shoot out in chinatown

trouble on the waterfront

evil in the air

when the chinatown patrol came down

to bring a little order there

they came in undercover

to the laundry's back room

and right there before their eyes

was a shanghai saloon

shoot out in chinatown

they lined them up against the wall

they're gonna turn the place upside down

till you won't recognize it at all

streets were wide open

till the break of dawn

'twas frisco in its heyday

imported from hong kong

for about five dollars

or one thousand yen

you could gamble and ramble in a brothel

or take it to the opium den

shoot out in chinatown

they nailed up every door

they're gonna level it to the ground

and close it up for evermore

confucius had once stated

all across the land

below the surface

crime and love

they go hand in hand

the fire dragons burn

buddha's lost his smile

but swears that we will meet again

in just a little while

till you won't recognize it at all