Down in Hollywood

Ry Cooder

Well, did you hear the good news ? 
There's gonna be some bad blues 
Somebody said they're playing all night long 
So go and fill your brown bag and put on all your clean rags 
Let's go downtown and see what's going on 

You take me down the Vine Street 
Stop when you hear the back beat 
And I'll sneak past the bounccer at the door 
Now I know that he ain't looking 
Not when the band is cooking 
Because he's watching the ladies dancing on the floor 

Going down in Hollywood 
You better hope that you don't run out of gas 
Down in Hollywood 
He'll drag you right out of your car and kick your ass 
Down in Hollywood 
They're standing on a corner waiting for a sucker like you 
Down in Hollywood 
Now, if you want to stay healthy just keep a-moving right on through 
Be careful, don't look back, keep moving, keep moving 

Well, the scotch has started flowing 
And some girls she is showing everything she's got 
Folks, it's a sight! 
Some men will give a week's pay if she would just dance down their way and say 
"Baby, I'm gonna take you home with me tonight" 
Outside the streets is shaking and I hear the windows breaking 
Some poor fool's gonna land in jail tonight 
Well, all those hookers trying to pull your coat and the pimps reach out to cut your throat 
Ain't no way out of here without a fight 
(What's that fool saying ?) 

Going down in Hollywood 
You better hope that you don't run out of gas 
Down in Hollywood 
He'll drag you right out of your car and kick your ass 
Down in Hollywood 
They're standing on a corner waiting for a sucker like you 
Down in Hollywood 
Now, if you want to stay healthy just keep a-moving right on through 
Be careful, don't look back, keep moving, keep moving 

Voice of gay male: "Hi. You know that you're going to get arrested the way that those pants fir around your thighs. Oh, come back honey! Don't leave now." 
Voice of pimp: "Hey, bud. Come here, let me talk to you for a second. Give me that" 
[Sounds of fists, a robbery] 
"Cops coming" 
Voice of policeman (Ry): "869 Victor." [radio code] "Jesus, this guy's a mess" 
Voice of other cop: "Well, he's just drunk. Come on, pick him up, put him in the car and take him downtown" 

Well, his mama told him not to go 
Little sister told him too 
But the poor boy just didn't listen 
Like he should have, that's too bad 
He hitchhiked all the way from Burbank 
Now,  he's gonna end up in drunk tank 
Some old man say, "Yeah, well, that's just the way it goes down in Hollywood" 

Going down in Hollywood 
You better hope that you don't run out of gas 
Down in Hollywood 
He'll drag you right out of your car and kick your ass 
Down in Hollywood 
They're standing on a corner waiting for a sucker like you 
Down in Hollywood 
Now, if you want to stay healthy just keep a-moving right on through 

For truth! Man, I'm telling you 
Well, they'll do anything down in that low-down Hollywood 
He'll be in a world of trouble now 
Lord, have mercy 
Can I get a witness