How Can You Do It Alone Lyrics

 (Pete Townshend)
 
 Saw a man about fifty or so
 He looked lonely but his eyes were bright
 He was walking up the Holland Park Road
 And I stopped him to ask for a light
 He practacally froze when I spoke
 But eased when he saw my cigarette
 Then I saw as he lit up my smoke
 Beneath his coat he was naked and wet
 
 With eyes full of shame
 For he knew that I knew
 He slumped to the wall with a moan
 I said "I know there's no name
 For what you go through
 But how can you do it alone."
 
 I crossed the street to the local newstore
 Flicked through some cheap magazines
 Beside me some schoolkid I saw
 Push some girlie mags down into his jeans
 The shop girl was watching amazed
 Asked me to call for the police.
 She screamed at his blushing young face
 And he escaped into the streets.
 
 With eyes full of shame etc.
 
 Do it alone, how can you do it alone,
 I need your help, so I can do it by myself.
 Do it alone, don't have to breathe down a phone
 I ain't got a clue, 'bout the things that you do
 But how...can you do it alone.
 
 How can you do it.
 
 Back at the flat my girl sat in the shower
 And wasn't too keen on me sharing
 She came out well after an hour
 And by that time I was past caring
 Some women it seems have the knack
 Of attaining that stars in their dreams
 They simply relax and lay back
 While people like us scratch our jeans.
 
 With eyes full of shame
 And I know it must show
 I slump - and I fall and I groan
 Will somebody explain
 What I need to know
 How can you do it alone.
 
 How can you do it.
 
 How can you do it without any help
 How can you do it all by yourself.