A light shone in the night somewhere ahead

Blue turned into green, then it was red.

And, stirring the night, loud music played

The light I saw in the night was a penny arcade.

"Step up and play," each machine seemed to say

As I walked round and round the penny arcade.

"Just ring the bell on the big bagatelle

And you'll make all the coloured lights cascade."

And music played,

in the penny arcade.

Well, it played and it played, played all the time.

"Roll up and spend your last dime!"

At first I thought it a dream that I was in.

Lost , lost in a sea of glass and tin.

But no, so dipping my hand in the back of my jeans,

I grabbed a handful of coins to feed the machines.

"Step up and play," each machine seemed to say

As I walked round and round the penny arcade.

"Just ring the bell on the big bagatelle

And you'll make all the coloured lights cascade."

And music played,

in the penny arcade.

Well, it played and it played, played all the time.

"Roll up and spend your last dime!"

"Step up and play," each machine seemed to say

As I walked round and round the penny arcade.

"Just ring the bell on the big bagatelle

And you'll make all the coloured lights cascade."

And music played

in the penny arcade.

Well, it played and it played, played all the time.

Roll up and spend your last,

Roll up and spend your last,

Roll up and spend your last dime!