Penny Arcade

(album: The Big O - 1970)

A light shone in the night somewhere ahead
Blue turned into green, then it was red.
And, stirring the night, loud music played
The light I saw in the night was a penny arcade.

"Step up and play," each machine seemed to say
As I walked round and round the penny arcade.
"Just ring the bell on the big bagatelle
And you'll make all the coloured lights cascade."

And music played in the penny arcade.
Yes, it played and it played, played all the time
"Roll up and spend your last dime!"

At first I thought it a dream that I was in.
Lost , lost in a sea of glass and tin.
But no, so dipping my hand in the back of my jeans,
I grabbed a handful of coins to feed the machines.

"Step up and play," each machine seemed to say
As I walked round and round the penny arcade.
"Just ring the bell on the big bagatelle
And you'll make all the coloured lights cascade."

"Step up and play," each machine seemed to say
As I walked round and round the penny arcade.
"Just ring the bell on the big bagatelle
And you'll make all the coloured lights cascade."

"Roll up and spend your last dime!
Roll up and spend your last,
Roll up and spend your last,
Roll up and spend your last dime!"