10000 Maniacs - Dust Bowl lyrics

[ music: robert buck/words: natalie merchant ]<br><br><br>I should know to leave them home.<br>They follow me through the store with these toys I can't afford.<br>Kids, take them back, you know better than that.<br>Dolls that talk, astronauts, t.v. games, airplanes, they don't understand and how can I explain? <br>I try and try but I can't save.<br>Pennies, nickels, dollars slip away.<br>I've tried and tried but I can't save.<br><br>My youngest girl has bad fever, sure.<br>All night with alcohol to cool and rub her down.<br>Ruby, I'm tired, try and get some sleep.<br>I'm adding doctor's fees to remedies with the cost of three day's work lost.<br>I try and try but I can't save.<br>Pennies, nickels, dollars slip away.<br>I've tried and tried but I can't save.<br>The hole in my pocketbook is growing.<br><br>There's a new wind blowing they say, it's gonna be a cold, cold one.<br>So brace yourselves my darlings, it won't bring anything much our way but more dust bowl days.<br><br>I played a card in this weeks game.<br>Took the first and the last letters in three of their names.<br>This lottery's been building up for weeks.<br>I could be lucky me with the five million prize, tears of disbelief spilling out of my eyes.<br>I try and try but I can't save.<br>Pennies, nickels, dollars slip away.<br>I've tried and tried but I can't save.<br>The hole in my pocketbook is growing.<br><br>There's a new wind blowing they say, it's gonna be a cold, cold one.<br>So brace yourselves my darlings, it won't bring anything much our way but more dust bowl days.