Lyrics Tom Paxton – I Thought You Were An Arab

I thought you were an Arab
I saw the desert in your eyes
I thought of asking for a job in Abu Dhabi
‘Til you sprang a big surprise
You handed me the money
That’s what a real Arab does
So I thought you were an Arab
And all the time you were the fuzz
I thought you were an Arab
Desert Caliph or a sheik
I thought I’d be your friend in Congress
You’d be grateful, what a terrible mistake
You handed me the money
And that was all I saw
So I thought you were an Arab
And all the time you were the law
Abdul was kinda obvious
Now that I kinda think it through
The way you spoke American without an accent
Sure reflected well on you
When you handed me the briefcase filled of cash
I accepted with a wink
You can catch it on the evening news you rat
Now I’m headed for the clink
I thought you were an Arab
When you were really apple pie

You had a little shopping list of Congressman
And prominent upon the list was I
I smiled for the camera
I couldn’t see it from my seat
So I thought you were an Arab
And all the time you were the heat
You were Lawrence of the FBI
You really played it to the hilt
There’ll be no mercy back in Jersey
When you tell ’em how the fatal milk was spilt
I thought you were Kings of the fabled East
All you really were was bums
I got caught with my hand in the cookie jar
Now my hand is full of crumbs
I thought you were an Arab
I saw the desert in your eyes
I thought of asking for a job in Abu Dhabi
‘Til you sprang a big surprise
You handed me the money
That’s what a real Arab does
So I thought you were an Arab
And all the time you were the fuzz
I thought you were an Arab
And all the time you were the fuzz