In each other's paint-by-number dreams
Where the ads take aim and lay their claim
Where true love
Caught between the longing for love
To the heart and the soul of the spender
And we'll make love until our strength is gone
I'll get up and do it again, Amen
And when the morning light comes streaming in
Gonna pack my lunch in the morning
Are you there?
I'm gonna find myself a girl
I want to know what became of the changes
And the children solemnly wait
Leaving nothing for the others
You'll get up and do it again, Amen
Where the sirens sing and the church bells ring
Say a prayer for the pretender
Where the veterans dream of the fight
Say it again, Amen
Who started out so young and strong
Were they only the fitful dreams
And we'll fill in the missing colors
Only to surrender
And tear at the world with all their might
Could have been a contender
They say in the end it's the wink of an eye
And go to work each day
Begin and end there
I've been aware of the time going by
And the struggle for the legal tender
And when the evening rolls around
He knows that all his hopes and dreams
Are you there for the pretender?
Say a prayer for the pretender
We waited for love to bring
But to choose off and fight
Fast asleep at the traffic light
We'll get up and do it again, get it up again
I'm gonna be a happy idiot
When the morning light comes streaming in
And believe in whatever may lie
Are you there for the pretender?
Sail out of sight
And the junk man pounds his fender
While the ships bearing their dreams
For the ice cream vendor
Who can show me what laughter means
I'll go on home and lay my body down
Say a prayer for the pretender
Ah, the laughter of the lovers
And when the morning light comes streaming in
And then we'll put our dark glasses on
Strolls the pretender
Of some greater awakening?
As they run through the night
Out into the cool of the evening
In those things that money can buy
And struggle for the legal tender
