two packs of cigarettes a day

the strongest whiskey

kentucky can make

that's a recipe to put a vagabond

on his hands and knees

i watched it all up close,

i knew him more than most

i saw a side of him he never showed

full of sympathy for a world that

wouldn't let him be



that's the man he was,

have you heard enough?



what a shame, what a shame,

to judge a life that you can't change

the choir sings, the church bells ring

so, won't you give this man his wings?

what a shame to have to beg you to

see we're not all the same

what a shame



there's a hard life for every silver spoon

there's a touch of grey for every shade

of blue

that's the way that i see life

if there was nothing wrong,

then there'd be nothing right

and for this working man they say could

barely stand

there's gotta be a better place to land

some kind of remedy for a world that

wouldn't let him be



that's the man he was,

have you heard enough?



what a shame, what a shame,

to judge a life that you can't change

the choir sings, the church bells ring

so, won't you give this man his wings?

what a shame to have to beg you to

see we're not all the same

what a shame



god forgive the hands that laid you down

they never knew how, but your broken

heart can break the sound

and change the season

now the leaves are falling faster,

happily ever after

you gave me hope through your endeavors

and now you will live forever



what a shame, what a shame,

to judge a life that you can't change

the choir sings, the church bells ring

so, won't you give this man his wings?

what a shame to have to beg you to

see we're not all the same

what a shame, what a shame

'cause we're not all the same

what a shame, what a shame

'cause we're not all the same