I got a call from a dear old friendHe's the kind of friend you can depend onThe kind of friend you can depend on til the endThe kind of friend who'll say, "can you lend meA dollar or two or three or fourIn fact can you lend me just a little bit moreOh and I borrowed your car I didn't go farI left your car keys in the yardOh and you're out of gas I was driving real fastHow am I supposed to know who's yard?I remember there was grass oh if anybody asksI've been here for the last three days and nightsJust say I never left your sideBetter dim the lights and hideAnd besides I told them I was youAnd it's true there's a few things I'd like you to doMy friend Big Lou who arrives tonight from PeruHe's just passing thoughLou and five or six guys from his crewWill be staying for a day or twoI'm praying that you'll make it throughIf I were you I'd buy lots of wineAnd oh yeah there's just one thing moreOne-Eyed Vinnie's back is soreHe kind of took a slug in the spineSo I hope you don't mind taking the floorFor an indeterminant length of time"But after all he's my dear old friendAnd you know he can depend on meAnd when we die I won't stop to wonder whyJust there I'll lie high on lame excuses and empty promisesI can't justify itI can't just close my eyes and deny itI'd tell you the moral if I were ableBut this isn't some kind of Aesop's FableIt more like the story of Cain and AbelIt just took a while to figure out which one I was