Intro: verse 1: I had a girlfriend, she called me her boyfriend On me she did depend and that was okay I called her my sweetheart, right from the very start Now we are apart, I'm walking away She says, "Take the freedom and get the variety That's two steps ahead of the blues And when you ain't got no permanent company I know a man you can use" verse 2: She married some other man, he came from a foreign land He could write a fine hand and his money was clean He took me aside like he'd something to hide He said, "I won the bride, well, ya know what I mean" I said, "Take the money and get the variety That's two steps ahead of the blues And when you ain't got no permanent company I know a man you can use" verse 3: Some times are romantic, some times are fantastic Some times are drastic, of that there's no doubt Some people are lawless, some people are flawless I become them all as I put myself out I say, "Take the cure and get the variety That's two steps ahead of the blues But when you ain't got no permanent company I know a man you can use" "Take the money and get the variety That's two steps ahead of the blues And when you ain't got no permanent company I know a man you can use____"