Nothing Like The Real Thing

(album: Still Loving You - 1986)

I've been around, I've had my kicks
And I've picked up one or two party tricks
There's those that drink, those that smoke
And those that like a little line of coke
There's cocaine places, cocaine folks
Cocaine mirrors and cocaine jokes
It's a little bit wicked and widely done
And everybody tells you it's a bunch of fun

The real thing
It ain't nothing like the real thing
The real thing
I'm talking 'bout the real thing

Well it ain't as sweet as people say
You're up all night but you're down all day
It rots your nostrils, burns your brain
And it kills your liver instead of your pain
You call up dealers, rack your brains
When they ain't at home or the line's engaged
In your heart of hearts you know it's true
Cocaine's a killer, and it's killing you

The real thing
It ain't nothing like the real thing
The real thing
I'm talking 'bout the real thing

Well you're killing off years of your life right now
'Cause we might all die soon anyhow
Well in five years time you're gonna look so dumb
When we haven't been blown to Kingdom Come
Remember life before cocaine
Ain't it time you started living again
You spend your money hand over fist
In an ideal world would you live like this?

Now I'm not saying it's morally wrong
I did it myself for far too long
And I'm not saying I know better than you
I'm saying I know and you know it too
I ain't no killjoy, ain't no shrink
And I ain't a preacher, whatever you think
I'm simply giving my point of view
And if you don't like it... fuck you

The real thing
It ain't nothing like the real thing
The real thing
I'm talking 'bout the real thing

(Charlie C, you're such a creep
Got no money, get no sleep
Tense and edgy, ill at ease
Taking my friends away from me
Charlie bastard, you're to blame
Acting crazy, feel insane
If I had my time again
I'd never mess with King Cocaine)