"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)