I was a boy I was a good little boy
Wantin in the playground fun
They said ah na ney boy you can't play
Cause you were born a poor man's son
I met a girl she was a pretty little girl
Would you be my only one
She said meet me where nobody can see
Cause you were born a poor man's son
I spent all my lifetime
Thinking what I coulda done
While I worked my fingers to the bone
I met a man he was business man
I said I'm a hard working son of a gun
He said you know the rules
You should've stayed in school
Cause you were born a poor man's son
I spent all my lifetime
Thinking what I coulda done
While I worked my fingers to the bone
I met a guy he was a crazy guy
He said I'm going to get me some
Let's go across the tracks where
They keep that jack
All we need is a little black gun
They got the hounds and the tracked us down
They said we know what you have done
You're gonna do the time it's gonna fit the crime
You shoulda shot a poor man's son
You shoulda shot a poor man's son
You shoulda shot a poor man's son