Don't let em take it all away
it's getting harder every day
brothers, sisters, hear me say
'til my very dying day
I'm down on my luck
i'm out on the streets
i'm at wits end and i've nearly been beat
see they've taken my home
they've taken my wife
they've taken my job
and they've taken my life
but there's one thing that they will not take
that i will hold til the end
until my dying day
'cause it's part of me
and it's time that we say
they will not take it all away!
I'm pounding the pavement
through thick and thin
good times and bad
you know i just can't win
i've been beat on, kicked on, insulted to my face
the whole bleedin' world thinks i'm a bleedin' disgrace
yeah they can own my body but they'll never own my mind
so they better face the facts, 'cause now is the time
'till we all join hands, and all of us say
they will not take it all away
Since the day i was born
i've been runnin' uphill
i work my fingers to the bone
just to get my fill
and they still want more
it's getting harder everyday
until there's nothing left
until they take it all away