Banana Republics

Down to the banana republic
Down to the tropical sun
Go the expatriated Americans, hopin' to find some fun
Some of them go for the sailing
Called by the lure of the sea
Tryin' to find what is ailing
Living in the land of the free
Some of them are running from lovers
Leaving no forward address
Some of them are running tons of ganja
Some are running from the IRS
Late at night, you will find them
In the cheap hotels and bars
Hustling the señoritas while they dance beneath the stars
Spending those renegade pesos
On a bottle of rum and a lime
Singing, "Give me some words I can dance to, or a melody that rhymes"
First you learn the native customs
Soon a word of Spanish or two
You know that you cannot trust them
'Cause they know they can't trust you
Expatriated Americans feelin' so all alone
Telling themselves the same lies that they told themselves back home

Down to the banana republics, things aren't as warm as they seem
None of the natives are buying any second-hand American dreams
Late at night, you will find them
In the cheap hotels and bars
Hustling the señoritas while they dance beneath the stars
Spending those renegade pesos
On a bottle of rum and a lime
Singing, "Give me some words I can dance to, or a melody that rhymes"
Down to the banana republics
Down to the tropical sun
Go the expatriated Americans, hopin' to find some fun