Lyrics

Bay Ridge Avenue

Down by the pier where

69th street ends

People are fishing by the

Sewage treatment plant

There’s a film on the water

And a stench hangs in the air

In the Brooklyn I Knew

69^th street, Bay Ridge Avenue

Me and my buddy Billy walking down
along the Narrows
Today we’re gonna make it all the way to

The Verrazzano

As we wonder where we’re gonna be

Ten years from tomorrow   

Chorus

In the Brooklyn I Knew

69^th street, Bay Ridge Avenue

In the Brooklyn I knew

Brother Billy, what are we gonna do?

In the Brooklyn I Knew

69^th street, Bay Ridge Avenue

In the Brooklyn I knew

Did you go to O.L.A. or did ya go to P.S. 102?

Billy and me ran deliveries for old Mr. Joe

He had a pharmacy but everybody knew

He was dealing drugs and more

One day the police came

And they closed down the whole damn store

Now Billy’s working in a town in Jersey
In a public school

And me,  I made my way to Spain

And guess-a-what-a-I’m a teacher, too.

Every once a while,

We get together for a beer or two

Mr. Landlord (Hold on to My Mail)

Old Jimmy, old Jimmy Cale

Just got out of jail
Old Jimmy Cale

He’s hot on my trail

You see I’ve been with his girl

Been with the girl of old Jimmy Cale

Said I’ll be away for a while, now Mr. Landlord

Won’t ya please hold on to my mail

Chorus

Hold on to my mail

Don’t change the lock

Hold on to my mail

And I’ll pay you the rent when I come back

She had a place of her own

Out on the edge of town

She called me on the telephone

And said baby come on down

Don’t know if I should

But she make me feel good

There’s no doubt about that

With Jimmy in a jail cell

Ain’t nobody baby gonna baby find out babe nobody gonna find out

It didn’t take too long

For the word to spread

Now that Jimmy’s out

I’m about as good as dead

I’ve been with his girl, you know I

Been with the girl of old Jimmy Cale

I’ll be away for a while Mr. Landlord

Won’t ya please hold on to my mail

Hold on to my mail

Mr. Landlord, don’t gimme no flack

‘Cos I’m a-coming back, yeah

Hold on to my mail

Gonna ditch old Jimmy

And take his girl with me

Mr. Landlord, I’m waiting for a check from the IRS

I’m gonna ditch old Jimmy

Hold on to my mail

Talk Around Town

There's talk around town
I've been made a fool
O baby if these rumors are true
That ain't too cool

When ya come Minnie
You got some explaining to do
I thought I was your man
Now they say there's another one too

Everybody knows I'm just a pawn in your game

You treat my like a dog and

I treat you like a doggone queen

When you come home Minnie

You got some explaining to do

You paint the town red

And you make my heart blue

Dealing’s Done

My time is up babe
My day has come
The game is over
The dealing's done
I've played all my cards
Now I'm just a bad man on the run

They say a leopard can't change its spots
I said I was a bad man
And a bad man can't change his lot

She knew from the start
That I ain't no good
Now I done broke her heart
Like she always knew I would