There's an evenin' haze settlin' over town 

Starlight by the edge of the creek 

The buyin' power of the proletariat's gone down 

Money's gettin' shallow and weak 

Well, the place I love best is a sweet memory 

It's a new path that we trod 

They say low wages are a reality 

If we want to compete abroad 



My cruel weapons have been put on the shelf 

Come sit down on my knee 

You are dearer to me than myself 

As you yourself can see 

While I'm listening to the steel rails hum 

Got both eyes tight shut 

Just sitting here trying to keep the hunger from 

Creeping it's way into my gut 



Chorus: 

Meet me at the bottom, don't lag behind 

Bring me my boots and shoes 

You can hang back or fight your best on the frontline 

Sing a little bit of these workingman's blues 



Well, I'm sailin' on back, ready for the long haul 

Tossed by the winds and the seas 

I'll drag 'em all down to hell and I'll stand 'em at the wall 

I'll sell 'em to their enemies 

I'm tryin' to feed my soul with thought 

Gonna sleep off the rest of the day 

Sometimes no one wants what we got 

Sometimes you can't give it away 



Now the place is ringed with countless foes 

Some of them may be deaf and dumb 

No man, no woman knows 

The hour that sorrow will come 

In the dark I hear the night birds call 

I can feel a lover's breath 

I sleep in the kitchen with my feet in the hall 

Sleep is like a temporary death 



(chorus) 



Well, they burned my barn, and they stole my horse 

I can't save a dime 

I got to be careful, I don't want to be forced 

Into a life of continual crime 

I can see for myself that the sun is sinking 

How I wish you were here to see 

Tell me now, am I wrong in thinking 

That you have forgotten me? 



Now they worry and they hurry and they fuss and they fret 

They waste your nights and days 

Them I will forget 

But you I'll remember always 

Old memories of you to me have clung 

You've wounded me with your words 

Gonna have to straighten out your tongue 

It's all true, everything you've heard 



(chorus) 



In you, my friend, I find no blame 

Wanna look in my eyes, please do 

No one can ever claim 

That I took up arms against you 

All across the peaceful sacred fields 

They will lay you low 

They'll break your horns and slash you with steel 

I say it so it must be so 



Now I'm down on my luck and I'm black and blue 

Gonna give you another chance 

I'm all alone and I'm expecting you 

To lead me off in a cheerful dance 

I got a brand new suit and a brand new wife 

I can live on rice and beans 

Some people never worked a day in their life 

Don't know what work even means 



(chorus)