Working for the WPA - The Del McCoury Band

Lost my store in ‘34, monet was slim too tight
So I slipped down to Pigeon Forge, back to the rowing life
Left my little girl and boy and a wife who’s love wore thin
I was out of dreams, gambling schemes burnt down to nothing again
A rich looking man from Richmond, with a engineer degree
He’s building roads set to go Afton down to Cherokkee
Well I wasn’t drawn to muscle and brawn but options were less than none
So I signed in with 30 men, we were gone before the sun

Leveling is such a long hard shift working for the WPA
Spending gaps on the toll poll maps working for the WPA
Rise to legends of breaking stones, swinging a sledge and shaking bones
Out in the sun all day, working , working, working for the WPA


Now I heard news that some of the crews just sat on their tails all day
We worked so hard thought FDR would show up and give us our pay
I stood tall and belimbled falls I was tough as an angus hide
And day by day that road took shape
My heart swole up with pride

About a year and a deuce they cutting me loose
Went back to find my kin
But Tennessee had no use for me
So I went out again
I jumped the fence, been drifting sense
But sometimes in reverie
I wish that road had led me back to the man I was meant to be

Just heard I’ve had a grandson
Hope we might meet someday
If I could look him in the eye, here’s what I’d say
You should drive that Blue Ridge Parkway with your pretty wife and kids
And let them know building that road was the one good thing I did

Leveling is such a long hard shift working for the WPA
Spending gapss on the toll poll maps working for the WPA
Rise to egends of breaking stones, swinging a sledge and shaking bones
Out in the sun all day, working , working, working for the WPA