Nellie McKay: Respectable

There's a rich boy
but he doesn't spend
he just drinks his Poland Spring
he's a quick boy walkin' round the bend
or at home alone reading
and he tries to do good
and he tries to do right
so he does what he should
but he's got to subscribe
to the rules of the tribe
now you're
playin' for the team
everybody loves to love a winner
and you're bustin' the beguine
everybody knows you're no beginner
but ah the bums say oh
things ain't what they seem

you're the respectable member of society
but you don't have nothin' on me
you gotcha east side certified pedigree
but you won't have nothin' you'll see
because I warned you
they would scorn you
but you never did a thing

when you go in for the kill
everybody wants to make it happen
and you make a hundred mil
everybody wants to scratch your back then
but ah the freaks say oh
things ain't what they seem

you're a respectable member of society
but you don't have nothin' on me
you gotcha uppercrust dinner tux sanctimony
but you won't have nothin' you'll see
because I told you
they would mold you
but you never did a thing

are you gonna tell
are you gonna hide
are you
gonna join the crowd or split
who are you payin'
ah what are you sayin'
are you gonna sell
are you gonna buy
are you gonna fizzle out or hit
where are you layin'
ah what are you sayin'

he's a grown man
and he wears a tie
and his laugh is hard and fast
he's a old man
far before his time
and his jacket holds a flask
and he tried to do good
and he tried
to do right
so he did what he could
but he had to subscribe
to the rules of the tribe

now you're lookin' for a queen
everybody talks too much and argues
and it makes you wanna scream
don't these little punks
realize who they're talkin' to
but ah the scrubs say oh
things ain't what they seem

you're a respectable member of society
but you don't have nothin' on me
you gotcha caterers and prada and your maitre'd
but you won't have nothin' you'll see
because I warned you
they would burn you
but you never did a thing
you're the respectable members of society
but you don't have nothin on me
you're the respectable members of society
you're so respectable
you're the respectable members of
you're so respectable