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