[Verse 1]
Downstairs at Danny's all-star joint
They've got a jukebox that goes doyt-doyt
The vice is nice, it stays in the back all day
But when the nighttime comes, hey-hey

There's this cat down there that makes a bad kinda soup
I come around struttin' my luck in my shoop coupe
Cecil gives me coffee
And he won't never take my coin
I say, "I got thirty dollar in my pocket!
Whatchoo doin'?"

[Chorus]
I holler, "Come on, Cecil, take a dollar
Come on, Cecil, take a ten
Well I've finally geared up into a whole buncha big ones
And you're actin' like I'm down-shiftin'"

[Verse 2]
He knows all the under-riders on the boulevard
They got to barefoot cruise when it's forty-weight hard
They look particularly dead-beat
Permanently pale
Cecil picks up his butcher knife and he
Waves it at the jail
The kid say, "I ain't got no dough, Joe, I just want some OJ"
I said, "Don't look at me" (Cause he was lookin' my way)
Well, Cecil winks upon him some juice and some green
And the kid walks over and puts a quarter in the pinball machine

[Chorus]
And he says, "Come on, Cec, gimme a dollar
Come on Cecil, gimme five
I'm in a halfway house on a one-way street
And I'm a quarter past left alive"

[Bridge]
He can talk about your people in a wonderful way
He can talk about your people till your hair turns grey
Your sister's into mustard, she loves to walk the pup
She likes the pickles and the relish, she never gets enough
A Hershey milkshake steamin' on a stick
Or a Carte Blanche sandwich, oh, lettuce get thick
It's not because I'm dirty, it's not because I'm clean
It's not because I kiss the boys behind the magazines
Hey boys, how 'bout a fight?
'Cause here comes Rickie with the girdle on tight
And if she don't know your name, she knows what you got
From your matzo balls to the chicken-in-the-pot
Chicken-in-the-pot
Chicken-in-the-pot
Chicken
[Verse 3]
Downstairs at Danny's all star joint
They got a jukebox that goes doyt-doyt
A finger-snappin' deluxe to make your bebop bap
And your R&B go hep-scat

You can't break the rules until you know how to play the game
But if you just wanna have a little fun
You can mention my name
Keep your feet in the street
Your toes in the lawn
But keep your business in your pocket, mister
Where it belongs

[Chorus]
Come on Cecil, take a dollar
Ah, come on Cecil, take a tip
Hey, do yourself a favour, if she offers it, take it
But, honey, don't give it away if he don't appreciate it