mr. businessman

Singer:ray stevens

itemize the things you covet

as you squander through your life

bigger cars

bigger houses

term insurance for your wife

tuesday evenings with your harlot

and on wednesdays it's your charlatan analyst

he's high upon your list

you've got air conditioned sinuses

and dark disturbing doubts about religion

and you keep those cards and letters going out

while your secretary's tempting you

your morals are exempting you from guilt and shame

heaven knows you're not to blame

you better take care of business

mr. businessman

what's your plan?

get down to business

mr. businessman

if you can

before it's too late and you throw your life away

did you see your children growing up today

and did you hear the music of their laughter

as they set about to play?

did you catch the fragrance of those roses in your garden?

did the morning sunlight warm your soul

brighten up your day?

do you qualify to be alive

or is the limit of your senses so as only to survive?

spending counterfeit incentive

wasting precious time and health

placing value on the worthless

disregarding priceless wealth

you can wheel and deal the best of them

steal it from the rest of them

you know the score

their ethics are a bore

eighty-six proof anesthetic crutches

prop you to the top

where the smiles are all synthetic

and the ulcers never stop

when they take that final inventory

yours will be the same sad story everywhere

no one will really care

no one more lonely than

this rich important man

let's have your autograph

endorse your epitaph

you better take care of business

mr. businessman

what's your plan?

get down to business

mr. businessman

if you can

hey

yeah

hey

hey

hey

yeah

yeah

Lyric Context: mr. businessman - ray stevens