Interpret:

Bob Dylan

Album:

Modern Times

There's an evening haze settling over town 
Starlight by the edge of the creek 
The buying power of the proletariat's gone down 
Money's getting 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 sailing on back, ready for the long haul 
Tossed by the winds and the seas 
I'll drag them all down to hell and I'll stand them at the wall 
I'll sell them to their enemies 
I'm trying to feed my soul with thought 
Going to 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 


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 


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.