A cloudy night
At the Fulsom Mansion
In the suburbs
He walks alone
Up familiar stairs
To touch the wall

The hidden door
Reveals a cherry chamber
Light the lamp stand
And draw the drapes
To hide the view
From all the common man

His fingers trace
The row of his
Sixteenth-century
Prize collection
And like a magic trick
A pipe appears on his lips

He murmurs numbers
As the combination
Cracks the book-safe
He draws the envelope
A hint of smile on his face

He thinks aloud
In The Serious Room
No jokes allowed
In The Serious Room
You pace around
In The Serious Room

He's found a way
To mix oil and water
To fix the market
A sideways glance at
The picture of a girl
He once knew

They all appear
The boys from thirty-two
Back in the heyday
When things were hard
But he knew exactly
What to do

They pace around
In The Serious Room
Things going down
In The Serious Room
No jokes allowed
In The Serious Room

There's a mural on the wall
Old Lord Williamson with Derby's Pride
How the footman came to call

As he makes himself a drink
He will tell the man to buy and sell
He won't even have to think

Oh, Oh
The mighty stand in The Serious Room

"Well, things have changed"
He hears Winston say
From behind him
But no one's there
Just the Theater of the Mind

Headlights outside
A dash to close the safe
And fan out the window
Put on your coat and apron
The master must be home

Don't get found out
In The Serious Room
He'll kick you out
Of The Serious Room
You have no clout
In The Serious Room

He thinks aloud
In The Serious Room
No jokes allowed
In The Serious Room
You pace around
In The Serious Room