For all those millmen who cut their teeth Whose minds were made up on roof and feed I’ll come and I’ll leave Aching from a night in the city It might ruin me now, but I’d probably already be ruined For skin burned black with coal and grease That stuck to their lungs whenever they’d breathe I’ll come and I’ll leave Tempted by the lights of the city No clowning around T onight we’re going out to get ruined And I probably woulda never have thought If it weren’t written on metal That this is very old ground that you’re running from Can’t look for long, gotta be left and gone by five To be half-seas over by nine And bleeding drunk by midnight Forever indebted to the feats of our fathers But carry it on your back, it’s a sure collapse Laid out flat, gaspin’ All the trouble you attract With cause to match Would bring a quick collapse If you always had to carry that If the gear wheel goes (There’s gonna be a flood comin’) When the wallower rolls (There’s gonna be a flood comin’) Next thing you know (There’s gonna be a flood comin’ on) And the water won’t spare us (The water won’t spare us) If it comes to get us (If it comes to get us) And it won’t let up ‘til all that’s dear and precious is gone And our hearts all screech a hault Whenever there’s a flood coming on And when that flood comes it comes as a canon One that lets you catch the shot in your hands But just to send its shocking tidal wave Through every bone in your body Dealt our hands, mine’s low on luck If you’re all going out you can sign me up Seems the only time that I can collect my thoughts Is if I’m bleeding, stinking drunk (so drink up) We’ll admit in the names of our fathers But carry it on your back, it’s a sure collapse Laid out flat, gaspin’ All the trouble you attract, with cause to match Would bring a quick collapse If you always had to carry that And even though the doubt we all felt Came to prove itself The overflow came down With a force we never dreamed off When that rolling canon shot Rolls along again, our guard is up All the damage and all we’ve lost Lost it all with a canon shot
