Intro: C5  G5  C5  G5  

 C5
Upon this lowly railroad spike my hammer swung and fell. 
 G5
Down the mighty Mississipp' where the raging waters swell. 
 C5
In the corner of that factory, a dark man-made hell, 
 G5
I'll be sitting there in my snare making what they sell. 


 C5
With a silver spoon breaking my teeth, 
 E5                    G5
the boys on the line working just to eat. 
 C5                    G5              D5
Are you picturing the stories that I sing? 
   C5
A child working day and night, 
   E5                   G5
a father turned into a ghostly sight, 
  C5                     G5                  D5
the wage slave knows so well that hopeless strain 
 C5                G5          D5    (pause)
of a poor man just trying to remain 

as he pays his toll of pain. 

E5 G5 D5 E5 C5 D5

C5
From the dear old age of Adam 
 G5
to the workers of Boaz, 
 C5
We've been doomed to sing this crazy song, 
 G5                     D5
yet it's made me who I am. 

 C5
From the steel workers in Pittsburgh,
 G5
to the trucker and his load, 
 C5
all feeding that old fat cat 
 G5
just hoping he'll explode. 


 C5
With a silver spoon breaking my teeth, 
 E5                    G5
the boys on the line working just to eat. 
 C5                    G5              D5
Are you picturing the stories that I sing? 
   C5
A child working day and night, 
   E5                   G5
a father turned into a ghostly sight, 
  C5                     G5                  D5
the wage slave knows so well that hopeless strain 
 C5                G5          D5    (pause)
of a poor man just trying to remain 

as he pays his toll of pain. 

E5 G5 D5 E5 C5 D5

 E5                    G5         D5
We've been working for far too long. 
 E5                                       G5         D5
We've been doomed to hear this lowly song for our sons. 
 E5                       G5         D5
Our sweat must be working just to fall. 
 C5                  G5        D5
I'm a slave to that whistle call. 
 C5                  G5        D5
I'm a slave to that whistle call. 

(Quiet down)

C5
From the dear old age of Adam 
 G5
to the workers of Boaz, 
 C5
We've been doomed to sing this crazy song, 
 G5                     D5
yet it's made me who I am. 
 C5
From the steel workers in Pittsburgh,
 E5                     G5
to the trucker and his load, 
 C5                      
all feeding that old fat cat 
 G5
just hoping he'll explode. 


 C5
With a silver spoon breaking my teeth, 
 E5                    G5
the boys on the line working just to eat. 
 C5                    G5              D5
Are you picturing the stories that I sing? 
   C5
A child working day and night, 
   E5                   G5
a father turned into a ghostly sight, 
  C5                     G5                  D5
the wage slave knows so well that hopeless strain 
 C5                G5          D5    (pause)
of a poor man just trying to remain 

as he pays his toll of pain. 

(back to norm speed)

E5 G5 D5 E5 C5 D5 (3X)
 
 E5                     G5       D5
We've been working for far too long. 
 E5                             G5                  D5
We've been doomed to hear this crazy song for our sons.
 E5                  G5             D5
Our sweat must be working just to fall.
 C5                  G5       D5
I'm a slave to that whistle call. 
 C5                  G5       D5
I'm a slave to that whistle call. 
         Em (ring out)
I'm a slave.