There was a time

A simpler time

When a man could be sure of where he stood

I used to work at the yard

Working honest and hard

The hours were long but the pay was good



I had a family and friends

So many friends

We'd drive to the lake on holidays

Back then it wasn't so dear

For a sandwich or beer

At night I still dream I can see their faces



Certain things that you depend upon

There are places that you know

And the faces of America

Oh, where did they go?

Where did they go?



I was born on a farm

A midwestern farm

I rode on the tractor with my dad

And though we never had much

It was always enough

And we made the best of what we had



Then came four years of drought

And the bottom dropped out

My father was broken like the rest

I can still see his hands

Signing over his lands

And the bankers grow fat on the flesh

of the dispossessed



Certain things that you depend upon

There are places I can go

I sift the ashes of America

For someplace I used to

(someplace I used to)

Someplace I used to

(someplace I used to)

Someplace I used to know



There was a time

A simpler time

When a man could be sure of where he stood

I used to work at the yard

Working honest and hard

The hours were long but the pay was oh

so good



Certain things that you depend upon

I used to think were guaranteed

Like the right of every man to work

And feed his family

And feed his family

And the faces of America

Seem so distant and estranged

Have their eyes become too blind to see

How much their hearts have changed?

(how much their hearts)

How much their hearts have changed?

(how much their hearts)

How much their hearts have changed?