Song Lyrics

G B7 Em E7
So you tell me that your last good dollar is gone
A D G
and you say that your pockets are bare.
G B7 Em E7
And you tell me that your clothes are tattered and torn
A A7 D
and nobody seems to care.

B7 Em
Now don't tell me your troubles,
A D G
no I don't have the time to spare.
B7 Em E7
But if you want to get together and fight
A D G
good buddy that's what I want to hear.

And you tell me that your job was taken away
by a big ol' greasy machine.
And you tell me that you don't collect no more pay
and your belly is growing lean.

Now if I had the jobs to give
you know I'd give them all away.
But don't waste your breath calling out my name
if you don't have nothing to say.

And you tell me that you don't have nothing to do
and you keep on wasting your time.
And you say when you want to get your family some food
you gotta stand in a relief line.

Now it's a sin and a bloody shame
'bout the way they're pushing you 'round.
But when you decide not to take no more
you know I'll put my money down.

'Cause I've seen your kind many times before
And I'll see 'em many times again.
Oh but every bad thing that's happened to you
has happened to better men.

So don't explain that you've lost your way
that you've got no place to go.
You've got a hand and a voice and you're not alone
Brother that's all you need to know.

And if you're still wondering what I'm trying to say
let me tell you what it's all about.
Now nobody listens to a single man
when he's walkin' 'round down and out.

So if you're looking for an answer
he's standing there by your side.
And you'll never really know how far you'll go
'til you join together and try.

(Repeat first six lines)

Phil Ochs

The duration of That's What I Want to Hear is 3:05 minutes and seconds.