Banana Republics — Jimmy Buffett

By: steve goodman, jim rothermel, steve burgh

Down to the banana republics, down to the tropical sun

Go the expatriated americans, hopin to find some fun

Some of them go for the sailing, caught by the lure of the sea

Tryin to find what is ailing, livin in the land of the free

Some of them are running from lovers, leaving no foreward address

Some of them are running tons of ganja

Some are running from the i.r.s.

Chorus

Late at night you will find them

In the cheap hotels and bars

Hustling the senioritas while they dance beneath the stars

Spending those renegade pesos on a bottle of rum and a lime

Singin give me some words I can dance to

Or a melody that rhymes

First you learn the native customs

Soon a word of spanish or two

You know that you cannot trust them

cause they know they cant trust you

Expatriated americans feelin so all alone

Telling themselves the same lies

That they told themselves back home

Down to the banana republics, things arent as warm as they seem

None of the natives are buying any second-hand american dreams

Chorus

Late at night you will find them

In the cheap hotels and bars

Hustling the senioritas while they dance beneath the stars

Spending those renegade pesos on a bottle of rum and a lime

Singin give me some words I can dance to

Or a melody that rhymes

Down to the banana republics, down to the tropical sun

Go the expatriated americans hopin to find some fun