[Verse 1]
Yeah, I remember the dark clouds
Raining dust for days on end
Blew all the earth out to California
And just left us here with the wind
In desperate times you know everybody's part
But it's your own lines you're like to forget
'Til what you were meets what you've now become
Grins and says "Hey, haven't we met?"

[Verse 2]
Lost my firstborn that winter
And my wife on the first day of spring
And so I poured my sweat into the earth
Yeah, to see what that harvest would bring
And I remember howling fury
Just like a plague of locusts
Egypt's punishment for sins of pride
Is that now what has come over us?

[Chorus 1]
How much of this was meant to be?
How much the work of the devil?
How far can one man's eyes really see
In these days of toil and trouble?
[Verse 3]
Honey, we're all resplendent
Yeah, honey, we are all thrift store
I'm like a wino with a twenty-dollar bill
Yeah, forever and eternally yours
And I can make you promises
If you don't expect too much
Yes, and I will run the distance
If you'll please, please excuse my crutch

[Chorus 1]
How much of this was meant to be?
How much the work of the devil?
How far can one man's eyes really see
In these days of toil and trouble?

[Chorus 2]
How much of this is failing flesh?
How much the course of retribution?
My, my, how loudly we plead our innocence
Long after we've made our contribution