Key: G
Introduction:
G D G C
Brother, you know we're all in this alone,
C D C D
Take what you can get, break all but your bones
G D G C
And when they finally ask you "well, what have you done?"
C G D G
Say "life is a game and I've won, yes I've won.
C D G
Say "life is a game and I've won!"
G D G C
You gave the asphalt a heave and then looked back at me,
C D C D
Said "that is a word from the wise ones indeed"
G D G C
When you've been here this long, one day you belong
C G D G
One day you wake up and forget what seemed wrong.
G D G D
And the first day of May, well it quietly passed by,
G C D
And the bosses still reign five to nine.
G D G C
And you curse when I say words like "living" and "wage"
C G D G
You say "I made my house outta mud, so should they.
G D G
Now the ball field is level, let's play!"
G D G C
I think of the bullets, the blood, and the rage
C D C D
That went in there to stir up the eight hour day
G D G C
Seems the masters have found themselves new rats to cage
C D G
And the price for a union is great
G D G C
Well they gave her a raise so they raised up her rent
C D C D
She says "I'll never burst from this box that I'm in!"
G D G C
But she's too scared to talk, to step off the sidewalk,
C G D G
So she shrugs it all off as the luck of the draw
G D G C
And the labor you cry that's been robbed from your kind
C D
With dirt on your hands and sweat in your eyes
G D
If the fortunate son really wants to eat dust,
C D
Well I'm sure there's a good chance he'll be hired
G C G C D
There's a million stories of the crimes left to rot
G C G C D
But I never will raise as long as I sleep on the job
G D G C
Oh yeah, you say "brother, you know, we're all in this alone
C D C D
Take what you can get, break all but your bones
G D G C
And when they finally ask us well what have you done?"
C D G
Say "life is a game and I'm done!"