Work Makes Free

Lyrics

[Verse 1] The bedroom window view of chestnuts says it's morning It's still dark and it's snowing The floor is cold and the bed is warm It's almost time I was going, going I put my wet boots on and walk on down To the diner at the edge of Chinatown And the guys in hardhats will come in out of the cold And they want some coffee, they want something warm to hold [Verse 2] Old Man Peter says he's ready to retire As he's taking off his yellow hat Hasn't had a sick day since the day that he was hired And it's like he prides himself on that He's through with nursing children and unruly dreams, yeah He nurses bottles now and wounds and other things Now could somebody take this weight off of my head? 'Cause if I was not awake, oh, I would just stay in bed, oh, yeah [Verse 3] I'm gonna quit this job 'cause I get nervous When I start to feel obliged I'm gonna quit my job 'cause Peter never did And I don't think he ever tried, oh no Too many hours of overtime Too many scratch-offs of the ones that didn't win Too many prostitutes and destitutes Just waiting to get back in the black again, again But what if when we're born They lock the gate and toss the key, ah Behind the sign that says that "Work makes free"? And all I can say is that I pray that is not me Not me, not me, not me, not me [Outro] Now could somebody take this weight off of my head? 'Cause if I was not awake, oh, I would just stay in bed, oh, yeah