REO Speedwagon

Released: July 20, 1979

Songwriter: Gary Richrath

Producer: Kevin Beamish Kevin Cronin Gary Richrath

South of the border and busted
Caught by a woman I trusted
Now don't you call me a fool
It could have happened to you
It's just my luck
It had to happen to me

Sweet Carmelita betrayed me
She said, "Take me home, serenade me."
I figured a song could do me no wrong
I didn't know how wrong I could be

Easy money for just one run to Peru
It'll be so easy. We'll have no trouble gettin' through
Well I almost made it, except for that one border guard
He opened up my guitar. Hello prison yard
Goodbye easy money. Easy money

The chiquita must have told 'em my story
'Cause when my eyes finally focused next morning
Carmelita had spoken 'bout guitars and some coke
And she laughed as they slapped me in chains

I was thrown in cell with a killer
A convict who coughed through the night
While I laid awake with the chills and shakes
Hoping for a file in a cake

Easy money for just one run to Peru
It'll be so easy. We'll have no trouble gettin' through
Well I almost made it, except for that one border guard
He opened up my guitar. Hello prison yard
Just to make me mad he smashed my guitar
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye
Easy money

REO Speedwagon (originally styled as R.E.O. Speedwagon) is an American rock band from Champaign, Illinois. Formed in 1967, the band cultivated a following during the 1970s and achieved significant commercial success throughout the 1980s. Hi Infidelity (1980) contained four US Top 40 hits and is the group’s best-selling album, with over ten million copies sold.

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