Only in a motor he found peace
 He could make an engine sing like a bird
 He could find his only lind of release
 When he was up to the elbows in the grease.

 She dreamed of a time for painting
 As she was cleaning up his stains from the rug
 She'd play all day with their children
 And try to meet him with a welcome and hug
 As he came shuffling through the house with a shrug

 I tell you dirt gets under the fingernails
 And hate gets under the skin
 But a dream got a way of getting down to the bone
 and the heart of a body that it's in.

 While he was making magic with his piston machines
 She was cleaning up the mess he'd left behind.
 She was trying to make it through to the end of the day
 With a little empty time
 And do the painting that meant peace of mind.

 I tell you dirt gets under the fingernails
 And hate gets under the skin
 But a dream got a way of getting down to the bone
 and the heart of a body that it's in.

 Well one day she didn't bother 'bout making his bed.
 She hurried all the children out the door.
 And she let the bills and the marketing go.
 And she went and almost bought out an art supply store.

 It just so happened that day he got to thinking.
 Of the grease that always covered up his skin.
 So he left the garage a little early
 He got a shave and a manicure and trim
 Came out clean as a plaster maniquin.

 He came home in a hurry
 But he almost didn't recognize the place.
 It looked like it'd been hit by a hurricane.
 There was canvas filling every open space.
 And she had paint all over her face.

 I tell you dirt gets under the fingernails
 And hate gets under the skin
 But a dream got a way of getting down to the bone
 and the heart of a body that it's in.

 They both stood stunned into silence
 Then their laughter exploded like a shout
 And he went out to make some magic in the kitchen
 The clean man learning what cooking was about.
 And the dirty girl painting her messy heart out.

 I tell you dirt gets under the fingernails
 And hate gets under the skin
 But a dream got a way of getting down to the bone
 and the heart of a body that it's in