you gonna find, some old day
for the things you got, you gonna have to pay
you got to pay the man before you go
you got to pay the man before you walk through the door

spend all your time tryin' to fill your shelf
better watch out before you get ahead of yourself
you go to pay the man before you come back for more
you got to pay the man before you walk through the door
waste your better days just workin' on rome
but your big old house it just ain't no home
you got to pay the man before you build another floor
you got to pay the man before you walk through the door
when you reach that judgment day
you'll find out just how much you did not pay
some old day you just might find
your trouble left you at the back of the line
you got to pay the man and that's for sure
you got to pay the man before you walk out the door
when old st. peter calls your name
the things you've done leave only you to blame
you've got to pay the man before you go
you got to pay the man before you walk through the door