"Work Makes Free" lyrics - ANAIS MITCHELL

The bedroom window view of chestnuts says it's morning
It's still dark and it's snowing
The floor is cold and the bed is warm
It's almost time I was going
I put my wet boots on and walk on down
To the diner at the edge of Chinatown
The guys in hardhats will come in out of the cold
They want some coffee, they want something warm to hold
Old Man Peter says he's ready to retire
He's taking off his yellow hat
Hasn't had a sick day since the day that we was hired
And it's like he prides himself on that
He's through with nursing children
And unruly dreams
He nurses bottles now and wounds and other things
Could somebody take this weight off of my head
'Cause if I was not awake I would just stay in bed

I'm gonna quit this job 'cause I get nervous
When I start to feel obliged
I'm gonna quit my job 'cause Peter never did
And I don't think he ever tried
Too many hours of overtime
Too many scratch-offs of the ones that didn't win
Too many prostitutes and destitutes
Just waiting to get back in the black again, again
But what if when we're born
They lock the gate and toss the key
Behind the sign that says
Work Makes Free
And all I can say
Is that I pray that is not me
Not me
Not me, not me, not me
Could somebody take this weight off of my head
'Cause if I was not awake I would just stay in bed