We've all seen the man at the liquor store
beggin' for your change
The hair on his face is dirty, dreadlocked and full of mange
He asked a man for what he could spare with shame in his eyes
«Get a job, you fuckin' slob»'s all he replied
God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in his shoes
'Cause then you really might know what it's like
to sing the blues
Then you really might know what it's like
Mary got pregnant from a kid named Tom
who said he was in love
He said, «Don't worry about a thing, baby doll, I'm the man you've been dreamin' of.»
But three months later he said he won't date her
or return her call
And she sweared, «God damn if I find that man I'm
cuttin' off his balls.»
And then she heads for the clinic and she gets some static
walkin' through the door.
They call her a killer, and they call her a sinner,
and they call her a whore
God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in her shoes
'Cause then you really might know what it's like
to have to choose
Then you really might know what it's like
I've seen a rich man beg
I've seen a good man sin
I've seen a tough man cry
I've seen a loser win
And a sad man grin
I heard an honest man lie
I've seen the good side of bad
And the down side of up
And everything between
I licked the silver spoon
Drank from the golden cup
Smoked the finest green
I stroked the baddest dimes
At least a couple of times
Before I broke their heart
You know where it ends
Yo, it usually depends
On where you start
I knew this kid named Max
He used to get fat stacks
Out on the corner with drugs
He liked to hang out late
He liked to get shit faced
And keep pace with thugs
Until late one night
There was a big gun fight
Max lost his head
He pulled out his Chrome .45
Talked some shit
And wound up dead
And now his wife and his kids
Are caught in the midst
Of all of his pain
You know it comes that way
At least that's what they say
When you play the game
God forbid you ever had to wake up
to hear the news
'Cause then you really might know what it's like to have to lose
Then you really might know what it's like
To have to lose…