Pas Une Dame

I ain't no lady, I ain't no lady
I'm just a kid nursing my soul
My laces are undone, my black laces covered in dirt
My knees scraped, and I dream as I breathe
I fuel up with beer and smoke my Gitanes
And I love to die of hope in the pale morning
And I love when it rolls, when the waves take our souls
But I love when it sways, when it crunches
When it burns

I ain't no lady, I don't look like a lady
I look more like a dog, a tear, a poem
I'm the cheerful neighbor, I'm the bartender's rag
The widow and the orphan, the sultan of the harem
I'm just a little morning, the last drop of gin
And I'm the assassin who sleeps despite his crime
I'm the old sailor, officer gentleman
And I'm the good-for-nothing no one claims

And when I'm a hundred years old (and when I'm a hundred years old)
I'll live without a plan (I'll live without a plan)
Despite death lurking (despite death lurking)
I'll dance until dawn (I'll dance until dawn)
And when I'm a hundred years old (and when I'm a hundred years old)
I'll live off my charm (I'll live off my charm)
In my haunted castle (in my haunted castle)
They'll come to consult me (they'll come to consult me)

Oh, I ain't no lady
Oh no, don't call me madam
Call me my sweet, my cat, or my mermaid
Call me my wild one or highness like a queen
Call me my redhead, my blonde, or my ebony
I'm your buddy Gerard, I'm your cousin Irene
I'm the evening dock watching over the Seine
I'm the fruit of chance of uncertain existence
I'm an old bum spitting at Madeleine

And when I'm a hundred years old (and when I'm a hundred years old)
I'll defy my cane (I'll defy my cane)
Despite death lurking (despite death lurking)
I'll dance until dawn (I'll dance until dawn)
And when I'm a hundred years old (and when I'm a hundred years old)
I'll live off my charm (I'll live off my charm)
In my haunted castle (in my haunted castle)
They'll come to consult me (they'll come to consult me)

I ain't no lady
Oh no, no way I'm being a lady
Rather die of love, rather miss the mark
Rather live backwards or burn in flames
Rather become a vulture or a junkie
I'd rather be a notary, I'd rather be a tomboy
I'd rather be? A virgin or a man's ass
I'd rather be an idol adored by fans
I'd rather be a marchioness pushing her butler

Oh no no no I ain't no lady
Don't want to be a lady
It's not in my cards, it's not in my genes
It's not in my family of strange characters
It's not my style at all, it's not my thing
Too bad if they accuse me, too bad if they damn me
Too bad if they judge me and condemn me
Too bad if they catch me and imprison me
Deep in my pocket, my freedom purrs
Not a lady!