To My Blue Collar Roots

Back When Dogs Could Talk

Wayne Kramer

Back in the day when dogs could talk

In the soft white belly of the beast

Dairy queen madmen chased the girls

And muscle cars ruled the streets.

Back in the day when dogs could talk

Dared to dream of something more

Not a place on the line to punch in time

Owe your soul to the company store.

Back when dogs could talk

Back when dogs could talk

In a chevy coupe we cruised and schemed

To rule the world thru rock and roll

And laughed till our sides ached at what we saw

And hoped we'd live before we got old.

Back in the day when dogs could talk

Dropped plenty acid, listened to coltrane

Pissed off our parents, angered the police

With guns and guitars both loud and profane.

J.Edgar Hoover's got his panties in a bunch

As the white panthers rise to the occasion

In black leather jackets and M-1 carbines

Reefer smoking and slogans blazing.

Not that I want to turn back the clock

Back to the day when dogs could talk

Were doing righteous work, we cannot be stopped

Back in the day when dogs could talk.

This goes out to all the people
that make their money

By the sweat of their brow

This goes out to all my blue collar workers,

All my loading dock workers,

All my carpenters, my plumbers,

My assembly line workers, my united auto workers,

Postal workers, city sanitation men,

Cab drivers, bartenders, waitresses,

All my state and federal employees,

My food service workers, gardeners,

Day laborers, tool and die workers,

Auto mechanics, child care workers,

Musicians and road crews,

Your’e the salt of the earth,

And I love you.

You are somebody.