You wired the trains and went back home to St. Claire's shores Before you became a spark down at the yard You were passing through those hungry years alone You were just trying to make a living out in Detroit When you came back off the boats, you didn't want to go anywhere You sit down to TV in your favorite chair You watch the big picture fade away down at Harland and Wolff But you still kept on choppin' wood And you came back home to Belfast So you could be with us like You lived your life of quiet desperation on the side Going to the shipyard in the morning on your bike Well, the spark was gone but you carried on You always did the best you could You sent for us once but everything fell through But you still kept on choppin' wood, choppin' wood Well, you came back home to Belfast So you could be with us like And you lived a life of quiet desperation on the side Going to the shipyard in the morning on your bike Well, the spark was gone but you carried on Well, you did just the best that you could You sent for us one time but everything fell through But you still kept on choppin' wood Kept on choppin' wood Kept on choppin' wood Local man chops wood You know you did the best you could Well, everything just fell through Kept on choppin' wood Chop, chop, chop, chop, chop Chop, chop, chop, chop, chop Chop, chop, chop, keep on choppin' Chop, chop, chop, choppin' wood