Lyrics Fred Eaglesmith

Fred Eaglesmith

Go Out And Plough

There's a little envelope on the table unopened

He already knows what it says

He's known it for years

Still his hands shook with fear

When he picked it up in town yesterday

It ain't like it seems

You can't run a farm on dreams

Still he thought they might let him carry on

Carry on 'till the dream is even gone

And he'd go out and plough

But the tractor's broken down

The day is almost spent, anyway

He pours himself a drink

Sets on the porch to think

Whatever are the neighbours going to say

Drinking don't take the place

The banker does with an empty face

He tells you 'bout a job up the road

Leave the keys in the mailbox when you go

There's a patch on the north side

It's early and it's dry

It's probably the best there is around

But when they sell it off

They won't even bring it up

Hell, who cares anymore about the ground

Some sour face city kid's lawyer puts in the bid

For a run down, tax shelter hobby farm

Who's to blame anybody, anymore

And he'd go out and plough

But the tractor's broken down

The day is almost spent, anyway

He pours himself a drink

Sets on the porch to think

Whatever are the neighbours going to say

Drinking don't take the place

The banker does with an empty face

He tells you 'bout a job up the road

Leave the keys in the mailbox when you go

It's a good thing she ain't here

To see the bitter tears

Spill down his coveralls on to the floor

It's a good thing she ain't alive

To see how they've taken his pride

And turned it like a crop beneath the soil

God bless this house the kitchen says

And even when the bills aren't paid

Be thankful for the things that you have

Even just the shirts on your backs

And he'd go out and plough

But the tractor's broken down

The day is almost spent, anyway

He pours himself a drink

Sets on the porch to think

Whatever are the neighbours going to say

Drinking don't take the place

The banker does with an empty face

He tells you 'bout a job up the road

Leave the keys in the mailbox when you go

Leave the keys in the mailbox when you go