The Long Arm of the Law
Warren Zevon Lyrics


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When I was young, times were hard
When I got older it was worse
First words I ever heard:
"Nobody move, nobody get hurt"

It's the long arm, it's the strong arm
It's the long arm of the law
It's the long arm, it's the strong arm
It's the long arm of the law

After the war in Paraguay
Back in nineteen ninety-nine
I was laying low in Lima
Working both sides of the borderline

It's the long arm, it's the strong arm
It's the long arm of the law

You can run, but you can't hide

Well, I have to live like a fugitive
Oh yeah, oh yeah
Someone's coming after me
And I'm running, running, yeah

Now, don't protest your innocence
Only the dead get off scott free




And when the judge says, "Whodunit?"
You'll be crying, "Not me! Not me!"

Overall Meaning

The song The Long Arm of the Law by Warren Zevon speaks about the struggle that young people face in their life, where the first words they hear are related to protection through the law. The lyrics could suggest that the world is a harsh place, and the only way of living life is to be careful and stay within the law's bounds. The song further narrates the story of a person who lived a life between borders and was always in hiding, thereby suggesting that it could be a person from any profession, including a criminal. The words, "You can run, but you can't hide," emphasise the fact that no matter how hard you try to elude, the law will eventually catch up with you. The song suggests that running is of no use, and one has to be very careful while working through their life.


The lyrics of the song, The Long Arm of the Law, tell a story of a person living life after a war, as suggested by the words, "After the war in Paraguay, back in nineteen ninety-nine." The next few lines talk about the person being in hiding and working both sides of the border line, where the lyrics show how the long arm of the law eventually caught up, leading to the person leading life as a fugitive. The lyrics show how the law will eventually catch up with a person, and the only way to escape its grasp is to stay within the boundaries of law and order.


Line by Line Meaning

When I was young, times were hard
Life was difficult for me when I was young


When I got older it was worse
As I grew older, things got even harder for me


First words I ever heard: "Nobody move, nobody get hurt"
The first thing I ever heard was a warning to stay still and avoid getting hurt


It's the long arm, it's the strong arm It's the long arm of the law It's the long arm, it's the strong arm It's the long arm of the law
The law has great power and can reach anyone who tries to defy it


After the war in Paraguay Back in nineteen ninety-nine I was laying low in Lima Working both sides of the borderline
After the war in Paraguay in 1999, I was hiding in Lima and involved in illegal activities on the border


You can run, but you can't hide
You might try to escape your problems, but they will always catch up to you eventually


Well, I have to live like a fugitive Oh yeah, oh yeah Someone's coming after me And I'm running, running, yeah
I am living like a criminal on the run because someone is after me, and I must constantly evade capture


Now, don't protest your innocence Only the dead get off scott free And when the judge says, "Whodunit?" You'll be crying, "Not me! Not me!"
Do not bother defending your innocence because only dead people are truly free of blame, and if you are accused in court, you will likely plead not guilty and claim that you had no involvement in the crime




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: WARREN WILLIAM ZEVON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Marcus Pennington

We were truly blessed to have Warren Zevon touch our lives

Cristina Popescu

i feel so blessed to see such heartwarming comments about Warren on almost song of his.. not a common sight on Youtube. Shows WZ fans are special people! Love you, guys!

Brenda Harper

sancho delgado It is a heartbreaking commentary on the dearth of actual good TASTE in popular music, that Zevon's genius continues to go unnoticed, unacknowledged, and unappreciated. "Transverse City" was SO far ahead of it's time, that it is just NOW finding an audience among people who like their music hard, bright, innovative...genius-driven. When it came out, "Transverse City" received a lukewarm reception from both critics and fans; and I read in Crystal's book that that tepid response hurt and mystified Warren. HE knew it was quality. But then HE is a genius. I say "IS" because Gods and Legends NEVER die...and Zevon IS both....

Brenda Harper

Marcus Pennington Oh my gods, you are absolutely 1,000% CORRECT, my friend! "Blessed" is the perfect word for what we were, to have WZ....what we actually still ARE. For Gods and Legends NEVER die....and Warren Zevon IS both....

sancho delgado

Marcus Pennington it hurts me he isn’t more popular

tuz0wils0n

Transverse City is a really great and underrated album.

Evan Hodge

Then if it is great, it must be rated. It's great.

Cameron Stuart

SUCH an underrated album, pretty much ever song is fantastic, just a great concept album about a future that (kind of) never was.

Corea Kixx

This track is too good!!! Never heard this one before, although i've been a Zevon fan for nearly 40 years now. My favorite musician is Chick Corea, so when i saw that Corea was playing piano on this track, i had to hear it. Thank you.

Kurt Hans Hierta

RIP Chick... :-(...

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