THE ROYAL SCAM 
(Becker / Fagan / Steely Dan)
Steely Dan


And they wandered in 
From the city of St. John 
Without a dime 
Wearing coats that shined 
Both red and green
Colors from their sunny island 
From their boats of iron 
They looked upon the promised land 
Where surely life was sweet 
On the rising tide 
To New York City 
Did they ride into the street 

See the glory
Of the royal scam 

They are hounded down 
To the bottom of a bad town 
Amid the ruins 
Where they learn to fear 
An angry race of fallen kings 
Their dark companions 
While the memory of 
Their southern sky was clouded by 
A savage winter 
Every patron saint 
Hung on the wall, shared the room 
With twenty sinners 

See the glory
Of the royal scam 

By the blackened wall 
He does it all 
He thinks he's died and gone to heaven 
Now the tale is told 
By the old man back home
He reads the letter 
How they are paid in gold 
Just to babble in the back room 
All night and waste their time 
And they wandered in 
From the city of St. John without a dime 

See the glory
Of the royal scam