Are things they could be changin', Who d'you think's goin' to care?
My thirsty wanted whiskey, my hungry needed beans
Actually I guess you'd call it a tavern
Cigarette smoke to the ceilin', sawdust on the floor
And if you should die explainin' how the things that they complain about
And I guess I'll die explainin' how the things that they complain about
You see, The Devil haunts a hungry man
I said, "I'm dry", he bought me a beer
Keep the chilly wind off my guitar
If I never have a nickel, I won't ever die of shame
Who were crucified for what they tried to show
I was born a lonely singer and I'm bound to die the same
If you don't want to join him you've got to beat him
To the things that you are sayin', Who do you think's goin' to hear?
And lonesome was more than a state of mind
I said, "You've been readin' my mail"
Are things they could be changin', hopin' someone's goin' to care
Well, that old man was a stranger, but I'd heard his song before
He turned and said, "Come up here boy and show us what you are"
And their voices have been scattered by the swirlin' winds of time
I got some you ought to hear, then he laid it on me
Friendly shadows
I left my pride and stepped inside a bar
But I've got to feed the hunger in my soul
I just looked at him and he said
And then I stole his song
He nodded at my guitar and said, "It's a tough life, ain't it?"
So with a stomach full of empty and pocket full of dreams
I saw that there was just one old man sittin' at the bar
If you waste your time talkin' to the people who don't listen
But it'd been a month of pay days since I'd heard that eagle scream
And you still can hear me singin' to the people who don't listen
I ain't sayin' I beat the Devil but I drank his beer for nothing
"You ain't making any money, are you?"
There were other lonely singers in a world turned deaf and blind
He just smiled and said, "Let me see that guitar"
To the things that I am sayin', prayin' someone's goin' to hear
To warm the frozen feeling that was eating at my soul
In the mirror I could see him checkin' me and my guitar
'Cause the truth remains that no one wants to know
Back when failure had me locked out on the wrong side of the door When nothing stood behind me but my shadow on the floor
