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THE ROYAL SCAM Lyrics

Artist: Steely Dan
Album: Royal Scam

And they wandered in
From the city of St. John
Without a dime
Wearing coats that shined
Both red and green
Colors from their sunny island
From their boats of iron
They looked upon the promised land
Where surely life was sweet
On the rising tide
To New York City
Did they ride into the street
See the glory
Of the royal scam

They are hounded down
To the bottom of a bad town
Amid the ruins
Where they learn to fear
An angry race of fallen kings
Their dark companions
While the memory of
Their southern sky was clouded by
A savage winter
Every patron saint
Hung on the wall, shared the room
With twenty sinners

See the glory
Of the royal scam

By the blackened wall
He does it all
He thinks he's died and gone to heaven
Now the tale is told
By the old man back home
He reads the letter
How they are paid in gold
Just to babble in the back room
All night and waste their time
And they wandered in
From the city of St. John without a dime

See the glory
Of the royal scam

Comments/Interpretations

by Cornelius on 4/17/2011 5:20pm
If you've ever visited Brooklyn, NY on Labor Day, you'll see a grand Caribbean Day Parade. All the island nations are represented with floats, bands and marvelous clothing getups on the ladies. A very dark affair. People of color all the way. I often wonder what brought them here from their "sunny islands" to such a cold and unforgiving place. What sustains them is their culture, music and a way of life easily transportable from there to here. All the lyrics are about that trip. Love this song.