Black 47: Forty-Deuce

As I roved out one May morning
On down by old Times Square
I met a sportin' lady
Sweet Nancy was her name
She said "Me dearest darlin'
You're so young and you smell so sweet
But you'll age 10 years in 20 days down on 42nd Street"

She took me upstairs to a room
With cobwebs on the wall
She said "Lay down, me darlin'
You and I gonna have a ball"
And as she kissed me virgin tears away
She sang in her sweet voice
Fare thee well my 42nd street
Good-bye my forty-deuce

In the years to come I had occasion
To remember sweet Nancy's song
For I fell in with bad company
I lived me life all wrong
I did everything forbidden
By bible, book and creed
'Til I'd no more virgin tears to shed
Down on 42nd Street

I fell in with two blaggards
Spider Murphy and Jem Black
We terrorized Hell's Kitchen
We robbed both white and black
We never gave a damn about
The Narcos or the Vice
For the days were short and the nights were long
Down on dear old forty-deuce

One night on 7th Avenue
I was accosted by the law
They said "We've got your number, lad
You're time is gettin' short
Take our advice, me bucko
Kick the dust up with your heels
And leave your false companions
Down on 42nd Street"

But I was young and stupid
And loyal to a fault
I had a package in me shirt
To deliver to Jem Black
When I handed him his contraband
I was pounced on by 2 narcs
Spider Murphy had betrayed me
Farewell my forty-deuce

I spent 10 years in Sing Sing
Goin' slowly up the walls
With revenge the only motive
That kept me alive at all
I came out of there a different man
Cruel, vicious, but discreet
Bought a gun and went back home
Down to 42nd Street

I followed Spider Murphy
Into a church down by Times Square
I blew him to sweet Jesus
While he was kneelin' at his prayers
If you're ever lookin' for Jem Black
Don't bother tryin' home
Coz he's 40 feet down under
The Hudson's ragin' foam

So, fare thee well, sweet Nancy
Give back me virgin tears
I'm goin' back to Sing Sing
For five and fifty years
Please hold me like the first time
Sing in your sweet voice
Fare thee well my 42nd Street
Goodbye my forty-deuce