There's an alley cat slowly walking down a dirty street
Watching a cop on the take marching to his city beat
You got five fingers Johnny stealing everything in sight
You gotta be bad to be good in the dead of the night
Wowowow, kick it
You're dancing in fire, baby
When you're taking it to the streets
Yeah to the streets
Baby better be better watch your back
Fast on your feet
Cause they're wheelin' dealin'
Cheatin' stealin'
Child you're gonna learn
CHORUS
You gotta be bad to be good
If you know what I'm talkin' about
What's that
So I say it again
You gotta be bad to be good
In the dead of the night
When you got nothin' baby
You got nothin' to lose, nothin' to lose
It's an eye for an eye baby
And a tooth for a tooth, ain't it the truth
If you got nine lives you might survive
Cause nothing's free on the other side
Chorus
Wheelin' dealin' cheatin' stealin'
Just to stay alive
They got love for sale, yes for sale
On the New York subway line
Watch the working girls hanging out
Turning tricks underneath the lights,
Oh the lights
One step from hell
The poor men sell their soul
for a taste of wine
CHORUS
When it's said and done
and you're on the run
And the only law comes under the gun