From the musical “Guys and Dolls”, 1950.
Words and music by Frank Loesser.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
The Biltmore garage wants a grand
But we ain’t got a grand on hand
And they’ve now got a lock on the door
Of the gym at P. S. Eighty-four
There’s the storeroom behind McClosky’s Bar
But Missus McClosky ain’t a good scout
And things bein’ how they are
The back of the Police Station’s out
So the Biltmore garage is the spot
But the one thousand bucks we ain’t got
Refrain
Why it’s good old reliable Nathan
Nathan, Nathan, Nathan Detroit
If you’re lookin’ for action, he’ll furnish a spot
Even when the heat is on
It’s never too hot
Nor for good old reliable Nathan
For it’s always just a short walk
To the oldest established permanent
Floating crap game in New York
There are well-heeled shooters ev’rywhere, ev’rywhere
There are well-heeled shooters ev’rywhere
And an awful lot of lettuce
For the fella who can get us there
If we only had a lousy little grand
We could be a millionaire
Refrain
That’s good old reliable Nathan
Nathan, Nathan, Nathan Detroit
If the size of your bundle you want to increase
He’ll arrange that you go broke in quiet and peace
In a hideout provided by Nathan
Where there are no neighbors to squawk
It’s the oldest established permanent
Floating crap game in New York
Where’s the action? Where’s the game?
Gotta have the game or we’ll die from shame
It’s the oldest established permanent
Floating crap game in New York