Growing Up In Public

Smiles, i was taught never to smile
I was told the stylish smiles of buffoonery
Chicanery and larceny abound

My mom said unless someone sticks you right in front of a camera
A smile is the last thing that you wanna do
Those smiles, those mirthless toothy smiles

Smiles, they all smile on tv
The quizmaster with his withered crones
The talkshow hosting movie stars, the politician licking feet

The mugger, the rapist, the arsonic lover
All smile out from the news, at one time or another
Those smiles, those garish sickly smiles

When i was young my mother said to me
Never, ever, let anyone see that you're happy

Smiles, never, ever let them see you smile
They'll always put you down
With those smiles, never, ever let them see you smile
They'll always put you down
With your smiles, never, ever let them see you smile
Don't you know they'll make you go

Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
(doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo)
(doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo)

She calls on the phone
She says she doesn't want to be alone
She says it's making her neurotic
But please don't mistake it for being erotic

So alone, so all alone

She says let's go for a walk
We'll have a drink and maybe we will talk
And he thinks she has possibilities
If she could just put away her rosary

So alone, nobody wants to be alone

But i just didn't know
I swear to you, i just didn't know
I would never make you sad
If i had known i never would have
Said those things to you
You have to be crazy to say those things to you

Let's face it i made a mistake
Well you know, fools rush in where angels take a break
I can't be smart all of the time
And anyway i didn't know you were making time over him

To tell you the truth, i forget all about him

And you know, i don't think it's nice
Asking one man about another man's vice
I don't care if you pick my head
As long as we end up in bed

Alone, just the two of us alone

I just didn't know
I swear to god, i just didn't know
Can't you understand that it's frightening
When you hear women talking about castrating and hating men
Who wants to know about how you hate men

Well, you said now you wanted to dance
So now we're going to dance
You said that you weren't complete
But we're going to put you on your feet
You said that you were very vexed
You told me to forget about sex
You said you liked me for my mind
Well, i really love your behind

Oh, get up and boogie, oh baby, get up and dance
Oh, get, get, get, get up and boogie, baby, oh, get up and dance
Shake your booty, mama, oh, get up and dance

Your points very clear
You're not one to cry into your beer
Why don't we go to my place
Believe me, i'm very chaste

And i'm so alone, ao all alone

Sure all men are beasts
Hey, look, i'll sit here quietly and i'll stare at my feet
I don't blame you for taking umbrage
With animals staring at your cleavage

So alone, we're so all alone

Hey, do you mind if i turn out the light
Don't take offense, but why don't you spend the night
I know your passions run very deep
But at this point we both need sleep

So alone, and who wants to be alone

When i was a young boy in brooklyn
Going to public school
During recess in the concrete playground
They lined us up by twos
In alphabetical order, reagan, reed and russo
I still remember the names
And stickball and stoopball were the only games
That we played

And i wanted to be like my old man
I, i wanted to grow up just like my old man
I wanted to be like my old man

I wanted to dress like, i wanted to be just like
I wanted to act like my old man
I wanted to be like, i wanted to act like
I wanted to be just like my old man

And then like everyone else i started to grow
And i didn't want to be like my father anymore
I was sick of his bullying
And having to hide under a desk on the floor
And when he beat my mother
It made me so mad i could choke

And i didn't want to be like my old man
I, i didn't even want to look like my old man
I didn't even want to seem like my old man

A son watches his father, being cruel to his mother
And makes a vow to return only when
He is so much richer, in every way so much bigger that -
- the old man will never hit anyone again

Like my old man (just like my old man)
Like my old man
Like my old man (just like my old man)
Like my old man
And can you believe what he said to me
He said, "lou, act like a man" (walk like a man)
Why don't you act just like a man
Act like your daddy, act like a man (just like my old man)
Oh, why don't you act just like a man
Like your old man (walk like a man)
(just like my old man)
(just like my old man)

Love is here, here to stay
Love is here, here to stay
It gets proven every day
Love is here, here to stay

They both love chinese food, he hates to dress
He loves to play pinball, she wants to play next
She likes her novels long, he's into comic books
They're gilt-edged polymorphous urban but somehow it works

'cause love is here, here to stay
Love is here, here to stay
It gets proven every day
Love is here, here to stay

She likes truman capote, he likes gore vidal
He likes edgar allan poe, she's into mean joe greene
She thinks eating meat's disgusting, he likes hot dogs
She's into gestalt therapy
While est and the vest just make him ill
But love is here to stay

Love is here, here to stay
Love is here, here to stay
It gets proven every day
Love is here, here to stay
Love is here, here to stay
Love is here, here to stay
It gets proven every day
Love is here, here to stay

Remember your manners
Will you please take your hat off
Your mother is dying
Listen to her cough

We were always standing on ceremony
We were always standing on ceremony

Can't you show some respect please
Although you didn't in real life
Your mother is dying
And i god damn well hope you're satisfied

We were always standing on ceremony
We were always standing on ceremony

So please play another song on that juke box
Please play another pretty sad song for me
And if that phone rings, tell them that you haven't seen me
If that last phone rings
Tell them that you haven't seen me for weeks
And this one here's on me

Standing on ceremony, standing on ceremony
Standing on ceremony, standing on ceremony
Standing on ceremony, you were always standing on ceremony
(standing, on ceremony)
(standing, on ceremony)
(standing, on ceremony)
(standing, on ceremony)
(standing, on ceremony)
(standing, on ceremony)
...

Teach the gifted children
Teach them to have mercy
Teach them about sunsets
Teach them about moonrise
Teach them about anger
The sin that comes with dawning
Teach them about flowers
And the beauty of forgetfulness

Then take me to the river (take me to the river)
And put me in the water (and put me in the water)
Bless them and forgive them (take me to the river)
Father cause they just don't know (take me to the river)

All the gifted children

Teach the gifted children
The way of men and animals
Teach them about cities
The history of the mysteries
Their vice and their virtues
About branches that blow in the wind
On the wages of their sins
Teach them of forgiveness
Teach them about mercy
Teach them about music
And the cool and cleansing waters

What do they say, take me to the river (take me to the river)
Take me to the river (take me to the river)
Put me in the water (take me to the river)
And teach the gifted children (take me to the river)
All the gifted children (take me to the river)
(take me to the river)
(take me to the river)