Cops And Robbers Lyrics - Have Guitar Will Travel - Bo Diddley

I was drivin' home on the boulevard 

Late one night, when I spied a guy over 

On the corner, bummin' all alone 

Now, as I passed him by I heard him holler out, 'Hey!' 

I slowed down, see what he said 

He hollers-a, 'A-by any chance are you goin' my way?' 

I say, 'Why sho' baby, hop on in and gimme a cigarette' 

Just then he reached down in his pockets 

And that was the moment I regret 

He hollered, 'Reach for the sky!' 

I said, 'But I don't understand, sir?' 

'Don't try no monkey business 

I've got a stopper in my hand' 

And then, he says-a, 'A-look-here, you see this here 

I got in my hand, this is a .38 pistol, built on a .45 frame 

Shoots tombstone bullets and a ball and chain' 

He said, 'Now, I ain't tryin' to shake you up' 

(And I) 'But I just want you to know, if the cops 

Start to crowd me any, you gon' be the first to go' 

'So, now look-here, don't even look back 

You just drive on just like ain't nothin' happenin' 

That's what he told me, he wouldn't even let me look 

Back at nothin' 

He say, 'When I get to that red light' he wanted me 

To go to my left and then jump back to my right 

He says, 'Now-a, I want you to drive up in that alley' 

'Uh-uh, not in that alley, that, that one over there' 

'And cool it behind that liquor sto' and keep a sharp 

Lookout at all times while I sneak in that back do' 

That's what he told me! 

He say, 'Keep my foot on the gas and always 

Be on guard, 'cause when he come runnin' out there 

Wit' all that money, he wanted me to mash on it real hard 

He said, 'Now, don't let him come out a-d'ere and find me 

A-double-crossed' Because he'd murder when the heat's on 

Reach for the sky 

I said, 'But I don't understand, sir' 

Don't try no monkey business 

I've got the stopper in my hand 

Ooo-we, while I was sittin' there just s'ramblin' 

A spotlight hit me dead in the face 

The cop pulled up behind me and said 

'Move up a little bit, man, for we wanna take your place' 

And then this guy come runnin' outta the sto' 

with the money in his hand and said, 'Oh, there you are!' 

Ha, he made a mistake in the dark and ran and leaped 

In the police car 

When they put the handcuffs on him 

I said, 'Child, yo' crime have outgrew him' 

And then they said, 'Yeah, we gonna' put him 

So far back in jail this time, 'till they gonna have 

To pump air into him