Can't Win Lyrics - Richard Thompson

I started to cry, they put gin in my cup 

I started to crawl, and they swaddled me up 

I got up and run, they said, "Easy, son 

Play up, play the game" 

They told me to think and forget what I'd heard 

They told me to lie and they questioned my word 

They told me to fail, better sink than sail 

Just play the game 

Oh, towers will tumble and locusts will visit the land 

Oh, a curse on your house and your children and a fruit of your hand 

They said, "You can't win, you can't win 

You sweat blood, you give in 

You can't win, you can't win 

Turn the cheek, take it on the chin" 

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"And don't you dare do this, don't you dare do that 

We shoot down dreams, we stiletto in the back 

Oh the nerve of some people, the nerve of some people 

The nerve of some people, I don't know who you think you are 

Who you think you are" 

Oh, what kind of mother would hamstring her sons? 

Throw sand in their eyes and put ice on their tongues 

Ah, better to leave than stay here and grieve 

And play the game 

Don't waken the dead as you sleepwalk around 

If you have a dream, brother, hush, not a sound 

Just stand there and rust, die if you must 

But play the game 

Oh, if we can't have it 

Why should a wretch like you? 

Oh, it was drilled in our heads 

Now we drill it into your head too 

Photos 

They said, "You can't win, you can't win 

You sweat blood, you give in 

You can't win, you can't win 

Turn the cheek, take it on the chin" 

"Don't you dare do this, don't you dare do that 

We shoot down dreams, we stiletto in the back 

Oh, the nerve of some people, the nerve of some people 

The nerve of some people, I don't know who you think you are" 

The nerve of some people, the nerve of some people 

The nerve of some people, the nerve of some people 

The nerve of some people, the nerve of some people 

...