Working Man's Dirge
written by: Jak Locke
written by: Jak Locke
version 1:
from Passive Blue (April 5th 1999) (5:23)
Spend your life for the powers that say they be
"I ain't never worked for nothin see"
Now that's all of which that we're aware
Sucked into the great American nightmare
Life ain't nothin but a paycheck in your hand
From your sweat to the bank to the government man
We start out young and foolish and end up old and poor
Utility tax man knocks on your broken door
Childhood memories, I hope that you enjoyed them
Lookin for a job, well you just pick your own poison
Blue collar sap with white collar ambitions
He don't have no chance but just to take what they're dishin
Class structure shinin as it has for years
Kept nice and shiny by the workin man's tears
Cut the middle rungs out the corporate ladder
Workin man, good luck, cuz to them you don't matter
Workin man, good luck, cuz to them you don't matter
Workin man, good luck, cuz to them you don't matter
Workin man, good luck, cuz to them you don't matter
Workin man, good luck, cuz to them you don't matter anyway
"I ain't never worked for nothin see"
Now that's all of which that we're aware
Sucked into the great American nightmare
Life ain't nothin but a paycheck in your hand
From your sweat to the bank to the government man
We start out young and foolish and end up old and poor
Utility tax man knocks on your broken door
Childhood memories, I hope that you enjoyed them
Lookin for a job, well you just pick your own poison
Blue collar sap with white collar ambitions
He don't have no chance but just to take what they're dishin
Class structure shinin as it has for years
Kept nice and shiny by the workin man's tears
Cut the middle rungs out the corporate ladder
Workin man, good luck, cuz to them you don't matter
Workin man, good luck, cuz to them you don't matter
Workin man, good luck, cuz to them you don't matter
Workin man, good luck, cuz to them you don't matter
Workin man, good luck, cuz to them you don't matter anyway
version 2:
from Paradox Prophecy (November 21st 1999) (3:38)
Spend your life for the powers that say they be
"I ain't never worked for nothing see"
Now that's all of which that we're aware
Sucked into the great American nightmare
Life ain't nothin but a paycheck in your hand
From your sweat to the bank to the government man
Start young and foolish, end up old and poor
The utility tax man knocks on your broke down door
Childhood memories, hope that you enjoyed them
Lookin for a job, you just pick your poison
Blue collar sap, white collar ambitions
He don't have no chance but just to take what they're dishin out to him
Class structure shining as it has for years
Kept nice and shiny by the working man's tears
Cut the middle rungs out the corporate ladder
Working man, good luck, cuz to them you don't matter anyway
Working man, good luck, cuz to them you don't matter anyway
Working man, good luck, cuz to them you don't matter anyway
"I ain't never worked for nothing see"
Now that's all of which that we're aware
Sucked into the great American nightmare
Life ain't nothin but a paycheck in your hand
From your sweat to the bank to the government man
Start young and foolish, end up old and poor
The utility tax man knocks on your broke down door
Childhood memories, hope that you enjoyed them
Lookin for a job, you just pick your poison
Blue collar sap, white collar ambitions
He don't have no chance but just to take what they're dishin out to him
Class structure shining as it has for years
Kept nice and shiny by the working man's tears
Cut the middle rungs out the corporate ladder
Working man, good luck, cuz to them you don't matter anyway
Working man, good luck, cuz to them you don't matter anyway
Working man, good luck, cuz to them you don't matter anyway
version 3:
from A Sleeping Afternoon (July 19th 2001) (3:45)
Spend your life for the powers that say they be
I ain't never worked for nothin see
Now that's all of which that we're aware
Sucked into the great American nightmare
Life ain't nothin but a paycheck in your hand
From your sweat to the bank to the government man
Start young and foolish, end up old and poor
The utility tax man knocks on your broke down door
Childhood memories, hope that you enjoyed them
Lookin for a job you just pick your poison
Blue collar sap, white collar ambitions
He don't have a chance but just to take what they're dishin out to him
Class structure shining as it has for years
Kept nice and shiny by the workin man's tears
Cut the middle rungs out the corporate ladder
Workin man, good luck cuz to them you don't matter anyway
Workin man, good luck cuz to them you don't matter anyway
Workin man, good luck cuz to them you don't matter anyway
I ain't never worked for nothin see
Now that's all of which that we're aware
Sucked into the great American nightmare
Life ain't nothin but a paycheck in your hand
From your sweat to the bank to the government man
Start young and foolish, end up old and poor
The utility tax man knocks on your broke down door
Childhood memories, hope that you enjoyed them
Lookin for a job you just pick your poison
Blue collar sap, white collar ambitions
He don't have a chance but just to take what they're dishin out to him
Class structure shining as it has for years
Kept nice and shiny by the workin man's tears
Cut the middle rungs out the corporate ladder
Workin man, good luck cuz to them you don't matter anyway
Workin man, good luck cuz to them you don't matter anyway
Workin man, good luck cuz to them you don't matter anyway
version 4:
from Already Fading On Some Horizon (February 5th 2003) (3:53)
Spend your life for the powers that say they be
I ain't never worked for nothin see
Now that's all of which that we're aware
Sucked into the great American nightmare
Life ain't nothin but a paycheck in your hand
From your sweat to the bank to the government man
Start young and foolish, end up old and poor
The utility tax man knocks on your broke-down door
Childhood memories, hope that you enjoyed them
Lookin for a job, you just pick your poison
Blue collar sap with white collar ambitions
He don't have a chance but just to take what they dishin out to him
Class structure shining as it has for years
Kept nice and shinin by the workin man's tears
Cut the middle rungs out the corporate ladder
Workin man, good luck, cuz to them you don't matter anyway
Workin man, good luck, cuz to them you don't matter anyway
Workin man, good luck, cuz to them you don't matter anyway
I ain't never worked for nothin see
Now that's all of which that we're aware
Sucked into the great American nightmare
Life ain't nothin but a paycheck in your hand
From your sweat to the bank to the government man
Start young and foolish, end up old and poor
The utility tax man knocks on your broke-down door
Childhood memories, hope that you enjoyed them
Lookin for a job, you just pick your poison
Blue collar sap with white collar ambitions
He don't have a chance but just to take what they dishin out to him
Class structure shining as it has for years
Kept nice and shinin by the workin man's tears
Cut the middle rungs out the corporate ladder
Workin man, good luck, cuz to them you don't matter anyway
Workin man, good luck, cuz to them you don't matter anyway
Workin man, good luck, cuz to them you don't matter anyway
version 5:
from Brother Sisyphus (September 10th 2004) (3:51)
Spend your life for the powers that say they be
I ain't never worked for nothing see
Now that's all of which that we're aware
Sucked into the great American nightmare
Life ain't nothing but a paycheck in your hand
From your sweat to the bank to the government man
Start young and foolish, end up old and poor
The utility tax man knocks on your broke-down door
Childhood memories, hope that you enjoyed them
Looking for a job, you just pick your poison
Blue collar sap with white collar ambitions
He don't have a chance but just to take what they're dishing
Class structure shining as it has for years
Kept nice and shining by the working man's tears
Cut the middle rungs out the corporate ladder
Working man, good luck, cuz to them you don't matter anyway
Working man, good luck, cuz to them you don't matter anyway
Working man, good luck, cuz to them you don't matter anyway
I ain't never worked for nothing see
Now that's all of which that we're aware
Sucked into the great American nightmare
Life ain't nothing but a paycheck in your hand
From your sweat to the bank to the government man
Start young and foolish, end up old and poor
The utility tax man knocks on your broke-down door
Childhood memories, hope that you enjoyed them
Looking for a job, you just pick your poison
Blue collar sap with white collar ambitions
He don't have a chance but just to take what they're dishing
Class structure shining as it has for years
Kept nice and shining by the working man's tears
Cut the middle rungs out the corporate ladder
Working man, good luck, cuz to them you don't matter anyway
Working man, good luck, cuz to them you don't matter anyway
Working man, good luck, cuz to them you don't matter anyway
earliest live performance: November 27th 1999