.


.

DOWN THESE MEAN STREETS song lyrics
by Joel Sattler

based on passages from
"The Simple Art of Murder" by Raymond Chandler

in everything of art and life
there is redemption in our strife
it may be pity or irony
it may be laughter it may be me

and if there is of such a man
he'll be the hero if he can
a common man but still complete
not live on his knees but die on his feet

but down these mean streets a man must go
who is not mean or stained or afraid
down these mean streets a man must go
to save what there is left to be saved

a man of honor alive or dead
without a thought need not be said
the best man in the underworld
a gun a grip mother of pearl

though he is poor, in spirit rich
knows truth and lie and which is which
a lonely man but he is proud
a voice of steel but not too loud

but down these mean streets a man must go
who is not mean or stained or afraid
down these mean streets a man must go
to save what there is left to be saved

if thus there be go mark him well
and of his story we must tell
for brave men are few and far in between
and things are not what they could have been

and when you find a man to believe
then for the rest you can only grieve
for life is just a endless parade
and heroes are born, are born and not made

down these mean streets a man must go
who is not mean or stained or afraid
down these mean streets a man must go
to save what there is left to be saved


================