Banana Republics

Down to the banana republic

Down to the tropical sun

Go the expatriated Americans, hopin' to find some fun

Some of them go for the sailing

Called by the lure of the sea

Tryin' to find what is ailing

Living in the land of the free

Some of them are running from lovers

Leaving no forward address

Some of them are running tons of ganja

Some are running from the IRS

Late at night, you will find them

In the cheap hotels and bars

Hustling the señoritas while they dance beneath the stars

Spending those renegade pesos

On a bottle of rum and a lime

Singing, "Give me some words I can dance to, or a melody that rhymes"

First you learn the native customs

Soon a word of Spanish or two

You know that you cannot trust them

'Cause they know they can't trust you

Expatriated Americans feelin' so all alone

Telling themselves the same lies that they told themselves back home

Down to the banana republics, things aren't as warm as they seem

None of the natives are buying any second-hand American dreams

Late at night, you will find them

In the cheap hotels and bars

Hustling the señoritas while they dance beneath the stars

Spending those renegade pesos

On a bottle of rum and a lime

Singing, "Give me some words I can dance to, or a melody that rhymes"

Down to the banana republics

Down to the tropical sun

Go the expatriated Americans, hopin' to find some fun