DAY BY DAY
Court Jester Lyrics

The streets alive as deals go bad
People are doing illicit things on the street corners, and deals are going wrong.

On the corner little missy shakes it
A woman is dancing, likely in an attempt to make money.

And Little T cries he's been had
An individual (Little T) has been taken advantage of, and he is upset about it.

And now he just won't take it
Little T refuses to accept the situation as it is.

The boys in blue with their high attitudes
Police officers are acting arrogantly.

They've got the gangs on the east side gassed
The police are successfully controlling gangs on the east side of the city.

And Little T couldn't see what would be
Little T was unable to anticipate the consequences of his actions.

When he shot himself from present to past
Little T has committed suicide and is now unable to experience the present.

Times are tough but there's a light
Even though times are difficult, there is hope for a better future.

That's what the fools say
This hope might be naive.

And I can't make ends meet without a fight
The singer is struggling to earn enough money to support themselves and must work hard to do so.

So I take life day by day
The singer takes each day as it comes and tries not to worry too much about the future.

Hey Mr. Three-piece tell me again
The singer is addressing a well-dressed individual, perhaps a politician or businessman.

The plans you have to be my savior
The singer is skeptical of this person's intentions, even if they appear to want to help them.

Well do they all depend on the polls at hand
The singer wonders if this person's plans are based on what is popular at the moment.

Or your political behavior
The singer is questioning whether this person's behavior is ethical or whether it is driven by their role in politics.

Now Bathtub Billy lives the past
The singer is talking about an older man named Bathtub Billy who is living in the past.

With a cold one in the shade
Bathtub Billy is drinking a cold drink, likely beer, in a shaded area.

They say his Chevy's built to last
People talk about how Billy's car, a Chevy, is very durable.

So he's got it made
Other people think that Bathtub Billy's life is complete because of his durable car and laid-back attitude.

Day by day
The singer continuously takes life one day at a time and is striving to make the best of what they have.

Can't you see what you do to me
The singer is hoping that someone (possibly a lover) can realize how hard they are trying to make it through life.

Can't you see how I make my way now
The singer is hoping that someone can acknowledge how independent they are, and how they are able to support themselves.

I take it day by day
The singer is emphasizing how they approach life by taking it one day at a time.

Yeah I take it any way I can
The singer will take any opportunity they can to make ends meet and survive in this difficult world.

Ooh ooh alright now mama
This line doesn't carry any significant meaning except perhaps to emphasize the rhythm of the music.