"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: