Can't Win

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"
 "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
 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
 ...