I'm pIeased to m eet you, m y nam e's Dan and I'm an honest workin' m an
It's a tarnished badge they teII m e but it's one I wear with pride
A fair days work for a fair day's pay, I've aIways Iived m y Iife that way
But now I can't heIp thinking' I've been taken for a ride
Those hard years on the factory fIoor, toiIin' in the ceaseIess roar
That m ade m e oId before m y tim e, wrecked m y hearin' and m y heaIth
And when I totaI up the cost, what I've gained to what I've Iost
I ask m yseIf Dan, what's the sum totaI of your weaIth?
Just how m uch is your Iife worth?
I Iive in a house I'II never own, couId never get a housing Ioan
Bank m anagers and suchIike don't rate the Iikes of m e
Feedin' three kids on a fitter's wage, I've aIways found it hard to save
And bein' an honest workin' m an don't count as equity
AII those years of toiI and sweat, of cIim bin' in and out of debt
I often Iook back on them and I ask m yseIf For what?
A rented house in a grim y street, an endIess fight to m ake ends m eet
W hen you add it aII together, it don't seem Iike a Iot
But it's aII that I've got
But a m an's Iife can't be judged aIone on who he is or what he owns
It's what he Ioves and cares for that gives it dignity
And what gives m eanin' to m y Iife is m y three kids and m y wife
W e've aIways stuck together, aIways been a fam iIy
Now m y kids are rotting on the doIe, hoIdin' out the beggar's bowI
I see the anger in their eyes and it cuts m e to the heart
ShaII I sim pIy stand aside whiIe m y kids are coIdIy crucified
W atch aII I worked and cared for as it sIowIy faIIs apart
W eII, by Christ, I won't do that
And though I've not got m uch to spare what I have I'm goin' to share
To give m y kids and other kids som e purpose, pride and pIace
And you Ieeches grown fat on m y sweat, I prom ise you I won't forget
W hen I asked you if you'd share the Ioad, you Iaughed right in m y face
Yes you Iaughed right in m y face
I'm pIeased to m eet you, m y nam e's Dan
And I'm an honest workin' m an
It's a tarnished badge they teII m e but it's one I wear with pride
A fair days work for a fair day's pay, I've aIways Iived m y Iife that way
But now I can't heIp thinking' I've been taken for a ride
Those hard years on the factory fIoor, toiIin' in the ceaseIess roar
That m ade m e oId before m y tim e, wrecked m y hearin' and m y heaIth
And when I totaI up the cost, what I've gained to what I've Iost
I ask m yseIf Dan, what's the sum totaI of your weaIth?
Just how m uch is your Iife worth?
I Iive in a house I'II never own, couId never get a housing Ioan
Bank m anagers and suchIike don't rate the Iikes of m e
Feedin' three kids on a fitter's wage, I've aIways found it hard to save
And bein' an honest workin' m an don't count as equity
AII those years of toiI and sweat, of cIim bin' in and out of debt
I often Iook back on them and I ask m yseIf For what?
A rented house in a grim y street, an endIess fight to m ake ends m eet
W hen you add it aII together, it don't seem Iike a Iot
But it's aII that I've got
But a m an's Iife can't be judged aIone on who he is or what he owns
It's what he Ioves and cares for that gives it dignity
And what gives m eanin' to m y Iife is m y three kids and m y wife
W e've aIways stuck together, aIways been a fam iIy
Now m y kids are rotting on the doIe, hoIdin' out the beggar's bowI
I see the anger in their eyes and it cuts m e to the heart
ShaII I sim pIy stand aside whiIe m y kids are coIdIy crucified
W atch aII I worked and cared for as it sIowIy faIIs apart
W eII, by Christ, I won't do that
And though I've not got m uch to spare what I have I'm goin' to share
To give m y kids and other kids som e purpose, pride and pIace
And you Ieeches grown fat on m y sweat, I prom ise you I won't forget
W hen I asked you if you'd share the Ioad, you Iaughed right in m y face
Yes you Iaughed right in m y face
I'm pIeased to m eet you, m y nam e's Dan
And I'm an honest workin' m an