Barry McGuire
Mr. Man on the Street - Act One
[Verse 1]
I was walkin' up the street, the name you needn't know
With one hand buried in my ear I listened to the radio
When a man comes up to me and asks exactly who I am
I told him I was the blue-jeaned brother of the King of Siam

[Verse 2]
I whispered, "I'm incognito. would you please not spread it around"?
I wrote it on a pad he had, and threw it to the ground
He swore to keep my secret quotin' lines of moral law
And then he grabbed my arm, the next thing I know I'm sittin' in this bar

[Verse 3]
He started drawiln' on about the sorrows of his day
I smiled and looked around to see how I could get away
I asked what he thought of World War II, he said he dug the book much better
He was a phys ed teacher, and on his chest there was a scarlet letter
Just then a sexy blonde sits down right next to me
She said her name's Yvette, and starts talkin' about her medical history

[Verse 4]
With blue eyes that drive you crazy my heart was beatin' wild
She'd told me she was in misery, she was a very sickly child
Well, just then mighty Joe Young gets up, and he starts to cry
He whined, "I'll see you later", and I tipped my crown goodbye
I apologized for the interruption, she continued without a glance
Told me how her doctor thought she had St. Vitus' dance
Ah, I was gettin' nowhere, so I told her it's been sweet
She asked me what my fame was, I said Mr. Man on the Street
[Verse 5]
By the time I got outside again the sun had already set
I was walkin' by this bank just thinkin' 'bout Yvette
When this motorcycle policeman, ah, he rolls up to me
And he says I look suspicious, can he look at my ID
I told him I forgot it, ah, in my room again
Well, he threw me on his cycle and charged me with loiterin'

[Verse 6]
He asked me what I call myself, I told him Jesse James
Well, he got real mad and said I better come up with my real name
I said this is a holdup, and I want your motorbike
He jumped off fast and growled at me, and I stole into the night
I drove around a little while with my siren blowin'
I have no place to be, and I don't care where I'm goin'

[Verse 7]
I ditched the bike downtown somewhere, I was dyin' on my feet
I searched for an open crevice, I could get some sleep
I guess I woke this bum up who started shoutin' at the top of his lungs
"Just who the hell do you think you are?", I said, "Napoleon"
He yelled at me I got no right to invade his domain
Well, I crossed my eyes, tucked my head in my shirt and pretended I was insane

[Verse 8]
He sort of looked me over and believed I was for real
He asked if I was hungry and started cookin' up a meal
And then he started gettin' friendly, and said he's not a bum at all
But an elevator operator who just took a nasty fall
Out of habit he asked me for a dime, then he realized what he did
His grimy face sunk to the ground, he knew he'd hit the skids
[Verse 9]
"Society's to blame, not me, I'd work if they asked me to
Machines have taken over what real men used to do
And I don't want to be a part of a world that's made me an outcast"
And then he started mutterin' all about his ludicrous past
I couldn't take no more, and I jumped to my feet
He asked me where I was goin', l said, "To meet Mr. Man on the
Street"

[Outro]
Huh-huh, ha-ha-ha
Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha
Get outta here
Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha