Pa worked the steel mill after his days in the mines
Carried my sister, mother and me on shoulders made of granite and lime
I'm sixteen and midnight-turn, foreman on the floor
Ann and me, we'd rest easy
When we heard him walk back through the screen door
Mama always pray, before she'd bed down in her quilts
She'd fix him up with whatever crumbs
And a Bible verse stuffed in his lunch pail
He took every shift that he could wrap his hands around
Because his way to keep the wolves away
Was to cut their tongues out before they howl
Grind till' the end of your days
Like somebody's coming to take it away
Don't waste your precious time, don't sit around, don't wait to die
Grind till' the end of your life, lay it all out, leave nothing behind
Rest not too easy in bed
There'll be time for sleeping when you're dead
Grind till' the end of your days
Like somebody's coming to take it away
Don't waste your precious time, don't sit around, don't wait to die
Grind till' the end of your life, lay it all out, leave nothing behind
Rest not too easy in bed
There'll be time for sleeping when you're dead