Cops and Robbers

I was driving home on the boulevard late one night

When I spied a guy over on the corner, bummin' all alone

Now, as I passed him by, I heard him holler out, "hey"

I slowed down to see what he said

He hollers, "By any chance are you going my way?"

I say, "Why sho', baby, hop on in and give me a cigarette"

Just then he reached down in his pockets

And that was the moment I regret

He hollered, "Reach for the sky"

I said, "But I don't understand, sir"

"Don't try no monkey business

I've got a stopper in my hand"

And then, he says, "Look-here, you see this here I got in my hand?

This is a thirty-eight pistol, built on a fourty-five frame

Shoots tombstone bullets and a ball and chain"

He said, "Now, I'm not trying to shake you up

But I just want you to know

If the cops start to crowd me any

You going to be the first to go

So, now look-here, don't even look back

You just drive on just like isn't nothing happening"

That's what he told me

He wouldn't even let me look back at nothing

He say when I get to that red light

He wanted me to go to my left and then jump back to my right

He says, "Now, I want you to drive up in that alley

Uh-uh, not in that alley, that, that one over there

And cool it behind that liquor store and keep a sharp

Lookout at all times while I sneak in that back door"

That's what he told me

He say keep my foot on the gas and always be on guard

Because when he come running out there with all that money

He wanted me to mash on it real hard

He said, now, don't let him come out over there

And find me a double-cross

Because he's murder when the heat's on[Chorus]

He hollered, "Reach for the sky"

I said, "But I don't understand, sir"

"Don't try no monkey business

I've got a stopper in my hand"

Ooh-wee, while I was sitting there just tremblin'

A spotlight hit me dead in the face

The cop pulled up behind me and said

"Move up a little bit, man, for we want to take your place"

And then this guy come running out of the store

With the money in his hand and said, 'Oh, there you are!'

Ha, he made a mistake in the dark

And ran and leaped in the police car

When they put the handcuffs on him

I said, "Child, you crime have outgrew him," and then they said

"Yeah, we going to put him so far back in jail this time

Until they going to have to pump air into him'