In the dark I hear the night birds call
You can hang back or fight your best on the front line
Now they worry and they hurry and they fuss and they fret
Meet me at the bottom, don't lag behind
I can feel a lover's breath
All across the peaceful sacred fields
Some of them may be deaf and dumb
I'll drag 'em all down to hell and I'll stand 'em at the wall
I can live on rice and beans
How I wish you were here to see
I'll sell 'em to their enemies
Gonna give you another chance
Now I'm down on my luck and I'm black and blue
Well, they burned my barn and they stole my horse
Old memories of you to me have clung
The hour that sorrow will come
Sing a little bit of these workingman's blues
Sing a little bit of these workingman's blues
It's all true, everything you've heard
But you I'll remember always
You can hang back or fight your best on the front line
No man, no woman knows
Just sitting here trying to keep the hunger from
They waste your nights and days
Meet me at the bottom, don't lag behind
Tossed by the winds and the seas
As you yourself can see
I sleep in the kitchen with my feet in the hall
You can hang back or fight your best on the front line
It's a new path that we trod
I'm tryin' to feed my soul with thought
I can see for myself that the sun is sinking
They say low wages are a reality
While I'm listening to the steel rails hum
Bring me my boots and shoes
The buyin' power of the proletariat's gone down
Got both eyes tight shut
My cruel weapons have been put on the shelf
Money's gettin' shallow and weak
Some people never worked a day in their life
You are dearer to me than myself
Meet me at the bottom, don't lag behind
Gonna sleep off the rest of the day
Sometimes you can't give it away
Meet me at the bottom, don't lag behind
Sleep is like a temporary death
Wanna look in my eyes, please do
That you have forgotten me?
Well, the place I love best is a sweet memory
Gonna have to straighten out your tongue
Come sit down on my knee
I can't save a dime
I'm all alone and I'm expecting you
Them I will forget
Now the place is ringed with countless foes
To lead me off in a cheerful dance
Sometimes no one wants what we got
I got a brand new suit and a brand new wife
That I took up arms against you
No one can ever claim
Tell me now, am I wrong in thinking
I say it so it must be so
Bring me my boots and shoes
If we want to compete abroad
They will lay you low
You can hang back or fight your best on the front line
Sing a little bit of these workingman's blues
Well, I'm sailin' on back, ready for the long haul
Bring me my boots and shoes
Bring me my boots and shoes
I got to be careful, I don't want to be forced
Into a life of continual crime
They'll break your horns and slash you with steel
Don't know what work even means
Creeping it's way into my gut
In you, my friend, I find no blame
You've wounded me with your words
