"Freeze", said the man cruisin' the beat
"You get your hands up and spread your feet"
"Don't you move an inch", I heard him say
"Or you'll be doin' time 'til the judgement day"
And he said "Don't tell me no lies, give me alibise
'Cause if you cross my path, you'll be doin' life"

It's a dirty lie

Chorus

It's a shakedown
And it's a nervous shakedown
A nervous shakedown
Another nervous shakedown
It's a shakedown
And it's a nervous shakedown
We got a shakedown
Another nervous shakedwon

It's more like a set - up

"Take a dime", said the man , "you can make one call
You get a one - way ticket to the County Hall"
Well, the judge looked high and I looked low
And when he smiled at me it was a one - man -show
He said "Two to five, the jury dicides
Double parole if you survive
It's a dirty life

Chorus