In the shadows of the smokestacks
Through the black snow, that lay on the land
Walked home one winter morning
With my live savings in my hand
Maryanne, sheВґs fixinВґ up some breakfast
Got the lights on, on the christmas tree
SittinВґ there, lookinВґ up at an angel
With something dyinВґ 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 itВґs much worse than that
Maryanne, she takinВґ in some laundry
I got a part time job in a drive-in stand
Oh lord, what did I do
To deserve these empty hands?
Chorus:
Across the cities
Across this land
Through the valleys
And across the sand
Too many people standinВґ in line
Too many people with nothinВґ planned
ThereВґs too many people with
Empty hands
Now maryanneВґs been cryinВґ
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
YouВґve got nothing but pain
Just makes a man not give a dammn
ThatВґs no way for us to live
WeВґve got to fill these empty hands
Chorus:
Across the cities
Across this land
Through the valleys
And across the sand
Too many people standinВґ in line
Too many people with nothinВґ planned
ThereВґs too many people with
Empty hands