The Pretender

I'm gonna rent myself a house

In the shade of the freeway

I'm gonna pack my lunch in the morning

And go to work each day

And when the evening rolls around

I'll go on home and lay my body down

And when the morning light comes streaming in

I'll get up and do it again

Amen

Do it again

Amen

I want to know what became of the changes

We waited for love to bring

Were they only the fitful dreams

Of some greater awakening?

I've been aware of the time going by

They say in the end, it's in the wink of an eye

(It's in the wink of an eye)

When the morning light comes streaming in

You'll get up and do it again

Amen

Do it again

Ah, amen

Caught between the longing for love

And the struggle for the legal tender

Where the sirens sing and the church bells ring

And the junk man pounds his fender

(Junk man pounds his fender)

Where the veterans dream of the fight

Fast asleep at the traffic light

And the children solemnly wait

For the ice cream vendor

Out into the cool of the evening

Strolls the Pretender (Pretender)

He knows that all his hopes and dreams

Begin and end there

(Ah, the laughter) Of the lovers

As they run through the night

(Leaving nothing for the others)

Leaving nothing but to choose off and fight

And tear at the world with all their might

While the ships bearing their dreams

Sail out of sight

I'm gonna find myself a girl

Who can show me what laughter means

And we'll fill in the missing colors

In each other's paint-by-number dreams

And then we'll put our dark glasses on

(Put our dark glasses on)

And we'll make love until our strength is all gone

(Strength is all gone)

And when the morning light comes streaming in

We'll get up and do it again

Again

Do it one more time

Oh, again

I'm gonna be a happy idiot

And struggle for the legal tender

Where the ads take aim and lay their claim

To the heart and the soul of the spender (Soul of the spender)

And believe in whatever may lie

In those things that money can buy

Thought that true love could have been a contender

Hey, are you there?

Then say a prayer for the Pretender

Who started out so young and strong

Only to surrender

(Say a prayer for the Pretender)

Say a prayer, say a prayer

(Say a prayer for the Pretender)

Are you there? Say a prayer

(Say it, say it) Yeah, yeah

(Say a prayer for the Pretender)

Can you hear me? Then say a prayer for the Pretender

(Say a prayer for the Pretender)

Everybody, everybody, (Say it, say it) everybody say a prayer

(Say a prayer for the Pretender)

Listen to me, listen to me

(Say a prayer for the Pretender)

You got to get down on one knee

And say a prayer for the Pretender (Say it, say it)

Are you there now?

(Say a prayer for the Pretender)

Come on, come on, everybody

(Say a prayer)

Everybody prepare