American Old Time Song Lyrics: 10 They Cant Keep The Workingman Down
Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 10
They Can't Keep the Workingman Down
Words and Music by John Fletcher.
Kind friends vour attention I'll ask for awhile,
And some facts I'll endeavor to show;.
The world is a net-work that's made very small
But it snares us as through life we go.
Of troubles and trials we all have our share.
And oft heartless men gain renown;
But the way that they do it, I'll now tell to youÂ'Tis by keeping the workingman down!
Chorus.
Then hold up your head,
And the world" never dreadÂDon't care for its sneer or its frown;
Stare fate in the face,
If vour heart's in its place?-
They can't keep the workingman down!
The man who is working his wages will spend.
With his comrades so happy and gay;
And scarcely before the week comes to an end
His wages have all passed away.
But if he would lay by a dollar or two,
And place it in some bank in town;
He would then wink his eye, tell his boys on the sly,
That he can't keep the workingman down.-Chorus.
We'll just take this house as it stands here to-night,
And compare it, for that is my plan;
The roof's aristocracy, so are the walls-
The foundation the hard-working man.
We take off the roof, and the walls still remain.
Take walls, the foundation is sound;
But you take the foundation the workingman made,
And the structure then falls to the ground!-Chorus.