[Verse 1] The gates of the schoolyard are padlocked and chained To keep all the children in out of the rain The art teachers preachin the virtues of pastel shades You pay no attention, but it wont hurt your grades [Chorus] Cause youre paintin by numbers, connectin the dots They dont have to tell you you dont call the shots You jump when they say, Jump! and you dont ask, How high? Cause paintin by numbers they know youll get by Paintin by numbers they know youll get by [Verse 2] You take a position in the old mans firm He signs all the papers, you agree to the terms They let you run errands and you dont get days off You take out the garbage and hope it pays off [Chorus] Cause youre paintin by numbers, connectin the dots You work from the neckdown, you dont call the shots You jump when they say, Jump! and you dont ask, How high? Cause paintin by numbers you know youll get by Paintin by numbers you know youll get by [Instrumental] [Verse 3] You might be in grad school, up at M.I.T You might be down in the canal zone bein all that you can be You might get to thinkin youre ahead of the game But when you break it all down, it all comes out the same [Chorus] Youre paintin by numbers, connectin the dots You work from the neckdown as often as not You jump when they say, Jump! and you dont ask, How high? Cause painting by numbers you know youll get by Youre paintin by numbers, connectin the dots You work from the neckdown, you dont call the shots You jump when they say, Jump! and you dont ask, How high? Cause paintin by numbers you know youll get by Paintin by numbers you know youll get by Paintin by numbers you know youll get by
paintin, number, jump, connectin, neckdown