Man came to the door, I said, "For whom are you looking?"
He says, "Your wife," I say, "She's busy in the kitchen cooking"
Poor boy, where you been?
I already told you — won't tell you again

I say, "How much you want for that?", I go into the store,
Man says, "Three dollars." "All right," I say, "Will you take four?"
Poor boy, never say die,
Things will be all right by and by

Working like on the mainline, working like the devil
The game is the same — it's just step on another level
Poor boy dressed in black,
Police at your back

Poor boy in a red hot town
Out beyond the twinkling stars
Riding first-class train — making the rounds,
Trying to keep from falling between the cars

Othello told Desdemona, "I'm cold, cover me with a blanket,
By the way, what happened to that poison wine?"
She said, "I gave it to you, you drank it"
Poor boy, laying 'em straight, picking up the cherries falling off the plate.

Time and love has branded me with its claws,
Had to go to Florida, dodging them Georgia laws
Poor boy in the hotel called the Palace of Gloom,
Call down to room service, say, "Send up a room"

My mother was a daughter of a wealthy farmer,
My father was a traveling salesman, I never met him
When my mother died, my uncle took me in, he ran a funeral parlor,
He did a lot of nice things for me and I won't forget him

All I know is that I'm thrilled by your kiss
I don't know any more than this
Poor boy, picking up sticks,
Build you a house out of mortar and bricks.

Knocking on the door, I say, "Who is it and where are you from?"
Man says, "Freddy!" I say, "Freddy who?" He says, "Freddy or not, here [bad word] quot;
Poor boy 'neath the stars that shine
Washing them dishes, feeding them swine.