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The Long Grift Lyrics

Look what you've done,
You gigolo.
You know that I loved you, hon,
And I didn't want to know
That your cool,
Seductive serenade
Was a tool
Of your trade,
You gigolo.

Of all the riches you've surveyed,
And all that you can lift,
I'm just another dollar that you made
In you long, long grift.

Look what you've done,
You gigolo.
Another hustle has been run,
And now you ought to know
That this fool
Can no longer be swayed
By the tools
Of your trade,
You gigolo.

I'm just another john you've gypped,
Another sucker stiffed,
A walk on role in the script
To your long, long grift.
The love that had me in your grip
Was just a long, long grift.
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Cover art for The Long Grift lyrics by Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Hey, classic song about a f*ckwit. I can't listen to this without thinking of my very own... lol.

As context to the play/film: it's very telling that this is the song Tommy is working on just before the pivotal "Love the front of me" scene.

Also in the play, that Hedwig can't go on and ends up taking back-up and having the musical director sing the lead vocals: it's the beginning of the breakdown, the beginning of the mask falling.

your second point doesn't happen in the play...

Cover art for The Long Grift lyrics by Hedwig and the Angry Inch

I want to see the play...I wish i could...I've only seen the movie so far. But this song is great and it sort of sardonic... sounds like a song you'd hear back in the 50's...It's a great song and pretty self explanatory.

Cover art for The Long Grift lyrics by Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Also remember that in the play Tommy sings something along the lines of "look what you've done, you've made me whole" during the scene where Hedwig is explaining her idea of love.

So the darker version played later (with the above lyrics) is an inversion of the original emotion of the song which helps make the lyrics even more bittersweet.

 
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