Waiting on a Promise

I punch the clock at half past five, steel-toed boots and calloused hands

They said if I just work and strive, I'd have my piece of this great land

But the rent keeps climbing every year, and the factory's talking layoffs soon

I want to believe what I hear, but the truth don't match the tune

I'm waiting on a promise that never seems to come

Waiting on the words to mean something when they're done

They're shaking hands in Washington, making speeches on TV

But I'm still wondering, Lord, when they're gonna think of me

My daddy wore this country's flag, came home and built with his own two hands

Now I'm pulling every shift I can, just to try to understand

How the numbers keep getting better while my bank account runs dry

Read another campaign letter, full of reasons, full of why

I'm waiting on a promise that never seems to come

Waiting on the words to mean something when they're done

They're cutting ribbons, taking pictures, telling me to wait and see

But I'm still wondering, Lord, when they're gonna think of me

I don't want a handout, never did just a fair shake for an honest day

But somewhere between what they said and what they did, I lost my way

I still salute when the flag goes by, still want to believe in this old dream

But faith gets hard to justify, when nothing's ever what it seems

So I'll keep working, keep my head down, keep hoping someone hears my song

'Til the promises they're passing 'round finally make it back home

I'm tired of waiting on a promise that never seems to come

Tired of the words that don't mean nothing when they're done

While they're pointing fingers, placing blame, on the other side of me

I'm just here wondering, Lord, when someone's gonna think of me

Yeah, I'm still here wondering when they're gonna think of me