Lord, I can't see how these hungry women sleep Lord, I can't see how these hungry women sleep Walk the streets at night like a police on his beat Yeah, they stand on the corner, 'til their feet get soakin' wet Well, they stand on the corner, 'til their feet get soakin' wet "Mister, if you ain't got a nickel, please give me a cigarette." Now, I'm goin' down in Tin Can Alley and get drunk as I can be Hey-ey-ey, get drunk as I can be I don't want no hungry woman to lay their hands on me I done spoken to the Welfare, wrote to the government, too I done spoken to the Welfare, wrote to the government, too And I asked them to help me get my woman a pair of shoes Hey, the Welfare didn't answer, government paid me no mind Hey, government didn't answer, Welfare paid me no mind "Before if you think we gonna help you, swear you better change your mind."