in the town where i was born
there lived a rummy that used to say
‘you spend yer whole life workin for a livin
without ever livin one day’
i remember when my daddy asked him
‘get a job? or work for more?’
he said ‘i never did mind hard-workin, chief,
but what i do mind is who i’m workin for’
well my first job came in Poughkeepsie
a new town, but the salesman says
‘it don’t look like much now but in 25 years
there’ll be green grass where children do play’
so i went downtown to the bank man
for loansome money, for a house to pay
and i reckon oh lord that if i work like a dog
i might own some by 2038!
oh lord
waitin
wishin
prayin
workin
payin
on the L.I.V.I.N.
and when i came to my crossroads
there was no Devil there, offerin me gold
just a tax man with red letters
written on a folder addressed to my soul
oh lord
workin
wishin
prayin
tryin
dyin
it’s just L.I.V.I.N.