Blue Collar Ballad - Sweatshop Union

Well he’s a well dressed man

With his well pressed pants

Buying ethical funds, crushing helpless ants

Walking like he won the sweepstakes

Carrying his briefcase

Wonder if his wife liked marrying this cheap skate

But he’s great to talk to, if you’re wearing a suit too

Might spend a sec pretending to be caring what you do

But you knew, as I do, that who’s who is vital

He’s the face behind the desk who will choose to deny you

A chance to taste the paradise, appetise

Then mask the face, that paradise a disguise

Compassion lost for these high fashion costs

Five hundred dollar shoes and a Macintosh

I’m, laughing softly, just waxing lobbies

Pretending I don’t notice and, acting snobby

Just mopping the floors here

And I’ve been here four years

Before this I was equal, just like you pour beers

Down your throats, go home and beat your wives

I’ve heard all your stories, you can keep your lies

And, keep your 'Hi's' and 'Hello's' and 'Goodbyes'

And your condescending point of view, sir

Who the hell you think I am?

I thank God for what I got, but I take what I can get

I trade away my time and talent trying to balance paychecks

My painting is sub-par, I find it hard to stay alive

I know your (feet sitting?) high, but how many will survive

So I strive from 9−5 for my minimum wage

And in this blue collar charade, I just seem to get played

Afraid you’ll think nothing of it, I’m just a workforce puppet

The pot is boiling over, I’m at the point of saying fuck it

Love it or leave it, it’s life as we perceive it

Believing it or not, we all work as if we need it

Seems that respect is at an all time low

Not an ounce of elbow room, but we’re all trying to grow

And I may only be a stones throw, from where I am trying to go

But these seeds we need to sow before we achieve gold

And the older I turn, the more I start to learn

Yet the less today I earn, curse the work in hell I burn

(Employer) Sure has changed, these days it seems everyone’s scared of a little

hard work.

The world would be a better place, if everyone worked more harder.

Give up your breaks, give up your personal freedom.

You too, will have a life

of success

We all try to break bread, but its hard to stay fed

Another large number paycheck today gets wasted

Amazed at the haste at which we pass day to day

Dreaming of the things we’d do if we had major pay

Slave away and starve, play the game and live large

I once hid scars as a kid, now we are

Grown folk, with our own hopes and goals now

Sold by the gallon, talent flows and know-how

Hope to slow down, provoke the whole town

Hard to fill dreams with these jobs we hold now

So hold your cold frown, don’t be a nerdy clerk

Who the hell you think I am?

Do your own dirty work

Who the hell you think I am?

(Employer) Al.

I’ve been reviewing your file.

(Employee) Yeah?

(Employer) You’ve been with the company, four years now

(Employee) Yeah, about four years.

So what?

(Employer) For all four years, I get nothing but complaints about you

(Employee) Complaints about me?

(Employer) You don’t show up at work, you don’t take pride in your job

(Employee) Ah, Christ.

(Employer) You think you’re something special?

(Employee) Pshhhh

(Employer) There are a million and one other people out there just like you

(Employee) Just like me, right?

Yeah, I’m sorry I couldn’t make you happy, sir.

You want me to, get off my break and stop eating, maybe.

shine this floor up

nice for you.

you know, take some pride in my work.

or you know,

make you a little more happy, maybe that would make your day, would it?

(Employer) That’s enough.

Just get your belongings, and leave

(Employee) Leave?

(Employer) Or security will have to escort you from the building

(Employee) Escort.

What?

Fuck you then man!

I QUIT!