Steel Claw

(album: Private Dancer - 1984)

It's the story of a steel claw

It's just a television wonderland
Just one more
Fairy tale about some rich bitch
Lying by the swimming pool
Life is so cruel
Easy living when you make the rules
Last Friday was the first time
It took only about half a minute
On the stairway
It was child's play
The odds turn out even
When you give up believing in the

Cold law, steel claw
Try to get on board you find the lock is on the door
Well I say no way, no way!
Don't try to get out or there'll be hell to pay
I don't know who's right, who's wrong
But it really doesn't matter when you're lying in the gutter
It's a see-saw
A long hot battle with the cold law
Is what you get for messing with the steel claw

The politicians have forgotten this place
Except for flying visits in a black Mercedes
At election time
They cross the line
And everybody runs to watch the pantomime
If they could see what's going on around here
So many people hanging on the edge
Crying out for revolution
Retribution
The odds turn out even
When you give up believing in the

Cold law, steel claw
Try to get on board you find the lock is on the door
Well I say no way, no way!
Don't try to get out or there'll be hell to pay
I don't know who's right, who's wrong
But it really doesn't matter when you're lying in the gutter
It's a see-saw
A long hot battle with the cold law
Is what you get for messing with the steel claw

Sometimes I think I'm going crazy
Sometimes I do a line, makes me laugh
Makes me want to take a joyride
On the high tide
Sometimes I'm contemplating suicide
Meanwhile Eddy's on the West Coast now
He's making out with some sweet señorita
Up in 'Frisco, you and I know
The odds turn out even
When you give up believing in the

Cold law, steel claw
Try to get on board you find the lock is on the door
Well I say no way, no way!
Don't try to get out or there'll be hell to pay
I don't know who's right, who's wrong
But it really doesn't matter when you're lying in the gutter
It's a see-saw
A long hot battle with the cold law
Is what you get for messing with the steel claw
It's cold law, steel claw
Try to get on board you find the lock is on the door
Well I say no way, no way!
Cold law
When you give up believing in the cold law, steel claw