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

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

So 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

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

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

Everyone lately´s scarin´ me
It´s all backdoor deals and therapy
The only callous I´ve grown is in my mind