Blackbird sitting on an open gate Old camel now walking the plains West wind blowing in waist high weed A-sideways of the rain
A bloodhound spent Can't get no trail Ain't no sign of man Wanna get ourselves On the straight and the narrow Gonna need a better plan
I roll your sleeves up I hold back the dam I fill these bags with sand Every young boy, woman And every man Has got to lend a hand
Now it ain't no old wife's tale It ain't no fable Payback is coming around The hourglass Sitting there on the table Filled on both sides now
The work is potluck I grab a hatchet Now, wearing a glove that fits You can't take a punch Well, you might as well quit Won't matter how hard you hit
I roll your sleeves up Shovel the land I rise up and learn how to stand Now, you're a toothless woman Or a one armed man You too got to lend a hand
We're losing daylight You got to be swift You ain't got brains Yeah, you can lift
Now, be an optimist See the glass half full You don't got a life What you got, eat it
And when your father gets home Gonna turn on the lights We're up to our throats in knifes Those eyes will flash And his teeth will grind He'll say, "You're on your own, look alive"
Suppose I quit shooting My wayward tribe Whatever would you do? Now take me to Hades Or take me to Memphis Just don't take me for one of you
I roll your sleeves up The fat lady sang Now, grab your buckets and cans Come over the border Your papers in order You too got to lend a hand
I roll your sleeves up I hold back the dam I fill these bags with sand Every young boy, woman And every tired old man You too got to lend a hand