveness
It's such a clever masquerade
She's so good with her stiletto
You don't even see the blade

She cuts you hard, she cuts you deep,
She's got so much skill
She's so fascinating that you're still there waiting
When she comes back for the kill
You've been slashed in the face
You've been left there to bleed
You want to run away
But you know you're gonna stay
'Cause she gives you what you need
Then she says she wants affection
While she searches for the vein
She's so good with her stiletto
You don't really mind the pain

She cuts you out, she cuts you down
She carves up your life
But you won't do nothng
As she keeps on cutting
'Cause you know you love the knife
You've been bought, you've been sold
You've been locked outside the door
But you stand there pleadin'
With your insides bleedin'
'Cause you deep down want some more
Then she says she needs affection
While she searches for the vein
She's so good with her stiletto,
You don't really mind the pain

I play nights in the Spanish part of town
I've got music in my hands
The work is hard to find
But that don't get me down
Rosalinda understands

Crazy Latin dancing solo down in Herald Square
Oh Havana I've been searching for you everywhere
And though I'll neverer be there
I know what I would see there
I can always find my Cuban skies
In Rosalinda's eyes

When she smiles she gives everything to me
When she's all alone she cries
And I'd do anything to take away her tears
Because they're Rosalinda's eyes

Senorita don't be lonely, I will soon be there
Oh Havana I've been searching for you everywhere
I've got a chance to make it
It's time for me to take it
I'll return before the fire dies
In Rosalinda's eyes

All alone in a Puerto Rican band
Union wages, wedding clothes
Hardly anyone has seen how good I am
But Rosalinda says she knows

Crazy Latin dancing solo down in Herald Square
Oh Havana I've been searching for you everywhere
And though I'll never be there
I know what I would see there
I can always find my Cuban skies
In Rosalinda's eyes

Little Geo is a friend of mine
We get some money and we buy a cheap wine
Sit on the corner and have a holiday
Hide the bottle when the cop goes by
Talk about women and lie, lie, lie
Oh, my other world is just a half a mile away.

Wait for mama to turn out the light
Crawl on the roof and then I hit the night
I should be sleeping tonight but I just can't stay
I've given everybody so much time
Now I need a moment that's mine...
Oh my other world is just a half a mile away

It's just a half a mile away

Angelina save a place for me
I've been livin' someone else's life and now I've got to be free
Turn your transistor on and let the music play
I try to keep the family satisfied
But there's gotta be more to life than just try, try, try
Oh my other world is only a half a mile away

It's just a half a mile away

I never ask you where you go
After I leave you in the morning
We go our different ways to seperate situations
It's not that easy anymore

Today I do what must be done
I give my time to total strangers
But now it feels as though the day goes on forever
MOre than it ever did before

CHORUS
Until the night, until the night
I just might make it
Until the night, until the night
When I see you again

Now you're afraid that we have changed
And I'm afraid we're getting older
so many broken hearts, so many lonely faces
so many lovers come and gone

I'll have my fears like every man
You'll have your tears like every woman
Today we'll be unsure, is this what we believe in
And wonder how can we go on

CHORUS

When the sun goes down
And the day is over
When the last of the light has gone
As they pour into the street
I will be getting closer
As the cars turn their headlights on
While they're closing it down
We're gonna open it up
And while they're going to sleep
We'll just be starting to touch
I'm just beginning to feel
I'm just beginning to give
I'm just beginning to feel
I'm just beginning to live
Before I leave you again
Before the light of the dawn
Before this evening can end
I have been waiting so long

CHORUS

They say it takes a lot to keep a love alive
In every heart there pumps a different beat

But if we shift the rhythm into overdrive,
We could generate a lot of heat....

CHORUS
On 52nd Street
On 52nd Street

We're gonna throw a little soul parade,
Before they know the second bar was played

We're gonna slip it to 'em short and sweet

CHORUS