The Wages Of Sin
Rupert Holmes Lyrics

Crime don't pay... that's what I tells 'em.
I warn others that crime doesn't pay and is not a profitable way to make a living.

If it did, would I be here mixing pipes,
If crime truly paid, I would not be doing my low-paying job of selling pipes.

Wot then I sells 'em for a pint of rotten beer?
I sell the pipes I mix for very little and only earn enough to buy cheap and low-quality beer.

Throats you cut to pocket tuppence,
Some criminals resort to cutting throats to steal a mere two pence.

Then you slut to cop some sleep.
After committing a crime, some resort to sleeping around to forget their actions.

Bash a face for bleedin' tuppence -
Some criminals resort to violence and bashing faces to earn only two pence.

pure disgrace to work so cheap.
It's a disgrace to resort to crimes that pay so little.

So I say, don't be a sinner for the price of London gin.
I advise others not to commit crimes just to afford the price of a drink like London gin.

You can't pay for one square dinner with the wages of sin.
Being a criminal doesn't pay enough to afford even a square meal.

Sell my soul? 'Cor love, come off it!
I would never sell my soul, it's not worth anything.

Who would buy this sack of skin?
I am not worth selling my soul for, I have no value to others.

On the whole, there ain't much profit in the wages of sin.
In general, crime isn't that profitable, it's not worth the risks and the consequences.

I've seen girls from gutter fam'lies trap rich men with flutt'ry ways,
I have observed girls from poor families seduce rich men with their charm.

And they coo, "Cor, pass the jam please,"
These girls even use their charm during a breakfast meal, asking for jam in a seductive tone.

Over nuptial breakfast trays,
These girls even use their charm during a breakfast meal after getting married.

Over there in bed eleven sleeps a bleedin' hypocrite.
In the eleventh bed, there lies a man who appears righteous but is actually a hypocrite.

Spends his days eyes cast to 'eaven;
This hypocrite pretends to be godly by looking up to heaven during the day.

Spends his nights among this sh-
But at night, he engages in sinful behavior and is therefore a hypocrite.

S' why I say, don't take half-measures,
I advise others to not take the easy way out by resorting to crime to get by.

Do things right and dig right in.
I suggest doing things the right way by working hard and putting in effort.

In this world, there's greater treasures than the wages of sin.
There are more valuable treasures in this world than what one could earn from a life of crime.

I get threats, but seldom offers. If I did, I'd pack it in.
I rarely receive offers to participate in criminal activity and if I did, I would refuse.

You can't fill too many coffers with the wages of sin.
The earnings from a life of crime are not enough to fill many coffers or bank accounts.