Lend a Hand

Blackbird sitting on an open gate

Cattle out walking the plains

West wind blowing waist-high wheat

Sideways in the rain

Bloodhounds spent, can't get no trail

There ain't no sign of man

Wanna get ourselves on the straight and the narrow

Gonna need a better plan

Oh roll your sleeves up

Hold back the dam

Now fill these bags with sand

Every young boy, woman, and every man

Has got to lend a hand

It ain't no wives tale, it ain't no fable

Payback is coming around

The hourglass is sitting there on the table

Filled on both sides now

The work is potluck, grab a hatchet

Now wear any glove that fits

You can't take a punch, well you might as well quit

Won't matter how hard you hit

Roll your sleeves up

Shovel the land

Rise up and learn how to stand

Now you're a toothless woman or a one-armed man

You too got to lend a hand

We're losing daylight, you've got to be swift

You ain't got brains, then you can lift

Now be an optimist, see the glass half full

You don't got to like what you've got in it

Now when your father gets home

Gonna turn on the lights

We're up to our throats in knives

Now his eyes will flash and his teeth will grind

He'll say: "You're on your own, look alive"

Suppose I quit you, my wayward tribe

Whatever would you do?

Now take me to Hades or take me to Memphis

Just don't take me for one of you

Now roll your sleeves up

The fat lady sang

Now grab your buckets and cans

Come over the border

Your papers in order

You too got to lend a hand

Now roll your sleeves up

I'll hold back the dam

I'll fill these bags with sand

Every young boy, woman, every tired old man

You too got to lend a hand