[Verse 1: Allen Toussaint]
We may seem happy like everything's alright
But from the outside looking in everything's uptight
But deep down inside we're covering up the pain
It's an old thing, it's a soul thing, but it's a real thing

[Chorus: Allen Toussaint, Elvis Costello, & Davey Faragher]
Pray tell what's gonna happen to brother
Who's gonna to help him get further?
One another
One another

[Verse 2: Allen Toussaint]
There's old dude standing on the corner waiting for a fox to pass
The only thing he's got to go by is this is where he saw her last
And there's old John, two dollars in his pocket
Talking loud and thinks he's rich
And look the little fool, too cool to go to school
Get a job, in two days he quits

[Chorus: Allen Toussaint, Elvis Costello, & Davey Faragher, Allen Toussaint]
Pray tell what's gonna happen to brother?
Who's gonna help him get further?
One another, is that the truth?
One another, yeah you're right
[Post-Chorus: Allen Toussaint, Elvis Costello, & Davey Faragher, Allen Toussaint]
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah

[Trombone Solo]

[Chorus: Allen Toussaint & Elvis Costello]
Pray tell what's going to happen to brother?
Who's going to help him get further?
One another
One another

[Verse 3: Allen Toussaint, Elvis Costello, & Davey Faragher, Allen, Elvis, & Davey]
Mama get up early, early in the morning
Papa's already gone (Gone, gone gone)
Going out a-working for half of what he's worth now
You know that's wrong
What happened to the Liberty Bell I heard so much about?
Did it really ding-dong? (Ding dong)
It must have dinged wrong, it didn't ding long

[Chorus: Allen Toussaint Elvis Costello & Davey Faragher, Allen Toussaint]
Pray tell what's going to happen to brother?
Who's going to help him get further?
One another, is that the truth?
One another, yeah you're right
[Piano Solo]

[Verse 3: Elvis Costello, Allen Toussaint & Davey Faragher, Allen, Elvis, & Davey]
Mama get up early, early in the morning
Papa's already gone (Gone, gone gone)
Working two jobs for half of what he's worth and
You know that it's wrong
What happened to the Liberty Bell I heard so much about?
Did it really ding-dong? (Ding dong)
It must have dinged wrong, it didn't ding long

[Chorus: Allen Toussaint Elvis Costello, & Davey Faragher, Allen Toussaint]
Pray tell what's going to happen to brother?
Who's going to help him get further?
One another, is that the truth?
One another, yeah you're right

[Chorus: Allen Toussaint Elvis Costello, & Davey Faragher, Allen Toussaint]
Pray tell what's going to happen to brother?
Who's going to help him get further?
One another, is that the truth?
One another, yeah you're right

[Post-Chorus: Allen Toussaint, Elvis Costello, & Davey Faragher, Allen Toussaint]
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah
[Outro: Elvis Costello, Allen Toussaint & Davey Faragher]
Did it really ding-dong? (Ding dong)
It didn't ding long
Did it really ding-dong? (Ding dong)
It didn't ding long