Back When the Bands Played in Ragtime - Phil Everly

You should have been in New York City

Before the crash in twenty nine

Everybody had lots of dough

The bathtub gin would overflow

Back when the bands played in ragtime

There was a cop they called O’Reilly

He loved a girl in the chorus line

But she was just no good

She ran around with all the hoods

Back when the bands played in ragtime 24

She asked O’Reilly for a favour

And he agreed ‘cause love is blind

A friend of hers was runnin' booze

Would he take a bribe, what did he have to lose

Back when the bands played in ragtime

The mob was loadin' stolen liquor

When they heard the siren wine

The cops came where the booze was stored

O’Reilly got a big reward

Back when the bands played in ragtime

O’Reilly sent his love to prison

She was there ‘til thirty nine

To top it off he was untrue

He got married in thirty two

Back when the bands played in ragtime

Ah you should have been in New York City

Before the crash in twenty nine

Everybody had lots of dough

The bathtub gin would overflow

Back when the bands played in ragtime

Back when the bands played in ragtime

Back when the bands played in ragtime