Wake up early, before the sun rise high, Workin' nine to five but the money don't fly, Tank on empty, gas price touch the sky, Twenty dollars left and the week ain't dry. Boss man say "Work hard, you'll be okay," But the paycheck gone before the very next day, Rent due Monday, got no time to play, Dollar in my hand but it don't stay.
Oh-oh, the system got us runnin' on the floor, Workin' every day but we still poor, Empty pocket, heavy load to bear, The cost of livin' is more than we can bare. Oh-oh, the system got us on our knees, Land of the free but we ain't free from fees, Empty pocket, heavy load to bear, The rich get fat while the poor get bare.
Go to the market, what you see on the shelf? Healthy food cost more than my own health, Ramen and rice, that's the wealth, Nutrition gone, now I'm losin' my breath. They say "Pull up your bootstraps, make a plan," But the bootstraps broke in this American land, Minimum wage with a maximum demand, Tryin' to build a castle out of sand.
Oh-oh, the system got us runnin' on the floor, Workin' every day but we still poor, Empty pocket, heavy load to bear, The cost of livin' is more than we can bare. Oh-oh, the system got us on our knees, Land of the free but we ain't free from fees, Empty pocket, heavy load to bear, The rich get fat while the poor get bare.
And if the fever come, and if the body break, No insurance card, that's a big mistake, Hospital bill gonna seal your fate, Bankruptcy knockin' at the garden gate. One illness away from losin' it all, No safety net, so we bound to fall, The American dream turned into a wall, They don't hear the poor when the rich man call.
So tell me now, what a man gonna do? Work his fingers raw 'til his hands turn blue, Two jobs, three jobs, still overdue, The math don't math and the rent came through. We ain't lazy, we just tired of the grind, Wealth for the few, leave the rest behind, Lookin' for a way but the way is blind, Peace of mind is the hardest thing to find.
Oh-oh, the system got us runnin' on the floor, Workin' every day but we still poor, Empty pocket, heavy load to bear, The cost of livin' is more than we can bare. Oh-oh, we singin' out for justice and for change, When the people rise, the system gonna rearrange, Empty pocket, but the spirit strong, We keep on movin', we keep on carryin' on.
Carryin' on... carryin' on... Heavy load, heavy load... But we carry on...