My Old Man

[Verse 1]
My old man was a good old man
Skilled in the molding trade
In the stinking heat of the iron foundry
My old man was made
Down on his knees in the molding sand
He wore his trade like a company brand
He was one of Cyclops' smokey band
Yes that was my old man

[Verse 2]
My old man wasn't really old
It's just that I was young
And anyone o'er twelve years old
Was halfway to the tomb
He was loyal to his workmates all his life
Gave over his pay-pack to his wife
He'd have a few jars on a Saturday night
Yes that was my old man

[Verse 3]
My old man was a union man
Worked hard all his days
He understood the system
And was wise to the boss's ways
He said "if you want what's yours by right
You'll have to struggle with all your might
They'll rob you blind if you don't fight them"
That was my old man

[Verse 4]
My old man was a proud old man
At home on the foundry floor
Until the day they laid him off
And showed him out the door
They gave him his card, said, "times are slack
We found a machine that has the knack
Of doing your job, so don't come back"
The end of my old man

[Verse 5]
My old man was fifty-one
What was he to do?
A molding craftsman on the dole
In 1952
He felt he'd given all he could give
So he did what thousands of others did
He abandoned hope and the will to live
It killed him, my old man

[Verse 6]
My old man is dead and gone
And I am your old man
And my advice to you, my child
Is to fight back while you can
Beware of the man with the silicon chip
Hold on to your job with a good firm grip
'Cause if you don't, you've cashed your chips
The same as my old man
'Cause if you don't, you've cashed your chips
The same as my old man