The Good Life

Way out on Elysian Street Out behind the railroad tracks Another dreamtown's risin' From a sea of cardboard shacks But the I.R.S. is worried They say they want their money back They sent a little man down there with a calculator He's figuring out the tax But nobody bats an eye It's just the good life passing you by Let the green, green water take me away Where we all stand naked on judgement day And there's a brand new club down on Downer Street Where you can hear Robert Johnson sing And the girls fly in from Providence With their Good Hope diamond rings And even Marshall Dillon drops by With his friend the little King After a drink or two they'll sing "Don't Be Cruel" For twenty bucks they'll do anything But nobody bats an eye It's just the good life passing you by Let the great Mississippi wash these hands Of the tears we've cried and we'll start again Well, Christmas time came early this year Down on Granddad's farm He opened up all the presents himself With an antique Charter Arms Then he tucked the whole family into bed Out in a corner of the yard When the TV man asked him what went wrong He said "I just got tired of being ignored" Now on the shopping mall boys are sleeping On the feathers of yesterday's crimes Dreaming dreams of dancing centrefolds With perfect alabaster eyes And Uncle Sam's got a brand-new scam Selling franchised frozen pies He says he'll sell you a vote or a bullet-proof coat 'Cause there's nothing money won't buy But nobody bats an eye It's just the good life passing you by Let the green, green water take me away Where we all stand naked on judgement day Nobody's askin' why It's just the good life making you cry Nobody bats an eye It's just the good life Passing you by