Rain on concrete, worn out and beat
Tired of hearing people talk
We're all rushing by in our hurry to die
When music spills out down the block
And I dream I am somewhere people know what I mean
Where the rain falls grey but the wind blows green
And I know it ain't true, but what's a poor boy to do?
Broke, and so far from home

The winners and losers, the hustlers and users,
Jostle and make deals and shout
And the all-night cafes, and the storefront displays
Promise what this town can put out
She's had her way with so many men
Leaves 'em on the sidewalk when their money's all spent
With nothing but time, and an old cardboard sign
That says, "Broke, and so far from home"

It's in the blue TV light that shines every night
For people with no time to cook
It's in the billy clubs and gas
The way we walk past each other and don't even look
The way we eat when we're not hungry, drink when we're not dry
Need religion when we're hard up, and dollars when we die
And the whole sad mess is just like me, I guess
Broke, and so far from home

When it all comes crashing, only compassion
Might save you, but it's a tenuous thing
To empty yourself to see anyone else
Like a bell must be empty to ring
Whatever you've done and wherever you've been
You're never so free as when you go all in
And you hear yourself singing, empty and ringing
Broke, and so far from home