Well, my girlfriend left me on the sixth of May
and she didn't leave much for me that day.
Just this keyboard on which I'm writing this tune.

Now, I don't blame her 'cause she ran around
with all of the guys from all over the town.
I should've expected this from the girl named Sue.

Well, she must've thought that it was quite a joke
and it got a lot of laughs from lots of folks.
Seems I had to cry the whole night through.

Some girl would giggle and I'd get red.
Some guy would laugh and I'd bust his head.
I'll tell ya, life's hard for the boyfriend of Runaround Sue.

Well, she's kinda quick, if you know what I mean,
I mean she's fast, that skankin' queen.
I wandered around the town to hide my shame.

But I made me a vow to the Moon and stars
that I'd search the town's gin mills and bars
and find someone to take the place of that dame.

Well, it was Union Square in mid-July.
I got off the 4 train, throat was dry.
I thought I'd stop and have myself a brew.

From out of the kitchen, goodness me
was a barmaid dressed so skimpily.
It was the dirty low-down chick, Runaround Sue.

Well, I knew that chick was my own sweet girl
when she flipped her hair and she did a twirl
and I knew those rosy cheeks and that wandering eye.

She was tight and stacked and dropped a drink
and still looked good, that's what I think.
And I said,
"Hey there, now, Sue?
How do you do?
Now, you're gonna cry!"

Yeah, that's what I told her!

And I told her of Jane, with the lovely eyes
and Annie Brown, wow, she was a prize
and Brenda from the Island, took out a piece of her rear.

And she looked at me with lipstick staining her teeth
and let out the words from what lies beneath:
"The way you kissed me, I was thinking that you were queer!"

I tell ya, I've had tougher chicks
but I really wouldn't make them my picks.
She wore them shoes, think they're made out of crocodile.

I heard her mumble, heard her curse.
She heard me laugh, then hit me with her purse.
But I stood there, looking at her, and she saw me smile.

And I said, "Sue...

All those people, I put them wise
'bout how you go out with other guys
and how you like to string a bunch of them along.

Well, you made me weep and you made me sob
but now, there's no guy, you had to go get a job.
And it's this job that's going to make you strong!
Yeah!

That's the moral of the story from the guy who knows
who loved you hard and his love still grows.
You hate me now? Well, I wouldn't blame you if you do.

But you oughta thank me once before the end
of the shift you got, before you start it again
'cause I'm the son of a bitch that you left, Sue!"

Well, what could she do?
What could she do?

She got all choked up and she threw down her tray
and said she never again would stray
and she came away with a different point of view.

But you know I'm a fool, so is she, of course.
It's been five years since we got divorced.

And if I ever have a son...
I think I'm a-gonna tell him...

"Keep away from a girl named Sue!"
She'll STILL be runnin' around by then!