Hey,
There's a battle tonight on the streets
Fighting the cold and the heat
Looking for somewhere to sleep
Hey,
It could happen to you or to me
Doesn't matter who you claim to be
Sometimes fate takes you down, don't you see?
I know this old man whose son will not allow him to stay
"My father died some time ago" is all that he will say
Hey,
Now he sleeps in the rain and the cold
It's too late to speak words left untold
Won't be long 'til he's gathering mold
Hey,
Wonder what his young grandson would say
To know grandfather's passing away
Somewhere out in the slums of L.A.
Turning on, the world turns darker every single day
People falling from the order into the decay
Hey,
I can't handle a job or a strain
Seems I'm constantly going insane
With no options how am I to blame?
Hey,
Wasn't lazy, just differently strung
Thought I'd wait but I waited too long
Shut me out and my chances were gone
Folks back home and friends I've known
won't bother with me now
Can't say that I blame them,
nonetheless I'm going down
Hey,
Stand for living or sit down for death
Mumble uselessly under your breath
That the rest of the world has gone deaf
Hey,
We've been treated like trash to be thrown
Don't leave us out here alone
But there's nobody listening at home
G.S., 12/30/91
(with substantial revision of "Shelter", 1/13/92)