empty hands
Singer: john mellencamp
in the shadows of the smokestacks
through the black snow that lay on the land
walked home one winter morning
with my life's savings in my hand
maryanne
she's fixin' up some breakfast
got the lights on
on the christmas tree
sittin' there lookin' up at an angel
with something dyin' inside of me
grew up with great expectations
heard the promise and i knew the plan
they say people get what they deserve
but lord
sometimes it's much worse than that
maryanne she's takin' in some laundry
i got a part-time job at a drive-in stand
oh lord
what did i do
to deserve these empty hands
across the cities
across this land
through the valleys
and across the sand
to many people standin' in line
too many people with nothin' planned
there's too many people with empty hands
now maryanne's been cryin'
lord knows i love her the best i can
when my pride is bruised and broken
she slips her hand into my empty hands
without hope
without love
you've got nothing but pain
just makes a man not give a damn
that's no way for us to live
we've got to fill these empty hands