They came down from the north
To the plough they were scorched
In the footsteps of a man who'd been before
Right up from the street
Came the ranks of unemployed
They'd everything to gain but none to lose

They searched the hungry years
For the triumphs, for the tears
It's a chance they had to take
They were waiting for a break
They searched the hungry years
For the triumphs, for the tears
Some make it to the stars
Playing rock 'n' roll guitars

They ran into the lights
Into the muse, into the fights
The system tried to change and understand them
The business world is deep
For a percentage of the heat
There was magic in their eyes
They couldn't see the lies

They searched the hungry years
For the triumphs, for the tears
It's a chance they had to take
They were waiting for a break
They searched the hungry years
For the triumphs, for the tears
Some make it to the stars
Playing rock 'n' roll guitars

Some take the fame
And some take the blame
Maybe they will and maybe they won't
Tonight...

Ya know the world's another stage
Full of heartache full of rage
The system tried to change and understand them
But the business world is deep
For a percentage of the heat
The magic in their eyes
They watched it slowly die

They searched the hungry years
For the triumphs, for the tears
It's a chance they had to take
They were waiting for a break
They searched the hungry years
For the triumphs, for the tears
Some make it to the stars
Playing rock 'n' roll guitars

Playing rock 'n' roll guitars
Woo-hoo-hoo
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, hungry years
They've left the hungry years
Woo-hoo-hoo
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, hungry years
Rock 'n' roll guitars in their hungry years