Easy Money
Betrayal Beyond Borders: REO Speedwagon's Tale of Easy Money
Lyrics
South of the border and busted
Feeling defeated and caught in a difficult situation south of the border.
Caught by a woman I trusted
Caught or betrayed by a woman whom the singer trusted.
Now, don't you call me a fool
Requesting not to be judged hastily for the situation.
It could have happened to you
Implying that the listener could also have faced a similar situation.
It's just my luck
Expressing misfortune or bad luck.
It had to happen to me
Feeling as if misfortune was destined to happen to the singer.
Sweet Carmelita betrayed me
Referring to a woman named Carmelita who betrayed the singer.
She said, "Take me home, serenade me"
Carmelita asked to be taken home and serenaded, indicating a romantic involvement.
I figured a song could do me no wrong
The singer believed that singing a song was harmless and wouldn't lead to trouble.
I didn't know how wrong I could be
Realizing the mistake of underestimating the consequences of the situation.
Easy money for just one run to Peru
Implies an offer of easy money for a single trip to Peru.
It'll be so easy, we'll have no trouble gettin' through
Expresses confidence in the ease of completing the trip without any problems.
Well I almost made it, except for that one border guard
Almost succeeding in the plan, but stopped by a border guard.
He opened up my guitar, hello prison yard
Being caught with contraband (possibly drugs) hidden in the guitar.
Goodbye easy money, easy money
Bidding farewell to the easy money due to getting caught.
The Chiquita must have told 'em my story
Suspecting that Carmelita informed authorities about the plan.
'Cause when my eyes finally focused next morning
Waking up to realize Carmelita might have disclosed incriminating information.
Carmelita had spoken 'bout guitars and some coke
Referring to discussions about guitars and drugs, likely Carmelita's confession.
And she laughed as they slapped me in chains
Carmelita's laughter as the singer is arrested and put in chains.
I was thrown in cell with a killer
Being confined in a cell with a dangerous criminal.
A convict who coughed through the night
Describing a convict coughing throughout the night in the same cell.
While I laid awake with the chills and shakes
Suffering from physical discomfort, likely withdrawal symptoms.
Hoping for a file in a cake
Hopeful for a tool to aid in escape, referencing a file hidden in a cake.
Easy money for just one run to Peru
Reiteration of the offer of easy money for a trip to Peru.
It'll be so easy, we'll have no trouble gettin' through
Reiterating the confidence in the ease of the trip.
Well I almost made it, except for that one border guard
Similar to line 15, almost succeeding but caught by a border guard.
He opened up my guitar, hello prison yard
Repeating the scenario of being caught with contraband in the guitar.
Just to make me mad he smashed my guitar
Expressing anger as the guitar is destroyed by the guard.
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye
Farewell to the notion of easy money.
Easy money
A final acknowledgment of the failed attempt to acquire easy money.
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