[Verse 1]
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 home and lay my body down
And when the morning light
Comes streaming in
I'll get up and do it again
Amen
Say it again
Amen

[Verse 2]
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 еnd it's the wink of an eye
And whеn the morning light
Comes streaming in
You'll get up and do it again
Amen
[Pre-Chorus]
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
Where the veterans dream of the fight
Fast asleep at the traffic light
And the children solemnly wait
For the ice cream vendor

[Chorus]
Out into the cool of the evening
Strolls the pretender
He knows that all his hopes and dreams
Begin and end there

[Bridge]
Oh the laughter of the lovers
As they run through the night
Leaving nothing for the others
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
[Verse 3]
I'm going to find myself a guy
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
And make love until our strength is gone
And when the morning light
Comes streaming in
We'll get up and do it again

[Pre-Chorus]
I'm gonna be a happy idiot
And struggle for the legal tender
Where the ads take aim and they lay their claim
To the heart and the soul of the spender
And believe in whatever may lie
In those things that money can buy
Thought true love could have been a contender

[Chorus]
Are you there?
Say a prayer for the pretender
Who started out so young and strong
Only to surrender
[Outro]
Say a prayer
Say a prayer for the pretender
Say a prayer
Say a prayer for the pretender
Say a prayer
Say a prayer for the pretender
Say a prayer
Say a prayer for the pretender