Well, your CD collection looks shiny and costly
How much did you pay for your Bad Moto Guzzi?
And how much did you spend on your black leather jacket
Is it you or your parents in this income tax bracket?
Now tickets to concerts
And drinking at clubs
Sometimes for music that you haven't even heard of
And how much did you pay for your rock and roll t-shirt
That proves you were there
That you heard of them first?

[Chorus]
Now, how do you afford your rock 'n' roll lifestyle?
How do you afford your rock 'n' roll lifestyle?
How do you afford your rock 'n' roll lifestyle?
Tell me

How much did you pay for the chunk of his guitar?
The one he ruthlessly smashed at the end of the show
And how much will he pay for a brand new guitar?
One which he'll ruthlessly smash at the end of another show
And how long will the workers keep building him new ones?
As long as their soda cans are red, white, and blue ones
And how long will the workers keep building him new ones?
As long as their soda cans are red, white, and blue ones
Aging black leather
And hospital bills
And tattoo removal
And dozens of pills
Your liver pays dearly now for youthful magic moments
But rock on completely with some brand new components

[Chorus]
Now, how do you afford your rock 'n' roll lifestyle?
How do you afford your rock 'n' roll lifestyle?
How do you afford your rock 'n' roll lifestyle?
All right, aw yeah

Excess ain't rebellion
You drinkin' what they're sellin'
Your self-destruction doesn't hurt them
Your chaos won't convert them
They're so happy to rebuild it
You'll never really kill it
Excess ain't rebellion
You drinkin' what they're sellin?
Excess ain't rebellion
You drinkin', you drinkin'
You're drinking what they're... sellin'