Ordinary Man

I'm an ordinary man, nothing special nothing grand I've had to work for everything I own I never asked for a lot, I was happy with what I got Enough to keep my family and my home They say that times are hard and they've handed me my cards They say there's not the work to go around But when the whistle blows, the gates will finally close Tonight they're going to shut this factory down Then they'll tear it down I never missed a day nor went on strike for better pay For twenty years I served them best I could Now with a handshake and a cheque it seems so easy to forget Loyalty through the bad times and through good The owner says he's sad to see that things have got so bad But the captains of industry won't let him lose He still smokes his cigar and he drives a brand new car And still he takes his family on a cruise, he'll never lose It seems to me such a cruel irony He's richer now then he ever was before And now my cheque is spent, I can't afford the rent There's one law for the rich, one law for the poor Every day I've tried to salvage some of my pride To find some work so's I might pay my way Oh but everywhere I go, the answer's always no No work for anyone here today, no work today No work today And so condemned I stand, an ordinary man Like thousands beside me in the queue I watch my darling wife trying to make the best of life And God knows what the kids are going to do Now we are faced with this human waste A generation cast aside For as long as I live, I never will forgive You've stripped me of my dignity and pride, you've stripped me bare You've stripped me bare No work today No work today