Generation Blues

Down in the basement of an empty house Selling darkness is an easy pitch Passing a torch, long-burned out Hoping nobody flips the switch Cold cinders in my hands, cinders in my pockets God help me, I remember the flame Well, the warmth of the embers was gone when I got it But I got it just the same It's just too far to go in these hand-me-down shoes Generation blues Well, my father was a general pain in the ass And I was a private disgrace I must've huffed a lot of chemicals polishing the brass 'Cause I never could act my age Yeah, choir boys, flyboys, look-you-in-the eye-boys Talkin' how the war was won A black and white photo of the soda pop king Grinning like a son of a gun And it's just too far to go in these hand-me-down shoes Generation blues Angels fly but a saint's gotta walk Gotta wake up in the morning and choose Take a little sugar, take a little salt Go make it on the avenue I got a key in my hand, a key in my pocket Looking for a room with a view Well, the doors unhinged and there ain't no lock And no telling now who's coming through It's just too far to go in these hand-me-down shoes Generation blues Well, the trash got tossed while I was sleeping Look what these kids can do What's lost wasn't worth the cost of keeping So let's just start anew I got nothing in my hands, nothing in my pockets I threw away the little that's left Well, if you ain't tried it don't try to knock it There's better things up ahead It's just too far to go in these hand-me-down shoes Generation blues