Working for the Government

I've been working all day for the government
Working to earn my pay
If I don't work for the government
I won't get to eat today

If I don't work for the government
I'm told it's against the grain
Against the crowd is against fellow man
And I don't know if I can, don't know if I can

But I've got to work for the government
All my life I've done that thing
I've got pride in the work I do
If I left I don't know what that would bring

I've got to work for the government
It keeps me sane at night
Gives me reason out of chaos
Lets me feel straight and right

I've been working all day for the management
And my boss had a word with me
Seems my section is overstaffed
Redundancy may be coming my way

Sitting at home watching the fire get low
I'm wondering about my life
Wondering about my wife and children
I wonder all through the night

I'm working all day down the mineshaft
My world is black dust and cramp
When I get out I'll go to sleep
Out of this place of lamps

And my foreman tells me to work harder
And I do because of my pay
I'd rather not work for the government
But that's not for me to say

I'm working all day for the peaceman
And he tries to fill me in his gap
He's got many reasons to hold me
But he's held back by the straps

You should see the way he spills out
Down those government lines
See the venom that he spits out
At those corporation lies