You see these work boots in my hands, they'll probably fit you now my son
Take them, they're a gift from me, why don't you try them on
It would do your old man good to see you walking in these boots one day
Take your place among the men who work upon the slipway
These dead man's boots, though they're old and curled
When a fella needs a job and a place in the world
Then it's time for a man to put down hoots
And walk to the river in his old man's boots
He said I'm nearly done and askin' this
Chit, chit, chit, chit, chit




Do one final thing for me
You're barely but a sapling
And you think that you're a tree
If you need a seed to prosper
You must first put down some roots
Just one foot, then the other
In these dead man's boots
These dead man's boots
Know their way down the hill
They could walk there themselves
And they probably will
There's a place for you there
To sink your roots
Or take a walk down the river
In these dead man's boots
I said why in the hell would I do that
And why would I agree
When his hand was all that I'd received
As far as I remember
It's not as if it spoiled me
With his kindness up till then you see
I'd have planted me on it
I'd have planted me on it
I'd quit this place
When I came of age September
These dead man's boots
Know their way down the hill
They can walk there themselves
And they probably will
I've plenty of choices
I've plenty of the roots
And he'd never see me walking
In these dead man's boots
What was it that made him think
I'd be happy ending up like him
When he'd hardly got to hip
And he's left
Or a broken pot to piss in
He wanted the same thing for me
But that his final wish
He said what the hell are you gonna do
I said anything but this
These dead man's boots
Know their way down the hill
They could walk there themselves
And they most likely will
But they won't walk with me
Cause I'm off the other way
I've had it up to here
I'm gonna have my say
When all you got left is death

There's that cross on the wall
I want nothing from you
I want nothing at all
It's not a pension or a pittance
When your whole life is through
Get this through your head
I'm nothing like you
I'm done with all the arguments
There'll be no more dispute
And you'll die before you see me
In your dead man's boots
*