Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer Under Me) Lyrics

Lyric discussion by austinbarry 

Cover art for Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer Under Me) lyrics by Steely Dan

Interesting that the version on the "Old Regime" album has a different second verse.

My sentry trembles - He knows the end is coming. His face is scowling - inside he's on his knees. If looks and dreams could surely kill - he'd soon be gone from here. Brooklyn owes the charmer under me.

I assumed that the singer was a drug dealer - who else would have a "sentry" (bodyguard or lookout, scared of something), a dish of dollars, and "aces" done up lose for dealing. I wonder if Fagan "cleaned up" the song by replacing the "sentry", with a movie queen. Then again the "sentry" could simply be a doorman.

@austinbarry thanks for sharing that verse. I also heard it on the best of Walter and Don album.

@austinbarry thanks for sharing that verse. I also heard it on the best of Walter and Don album.