I was a boy
I was a good little boy
Wantin' in the playground fun
They said na na nay
Boy you can’t play
'Cause you were born a poor man’s son
I met a girl
She was a pretty little girl
Would you be my only one
She said meet me where nobody can see
'Cause you were born a poor man’s son
I spend all my lifetime thinkin' what I coulda done
Then I work my fingers to the bone
I met a man
He was a business man
Said I’m a hard workin' son of a gun
He said you know the rules you shoulda stayed in school
But you were born a poor man’s son
I spend all my lifetime thinkin' what I coulda done
Then I work my fingers to the bone
I met a guy
He was a crazy guy
He said I’m gonna get me some
Let’s go across the tracks where they keep the jack
All we need is a little black gun
They got the hounds and they tracked us down
They said we know what you have done
You’re gonna do the time it’s gonna fit the crime
You shoulda shot a poor man’s son
You shoulda shot a poor man’s son
You shoulda shot a poor man’s son