Fruit Cocktail Cannery Blues

I work all day in this cannery job
Each can that goes by is like a soul that’s been robbed
I thought one day I’d grow up to be a man
But here I stand with my life ruled by a can

Cannery set me free
I’ve got fruit cocktail in my dreams
Cannery set me free
I’m pretty sure this ain’t where I’m supposed to be

There’s a girl over on pear watch and some folks call her May
I said, “May, maybe you and I could go out someday?”
May said, “May I tell you something, just as a friend?”
I said, “May, you may say what you like,” she said, “I think I’m a lesbian”

Me and May got to hangin’ out and drinkin’ every night
Shuffleboard games at The Keg Room up until closin’ time
‘Til one night, 2 AM, May said she was movin’ down to the East Bay
Said she’d had enough of this rotten place and the meanness of its ways

Cannery set me free
I’ve got fruit cocktail in my dreams
Cannery set me free
I’m pretty sure this ain’t where I’m supposed to be

I was missin’ May when Big Ricky said, “Let’s have some fun”
He said, “I got my favorite sweatpants on for the gentlemen’s club”
After second shift, we hit that joint on 99
“Hot Legs & Hot Wings” flashed the red and blue neon sign

Met a rockabilly dancer and spilled my secrets at twenty dollars a song
But even picking Zeppelin tunes my money didn’t hold out long
She said her real name was Sara and I swear I fell in love
But when I went back the very next night, she didn’t know who I was

Cannery set me free
I’ve got fruit cocktail in my dreams
Cannery set me free
I’m pretty sure this ain’t where I’m supposed to be

Drunk one night I called up May and asked if I could crash
With her and her old lady in Oakland until I got some cash
She said, “Boss, right now it’s a little crowded up in here”
“But how’s about you give me a ring after Labor Day, next year”

Now I’m stuck here up on can watch, the worst job I’ve ever had
I just tripped and fell and hit my head and I’m bleeding pretty bad
I close my eyes, pretend I’m on a stage in Nashville, Tennessee
Singing songs about how much I hate this goddamn cannery

Cannery set me free
Just another empty can floatin’ by
Cannery set me free
I’m pretty sure this ain’t where I’m supposed to die