He makes his own dreams, his own paradise But paradise is just a false alarm And no ones really sadder than, the man with the golden arm He buys every thrill and pays any price And thinks he's having fun and what's the hon' He's following the devil's plan, the man with the golden arm What is that strange desire that sets his soul afire? The hopeless need for it, that makes it plead for it? The walls are closing in, the room begins to spin There's no escape and there's no friend How did it start? When will it end? The ending is clear and not very nice A nameless grave behind some prison farm There is no history sadder than, the man with the golden arm But there's a chance that he, can shake the misery That if he's strong enough and fights it long enough The ones who do are rare, but with some hope and prayer The nightmare's done and so's the end You find the Sun and walk among men And gone are the dreams, the fools paradise The heaven that was just a false alarm, and no one's really gladder than The man with the golden arm, oh