We've all seen the man at the liquor store begging for your change
The hair on his face is dirty, dreadlocked and full of mange
He asks a man for what he could spare with shame in his eyes
"Get a job, you fucking slob" is all he replies
God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in his shoes
'Cause then you really might know what it's like to sing the blues.

CHORUS:
Then you really might know what it's like (4x)

Mary got pregnant from a kid named Tom who said he was in love
He said "Don't worry 'bout a thing, Baby Doll, I'm the man you've been dreaming of"
But three months later he say he won't date her or return her calls
And she swear, "God damn, if I find that man, I'm cuttin' off his balls"
And she heads for the clinic and she gets some static walkin' through the door
They call her a killer and they call her a sinner and they call her a whore
But God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in her shoes
'Cause then you really might know what it's like to have to choose

CHORUS

I've seen a rich man beg
I've seen a good man sin
I've seen a tough man cry
I've seen a loser win
And a sad man grin
I heard an honest man lie
I've seen the good side of bad
And the down side of up
And everything between
I licked the silver spoon
Drank from the golden cup
Smoked the finest green
I stroked the baddest dimes
'least a couple of times
'fore I broke they heart
You know where it ends, yo
It usually depends on where you start

I knew this kid named Max, he used to get fat stacks out on the corner with drugs
He liked to hang out late, he liked to get shit faced and keep pace with thugs
'Til late one night there was a big gun fight and Max lost his head
Pulled out his chrome .45, talked some shit, and wound up dead
Now his wife and his kids are caught in the midst of all of this pain
You know it crumbles that way, at least that's what they say when you play the game
But God forbid you ever had to wake up to hear the news
'Cause then you really might know what it's like to have to lose

Then you really might know what it's like (3x)
To have to lose...