"Breadline Blues 2008" lyrics - GILLIAN WELCH

The latest news
Has struck me funny
Says you have no friends
If you haven't got money

And all of us
Good folks are in distress
But I'm gonna get something off my chest
1932 won't be long
And when you place your vote
Please don't vote wrong
Vote away those blues
Those breadline blues

It's the rich man's job
To make some rules
In order to rid
Our breadline blues

Now listen here folks
And it ain't no joke
We've got to do something
Or we're all gonna croak

We can't get a job
We've all been robbed
We've got no money
And the corn's all cobbed

We've nothing but the blues
The breadline blues

If we had state rights
I leave it to you
We could all have safe and better home brew
Said the long earred mule
Standing over the box
To the big mouthed elephant
"You drink like an ox"
You had eight years
Proved nothin' but a curse
Instead of making it better
Gettin' worse and worse
Said the long earred mule
"I ain't no fool"

The elephant said
To the long earred mule
Well shut your mouth
You've never been to school
Well the mule said
"Elephant it ain't no joke"
We better do something
Or we're all gonna croak
We're struggling to keep our head
Above water
But we're drowning in debt
From the government order

It's the same old blues
Those breadline blues

The latest news
Has struck me funny
Says you have no friends
If you haven't got money

And all of us
Good folks are in distress
But I'm gonna get something off my chest
2008 won't be long
And when you place your vote
Please don't vote wrong
Vote away those blues
Those breadline blues