[Verse 1]
"Freeze", said the man cruising the beat
"You get your hands up, spread your feet"
"Don't you move an inch", I heard him say
"Or you'll be doin' time until the judgement day"

[Pre-Chorus]
And he said
"Don't tell me no lies, give me alibis
'Cause if you cross my path, you'll be doin' life"
It's a dirty lie

[Chorus]
It's a shakedown
And it's a nervous shakedown
Another shakedown
Another nervous shakedown
Well, it's a shakedown
And it's a nervous shakedown
We got a shakedown
Another nervous shakedown

[Post-Chorus]
It's looking like a set-up

[Verse 2]
"Take a dime," said the man, "you can make one call"
"You got a one way ticket to the county hall"
Well the judge looked high, and I looked low
When he smiled at me, it was a one man show
[Pre-Chorus]
He said
"Two to five, the jury decides
Double parole, if you survive"
It's a dirty lie

[Chorus]
It's a shakedown
And it's a nervous shakedown
Another shakedown
Another nervous shakedown
Well, it's a shakedown
And it's a nervous shakedown
We got a shakedown
Another nervous shakedown

[Bridge]
Lord, they're gonna get you this time
And throw away the key

[Guitar Solo]

[Interlude]
Lock him up
Oh
[Chorus]
It's a shakedown
And it's a nervous shakedown
Another shakedown
Another nervous shakedown
You got a shakedown
And it's a nervous shakedown
Well, it's a shakedown
Another nervous shakedown
Shake it down, shake it down
And it's a nervous shakedown
Well, it's a shakedown
Another nervous shakedown
You got shake it down, shake it down
And it's a nervous shakedown
Oh, it's a shakedown

[Outro]
It's a shakedown on
You, yes