They call me Spider.

Along Came Spider [Intro] They call me Spider. Folks hear that name They tend to make room. That's probably for the best. [Verse 1] Along came Spider Walking down the street Hat pulled low Heavy on his feet Shop doors close Conversations die Folks suddenly remember Somewhere else they gotta be by five They've heard about the fingers They've heard about the knees They've heard a dozen stories Most I wish they'd still believe [Chorus] Along came Spider Everybody clears the way Along came Spider Somebody's gonna have to pay They see these hands They see this face They know the stories going 'round But nobody knows Old Spider's got The softest touch in town [Verse 2] Went to see old Charlie Charlie owed us five Said the store'd been empty Just trying to stay alive His little girl needed shoes His wife needed pills I went there for five hundred Left him with a twenty for the bills Next stop was Frankie Frankie swore he'd pay His mother needed something So I gave him one more day By noon I had a pocket Full of promises and air Turns out breaking fingers Gets harder when you care [Chorus] Along came Spider Everybody clears the way Along came Spider Somebody's gonna have to pay They see these hands They see this face And suddenly nobody makes a sound But nobody knows Old Spider's got The softest touch in town [Verse 3] By quarter after nine I knew the numbers wouldn't stand Had a list full of excuses And an empty collection hand I could face a dozen debtors I could walk through any door But there was one little meeting I was putting off some more Down at the Curds & Whey There's a chair nobody takes And the woman sitting in it Don't have much use for mistakes I stopped outside Straightened up my tie Told myself— "Spider... Just go inside." [Instrumental Break] [Female Voice — distant] "Spider, baby..." [Pause] "...collections are down." [Verse 4] Came out the Curds & Whey Collar loose, hat in my hand Same ten fingers I had when I walked in Things went better than planned Walked three blocks Before I breathed Checked both thumbs again Funny how the whole damn town Is frightened when I walk in They lock their doors They hide their cash They pray I don't come 'round If they only knew What Spider knows— There's someone meaner in this town [Final Chorus] Along came Spider Everybody clears the way Along came Spider Somebody's gonna have to pay Let 'em see these hands Let 'em see this face Let 'em keep those stories going 'round Nobody needs to know Old Spider's got The softest touch in town Along came Spider Along came Spider Yeah... Keep telling 'em I'm mean. [Outro] Tomorrow I'll do better. No extensions. No excuses. No twenty-dollar bills. [Pause] Probably.