| A long time ago, in 1965 or so
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| I met a man with a face that was a real disgrace
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| Pictures he took and put them in a little book
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| So ambitious was he, he even took a picture of me
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| Then one day he opened up a studio (start recording now)
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| Tried to make it pay, making hit records or no
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| And he asked me along write him a little song
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| I get the studio free, just sign this paper for me
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| You got to take good care of business, my friend
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| Take good care of yourself
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| You got to take good care of business, my friend
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| Otherwise you’ll end up on the shelf
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| Oh yeah
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| Later on, after I wrote that song
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| Even heard it played up on Radio One (Radio One)
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| Manager said: 'Money all gone away'
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| You spent it, you see, up and down the country
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| You got to take good care of business, my friend
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| Take good care of yourself
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| You got to take good care of business, my friend
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| Otherwise you’ll end up on the shelf
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| Well, I started to say, I mean we’ve got to play
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| What else can I do? |
| We’re not clever like you
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| Then said he: 'You know how I’m fair'
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| You can sign to the company for another ten years
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| You got to take good care of business, my friend
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| Take good care of yourself
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| You got to take good care of business, my boys
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| Otherwise you’ll end up on the shelf |