Collection of Irish Song Lyrics
Ordinary Man
I'm an ordinary man, nothin' special nothin' grand
I had to work for everything I own
I never asked for a lot I was happy with what I got
enought to keep my family and my home
now they say that times are hard and they've handed me my card
they say there's not the work to go around
and when the whistle blows, the gates will finally close
tonight they're going to shut this factory down
*and they'll tear it down
well I never missed a day, nor went on strike for better pay
for twenty years I gave them the best I could
with a handshake and a check it's so easy to forget
the loyalty through the bad times and the good
now the owner says he's sad to see that things have got so bad
but the captain's of industry won't let him loose
but still he drives a car, and smokes his big cigars
still he takes his family on a cruise
*he'll never lose
now it seems to be such a cruel irony, he's richer now than he ever was before
now my check is spent and I can't afford the rent
there's one law for the rich, one for the poor
and everyday I try to salvage, so of my pride
to find some work so I might pay my way
but everywhere I go, the answer's always ,"No"
there's no work for anyone here today
*no work today
here condemned I stand just an ordinary man, like thousands before me in the queue
I watch my darlin' wife, tryin' to make the best of life
God knows what the kids are goin' to do
now that we are faced, with this human waste
a generation cast aside
as long as I live, I never will forgive
they've stripped me of my dignity and pride
*they've stripped me bare, they've stripped me bare
