Dealer

Written by: 
J. Martyn
4 Nov 1977

Well I cannot be your lover, and I will not be your friend.
Well I know you say you need me, but I have no time to spend.
We could talk like this for hours; I just end up getting bored,
'Cause no-one needs a dealer just the day before a score.

Let me in, let me in,
Let me in, sweet darling, let me in, let me in;
Let me in, let me in,
Let me in, sweet darling, let me in, let me in.
Do you think that you could leave me,
Could you leave and go away just for a little while?
Do you think that I could leave you,
Could I leave and go away just for a change of style?

They tell me that they dig my shit, so I sell it to them cheap.
They bring their scales and check the deal, are you scared that I might cheat?
Well you're just the spit and polish on a fat man's shiny shoe,
And I think I hate them for it, and I think they hate me too.

Let me in, let me in,
Let me in, sweet darling, let me in, let me in;
Let me in, let me in,
Let me in, sweet darling, let me in, let me in.

Well you spend your whole life moaning down the telephone for bread.
You can't get your sleep for trying to remember what you said.
You come around most anytime, and sell me what you can;
What you see is what you get, catch me if you can.

Let me in, let me in,
Let me in, sweet darling, let me in, let me in;
Let me in, let me in,
Let me in, sweet darling, let me in, let me in.
Do you think that you could leave me,
Could you leave and go away just for a little while?
Do you think that I could leave you,
Could I leave and go away just for a change of style?

Well I cannot be your lover, and I will not be a friend.
Well I know you say you need me, but I have no time to spend.
We could talk like this for hours, but just end up getting bored,
'Cause no-one needs a dealer just the day before a score.

Let me in,
Let me in, Let me in, let me in,
Let me in, let me in, let me in;
Let me in, let me in.

scan from the book

This page was published 2011 in Beverley Martyn's biography Sweet Honesty.
In contains the hand written lyrics to Dealer. Transcribing it unveils some small differences in this first draft:

Well I would not be your lover
& I couldnot be your
friend
I know you know I need
you
But I get no time to spend

We could talk like this
for hours., But you
know you just get
bored.
Cos noone needs wants a loser
dealer
on the day before he scores
Let me in.

First release: