Two packs of cigarettes a day, the strongest whiskey Kentucky can make, that's a recipe To put a vagabond on his hands and knees I watched it all up close, I knew him more than most I saw a side of him he never showed Full of sympathy for a world that wouldn't let him be That's the man he was, have you heard him now? What a shame, what a shame To judge a life that you can't change The choir sings, the church bells ring So won't you give this man his wings? What a shame to have to beg you to see We're not all the same What a shame There's a hard light for every silver spoon There's a touch of grey for every shade of blue That's the way that I see life If there was nothing wrong, then there'd be nothing right And for this working man they say could barely stand There's gotta be a better place to land Some kind of remedy for a world that wouldn't let him be That's the man he was, have you heard him now? What a shame, what a shame To judge a life that you can't change The choir sings, the church bells ring So won't you give this man his wings? What a shame to have to beg you to see We're not all the same What a shame God forgive the hands that laid you down They never knew how much a broken heart can break the sound And change that season Now the leaves are falling faster Happily ever after You gave me hope through your endeavors And now you will live forever What a shame, what a shame To judge a life that you can't change The choir sings, the church bells ring So won't you give this man his wings? What a shame to have to beg you to see We're not all the same What a shame, what a shame Cause we're not all the same What a shame, what a shame Cause we're not all the same