Outside Looking In

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
by Tim Lake

Musicians and prostitutes all get paid in advance
What they give they can’t take back so they don’t want to take a chance
First, the clients try to make them feel guilty
Secondly, they tell them it’s a sin
Thirdly, they cough on up the money and ask how it feels
To be on the outside looking in

I’ve always been a poor boy work my fingers to the bone
I don’t know what to do with free time so I tend to work right on
First, I work for the Federal
Secondly, for the state
Thirdly, I work for the city
Until I’ve got nothing left to take

Chorus:

Detractors say you’re going nowhere
Just the same place that you’ve been
Truth is it just makes them mad to know you’re doing just fine
On the outside looking in

An antebellum darling came by for all the records she could scrounge
Offered me three opportunities to showcase in her lounge
One for the master
Two for the dame
Three for those pretty little trailer trash girls
That live down the lane

She said, “Life there on the outside must breed considerable charm.”
She said she could tell by the pertruding middle finger at the end of my arm
I said, “One finger’s for the umpire
Two fingers are for his eyes that could barely see
Three fingers are for the third strike
That put my daddy in the penitentiary

Repeat Chorus

Out here in old Kentucky it’s a mighty fine place
We’ve got three kinds of water to wash of your face
Some’s got it soft
Some’s got it hard
And some likes to tote it home
In a mason jar

Inside at the horse farm it’s cheep champagne on ice
Even aristocratic leisure digs twice the buzz at half the price
First, it’s an invitation to the Derby
Secondly, the Preakness rolls around
Thirdly, it’s an invite to the Belmont
To complete societies Triple Crown

Repeat Chorus

Words and Music by Tim Lake
COPYRIGHT 2001/PADRAIG PUBLISHING (ASCAP)
All Rights Reserved