A man once said that the pinnacle of success   Is when you've finally lost interest   In money, compliments, and publicity   A noble enough idea, I suppose   How on earth he does this, heaven only knows   I know I need a lot more of all three of those   Before I ever have the nerve to turn up my nose   At any money, compliments, and publicity      I'm broke as the Ten Commandments   Sometimes I'm harder to follow      I don't know whether to walk to school   Or take my lunch   Should've worn my watch, it's true   You may think you see a man who is looking for attention,   But you're looking at a man who has lived   Through a little bit of poverty,   Some anxiety, some scrutiny      If I ever do get my money together,   I'm gonna take care of all of my friends   Buy an island, run a phone line, call 'em   Tell 'em all to get fucked   Oh! That oughta take care of them   Just be me and my money,   And my compliments, and my publicity      Sing it with me: "money, compliments, and publicity"   It's an issue for me, I   I went to see this therapist   She said, "Just do the best you can do"   Do the best you can do...   I was hoping for something more specific      A man once said that the pinnacle of success   Is when you've finally lost interest   In money, compliments, and publicity   Many years later, another man would say all that again   But not for the sake of inspiring men   But rather 'cause he got nine songs   And knows he needs at least ten   Before he can go back to town and turn 'em all in   To get money--you guessed it--compliments, publicity      Money, compliments, and publicity   Lord, I'm gonna take it to the bank   I said money, I love the compliments and the publicity   I got so many people to thank   I wanna thank Clive Davis   I wanna thank the Good Lord up in heaven above   And all my fans for my money, my compliments, and my publicity   Money, compliments, and publicity   Lord, I would bathe in   Money, compliments, and publicity   Money, compliments, and publicity