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
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
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 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
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
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
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