[Verse 1]
There's a poor man in my gutter, Mr. Three-Piece at my window
Cut to the core of the problem, but he hung up the phone
These days I feel so impotent, these days I'm so depressed
I got hate mail coming to my door via Federal Express

[Chorus 1]
One thing Daddy told me, and I think about it a lot
He said, "Son you've got to strike while the iron is hot"

[Verse 2]
There's a blind dog ambling down the side of the road
Most folks around here, they drive pretty slow
Now I don't know whether to weep, and I don't know whether to laugh
But that hound dog and destiny swerved into my path

[Chorus 1]
One thing Daddy told me, and I think about it a lot
He said, "Son you've got to strike while the iron is hot"

[Verse 3]
My friend Jonny drives a bread truck, he's in love with the metaphor
He's been reading lots of books about the rise and fall of culture
Making his observations, he's got notebooks full of them
And he's gonna do something drastic, and I cannot say I blame him
[Chorus 2]
One thing Daddy told me, and I think about it a lot
He said "Son you move your head when it's on the chopping block"

[Bridge]
I went back to see my doctor, see what was making me ill
He said "I've seen this kind of think before, something moving in for the kill
You gotta go under the knife and swallow a bitter pill
You know redemption don't come easy
Somebody gotta suffer, Bill
Serve you right, serve you right, serve you right to suffer"

[Slide Guitar Solo]

[Verse 4]
Black crow been flying around my house for seven days
Five scarecrows in the cornfield won't make him go away
Three members of the Trinity just dropped by as guests
They said, "Enough of the pleasantries, we got a warrant for your arrest"
Mr. Three-Piece at my window, he wants me to butter up his bread
He said "Would I lie to you, kid?" "Well, let me think about it, I don't know," I said
Goodness Mr. Three-Piece, your heart, it feels like ice
And that man on the corner, he might be Jesus Christ

[Chorus 1]
One thing Daddy told me, and I think about this a lot
He said, "Son you've got to strike while the iron is hot"
[Outro]
Yes, yes, yes, yes
You gotta strike, strike, strike while the iron is hot
I'm gonna strike, strike, strike while the iron is hot
Strike, strike to the east, strike, strike to the west
Strike north and south
Ah, kick it around, Dog-Mess!