Big Joe Tuner, Elmore James
Street survivor selling walking canes
Says: "Give your babies holy names for me"
Now I don't know, but I've been told
You never grow up, you'll never get old
You can watch the world being bought and sold
All on your T.V
Sometimes it gets a little rough
Like the wheel's made of steel going an uphill mountain
Better stand tall if you're gonna stand at all
And if you're gonna fall, well you might as well fall
Build a house, make it home
Gonna make a place where I can be alone
Don't the yard look pretty when it?s overgrown?
Standing six feet tall
This ain't right, but it's a livin'
You got to take just what you are given
'Cause luck only matters with the cards and the women
And sometimes not at all
Sometimes it gets a little rough
Like the wheel's made of steel going an uphill mountain
Better stand tall if you're gonna stand at all
And if you're gonna fall, well you might as well fall
Peeping Tom said to Madame Rose:
I've seen you already without your clothes,
now what I suggest, honey what I propose is that
you see me without mine?
Tell John Henry and Cassius Clay
Swinging iron for a living is a hell of a way
But whatever you do don't let your hammer stray
I believe we'll be just fine
Sometimes it gets a little rough
Like the wheel's made of steel going an uphill mountain
Better stand tall if you're gonna stand at all
And if you're gonna crawl, well you might as well crawl