A cakewalk down the gangplank full of greenbacks and Annapolis shoes
From Jersey and Memphis, the home of the brave, and the home of the blues
With voices like honey that made you feel ugly just to talk
It's all crew cuts and cameras and photos for the folks, back in New York

He said, baby I'm sure that you're getting bored in this town
They'd love you back in LA the way that you say "baby get down"
Here's my telephone number but I can't always promise I'll be home
I've come ten thousand miles to be with you tonight, don't let me spend this
Night on my own

I can't blame you for what you did
It's like the television opened up and they invited you in
And the way he said honey and that Wayne Rogers (Jerry Seinfeld / Jack Palance) grin
I searched the seas all my life baby where have you been
And I hear you've been covering the water front
Crying lover man where have you been
There's a ship in my harbour again

The stars and the stripes wave goodbye as the ship sails out of sight
And you walk back to bed to catch up on the sleep you missed out on last night
And the river (rolls/flows) out to the sea in the (cold light/grey) of the dawn
And you (wish/dream) yourself thousands of miles from the (place/town) where you were born

I can't blame you for what you did
It's like the television opened up and (they) invited you in
There's nothing harder to resist than a stranger's kiss
Why the hell do you think that I sing like this
And I hear you've been covering the water front
Crying lover man where have you been
There's a ship in my harbour again