Where the veterans dream of the fight
And go to work each day
Are you there for the pretender?
When the morning light comes streaming in
I'm going to rent myself a house
And when the morning light comes streaming in
Say a prayer for the pretender
But to choose off and fight
To the heart and the soul of the spender
Begin and end there
For the ice cream vendor
I want to know what became of the changes
And struggle for the legal tender
In those things that money can buy
And when the evening rolls around
While the ships bearing their dreams
Songwriter: Jackson Browne
And the junk man pounds his fender
Who can show me what laughter means
Are you there?
You'll get up and do it again, Amen
We'll get up and do it again, get it up again
Say a prayer for the pretender
I'm gonna be a happy idiot
And when the morning light comes streaming in
And tear at the world with all their might
We waited for love to bring
Sail out of sight
Publisher: SWALLOW TURN MUSIC
Where the ads take aim and lay their claim
And we'll make love until our strength is gone
And we'll fill in the missing colors
Fast asleep at the traffic light
I'll go on home and lay my body down
I've been aware of the time going by
And then we'll put our dark glasses on
Were they only the fitful dreams
Say a prayer for the pretender
Where the sirens sing and the church bells ring
Where true love
Out into the cool of the evening
Caught between the longing for love
Say it again, Amen
Gonna pack my lunch in the morning
In each other's paint-by-number dreams
Are you there for the pretender?
Leaving nothing for the others
And the struggle for the legal tender
In the shade of the freeway
They say in the end it's the wink of an eye
He knows that all his hopes and dreams
And the children solemnly wait
Could have been a contender
Who started out so young and strong
Only to surrender
I'll get up and do it again, Amen
Of some greater awakening?
Are you prepared for the pretender?
And believe in whatever may lie
Ah, the laughter of the lovers
As they run through the night
I'm gonna find myself a girl
Strolls the pretender