American Roulette

Robbie Robertson

He was born in the belly of the country,

over East of Eden, yeah,

confused by the big city blues,

he didn't know whose life he's leading, no,

put yourself behind the wheel

and see if you can get that feel, oh,

move faster by night, yeah,

move faster by night, uhmm,

the windows were all shattered

and the body was all battered:



American roulette,

stake your life upon it,

American roulette,

same eyes, same eyes,

American roulette.



Take that boy and put him in a mansion,

paint the windows black,

give him all the women that he wants,

put a monkey on his back,

all of your so-called friends

take you where the sidewalk ends, they say

can't sleep at night, no,

can't sleep at night, uhmm,

Lord, please save his soul,

he was the King of Rock and Roll:



American roulette,

stake your life upon it,

American roulette,

same eyes, same eyes,

American roulette.



They said she didn't have a chance in hell

for the American Dream,

there's a thousand young blondes out there

trying to make it to the silver screen,

but she had the walk, the look, the talk

that shook the world— read about it,

some like it hot, boy,

some like it cool,

too much for her to handle,

another scandal, she burnt the candle:



American roulette,

stake your life upon it,

American roulette,

same eyes, same eyes,

American roulette.



Say a prayer for the lost generation

who spin the wheel out of desperation:



American roulette,

stake your life upon it,

American roulette,

same eyes, same eyes,

American roulette.