Malthusian Clown

Ain’t nothing like the waves radiating from the basement
Ain’t nothing like that sticky black wave of isolation
This intimidation on these Roosevelt streets
Ain’t nothing like Sweathogs or Warriors to me
But you tell me you wanna go down

(1-2-3-4!)

I’m just getting by
I’m pale and I’m quiet
I’m just killing time in the eye of the riot

Kiss your boy good-night as he descends to the bottom (good-night, dear boy)
Stretching out with some Quaaludes and some cotton (good-night)
And the next few years ain’t getting no better than this
And the burning’s gonna spread down
These thighs and up to these hips

'Cause I’m just getting by
I’m pale and I’m quiet
I’m just killing time in the eye of the riot

And I never really wanted much to win
I just wanted some peace and quiet now and then
But they’re climbing in my walls
Scratching overhead
Waiting for me at the bus stop
And underneath my bed

And now I feel like a goddamn rag doll
Holding my insides in
I feel like a goddamned pinball
Boy, I ain’t no kind of man
I feel like pulling the chain and spiraling down
I feel like I’m suffocating here in this town

I am the Malthusian clown, whoa-oa-oah
I am the Malthusian clown, whoa-oa-oah

I’m just getting by
I’m pale and I’m quiet
I’m just killing time in the eye of the riot

I’m just getting by
I’m pale and I’m quiet
I’m just killing time in the eye of the riot

So if you wanna go down, down, down, down, down
I am the Malthusian clown, whoa-oa-oah
But if you’re already down
If you're already down let me show you around