I See The Joker

I See The Joker Lyric by Clive James, music by Pete Atkin
Mornings now I breakfast in the tower Then travel thirty floors to the garage My sons are with me even underground With nothing but our gun-cars all around From anything but nuclear attack That place is safe, but when I cut the pack I see the Joker I cut the pack and see the Joker The forecourt is crawling with our boys A heavy weapon rides in every car My Cadillac's a safe-deposit box With plastic armour in the top and sides Solid like a strongroom in Fort Knox And all along the parkway into town We're covered for a mile front and back By Family cars, but when I cut the pack I see the Joker I cut the pack and see the Joker Who is this guy and why does he want me? This city has been ours since Christ knows when At first from booze and girls and junk, and then Legitimate, from rents and industry The Chief of Police is ours to buy and sell The DA and the Mayor are ours as well There's no-one left to fight, the enemy Are dead and gone, or just some juicehead black Loose with a knife, but when I cut the pack I see the Joker I cut the pack and see the Joker The cops are checking each incoming flight For solo hitmen with an urge to die No-one gets in here by day or night Without I don't know who they are and why I'm in the clear, at barely fifty-five One of the most respected men alive Some blubber here and there, but nothing slack I'm right on top, but when I cut the pack I see the Joker I cut the pack and see the Joker We do the journey different every day Today we hit the garment district first The double back and take the boulevard And as we drive I don't know which is worst To know he'll come but not to know the way To know he'll make a play but not know how Is he somewhere out there setting up the gun? Is this headache from his crosswires on my brow? There's no way, not a crevice, not a crack That he can reach me, but when I cut the pack I see the Joker I cut the pack and see the Joker