TERRY MELCHER CAME TO ME! I DIDN’T REJECT TERRY MELCHER! HE COME TO ME WITH MONEY IN HIS HAND. HE OFFERED ME; I DIDN’T ASK HIM. I WASN’T KNOCKING SOMEONE’S DOOR DOWN. I WAS RUNNING FROM THAT. WHEN I GOT OUT, I WAS IN THAT. I WAS ALREADY THROUGH THAT. I HAD THAT. I HAD THE STUDIO. I WENT TO THE STUDIO, WENT TO VOX STUDIOS. I HAD IT ALL. AND I LOOKED AT IT AND SAID, “THIS IS A BIGGER JAIL THAN I JUST GOT OUT OF.”
I DON’T WANT TO TAKE MY TIME GOING TO WORK. I GOT A MOTORCYCLE AND A SLEEPING BAG. AND TEN OR FIFTEEN GIRLS. WHAT THE HELL DO I WANT AND GO OFF AND GO TO WORK FOR? WORK FOR WHAT, MONEY? I GOT ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD. I’M THE KING, MAN! I RUN THE UNDERWORLD, GUY! I DECIDE WHO DOES WHAT AND WHERE THEY DO IT AT! WHAT AM I GONNA RUN AROUND AND ACT LIKE I’M SOME TEENYBOPPER SOMEWHERE? FOR SOMEBODY ELSE’S MONEY? I MAKE THE MONEY, MAN. I ROLL THE NICKELS. THE GAME’S MINE. I DEAL THE CARDS.
NOBODY. I’M NOBODY. I’M A TRAMP, A BUM, A HOBO. I’M A BOXCAR AND A JUG OF WINE. AND A STRAIGHT RAZOR IF YOU GET TOO CLOSE TO ME.
