[Verse 1]

No one on this side of town

Knows a good place for a boy to drown

They look at me so strange when I talk

I wish I was a tradesman

Learnin' from some beat down old layman

On some hillside they ain't named yet

Sleepin' next to mountain fire smoke

[Verse 2]

And everyone lately's scarin' me

It's all backdoor deals and therapy

The only callous I've grown is in my mind

I wish I was a tradesman

Playin' with some tuned up tired string band

Somewhere out by the badlands

Way past closin' time

[Chorus]

So if you wanna trade, I'd say it's a hard earned mile

Wanna sweat likе hell, throw a hammer down

And know the old feelin' of a fivе o'clock smile

And know I didn't take no easy way out

[Verse 3]

There's somethin' more that I need

Than accolades and sympathy

Fatiguin' in the summer heat

While they smoke big cigars

So give me somethin' I can't fake

That rich boys can't manipulate

Somethin' real that they can't take

'Cause, Lord, I'm not your star

[Chorus]

If you wanna trade, I'd say it's a hard earned mile

Wanna sweat like hell, throw a hammer down

And know the old feelin' of a five o'clock smile

And know I didn't take no easy way out

[Outro]

Everyone lately's scarin' me

It's all backdoor deals and therapy

The only callous I've grown is in my mind