Greg Brown
Just a Bum
[Verse 1]
I saw a man, he's a well-dressed man
He had a tan from the Yucatan
He had a car, he looked like a star
I said, "Hey, don't I know who you are?"
But when he glanced into my eyes
I saw, yes, I saw was such a big surprise

[Chorus]
That he's afraid that he's just a bum
Someday when all his stuff is gone and he's left without a dime
Time ain't money when all you got is time
And you can see him
Standin' on the corner with the nine-day beard and the bright red eyes

[Verse 2]
I know a guy, he's a pal of mine
I said, "Hey", he said, "I'm doin' fine
I'm movin' up the ladder, rung, rung, rung
I'm gonna get my million while I am still young"
But at night when he's had a few
His eyes say different than his tongue

[Chorus]
They say I'm afraid that I'm just a bum
Someday when all my stuff is gone and I'm left without a dime
Time ain't money when all you got is time
And I can see me
Standin' on the corner with my nine-day beard and my bright red eyes
Goin' hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Come on, listen to my story, man, hey, hey, hey, hey
Aw, come on, hey
[Verse 3]
Some people live to work and work to live
Any little tremble and the earth might give
You can't hide it in a Volvo or a London Fog
Can't hide it in a mansion with an imported dog
No matter how we plan and rehearse
We're at pink slip's mercy in a paper universe

[Chorus]
And we're afraid that we're just a bum
Someday when all our stuff is gone and we're left without a dime
Time ain't money when all you got is time
And we can see us
Standin' on the corner with our nine-day beards and our bright red eyes
Goin' hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey
Come on, listen to our story now, hey
Hey, hey, hey
Come on, hey

[Verse 4]
The man of sorrow is acquainted with grief
He stands in line waiting for relief
He will tell ya it wasn't always this way
One bad little thing happened one bad little day
Heartbreak has bad teeth and a sour smell
And it lives when he can in a cheap hotel
[Chorus]
And he's afraid that he's just a bum
Someday when all his stuff is gone and he's left without a dime
Time ain't money when all you got is time
And you can see him
Standin' on the corner with the nine-day beard and the bright red eyes
Goin' hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Oh, listen to my story please, hey, hey, hey, hey
Oh, hey