| All around I hear the sound of money | 
| But I ain’t got a nickel to my name | 
| And everywhere I look I see temptation | 
| She stands on every corner and calls my name | 
| Won’t you tell me if you can | 
| 'Cause life’s so hard to understand | 
| Why’s the rich man busy dancing | 
| While the poor man pays the band | 
| Oh, they’re billing me for killing me | 
| Lord, have mercy on the working man | 
| Uncle Sam’s got his hands in my pockets | 
| And he helps himself each time he needs a dime | 
| Them politicians treat me like a mushroom | 
| 'Cause they feed me bull and keep me in the blind | 
| Won’t you tell me if you can | 
| 'Cause life’s so hard to understand | 
| Why’s the rich man busy dancing | 
| While the poor man pays the band | 
| Oh, they’re billing me for killing me | 
| Lord, have mercy on the working man | 
| Hey, St. Peter, look down for a minute | 
| And see this little man about to drown | 
| There’s quicksand all around and man I’m in it | 
| Please help me up Lord, 'cause I’m going down | 
| Won’t you tell me if you can | 
| 'Cause life’s so hard to understand | 
| Why’s the rich man busy dancing | 
| While the poor man pays the band | 
| Oh, they’re billing me for killing me | 
| Lord, have mercy on the working man | 
| Won’t you tell me if you can | 
| 'Cause life’s so hard to understand | 
| Why’s the fat man busy dancing | 
| While the thin man pays the band | 
| Oh, they’re billing me for killing me | 
| Lord, have mercy on the working man | 
| Please Lord, have mercy on the working man | 
| Please Lord, have mercy on the working man… |