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Song Information:

Curse of the Common Man (with BossHook) by NorthPoint
Genre: Blues (contemporary)

Description:
I was discussing songwriting with Alan (NorthPoint) and our mutual admiration for gritty blue collar songs. With the casual confidence of a maestro, Alan then sends me a bass line sketch, scratch vocal and his written lyrics for quite a blue collar song indeed. So we put on our boots and got workin’ doing this together between gigs. Now I want to head to the Pacific Northwest to play it live with him!!

After laying down guitars to the drums without the low end I sent it off for the bass guitar and Alan got so down and right in the pocket that this is a bass player's delight right here. A very fine written lyric that really gives a bourgeoisie voice to what a majority of Americans feel these days trapped in our current politics and economy.
-- John "BossHook" LaMantia

Alan North Point: music, words, bass guitar and backing vocals

Johnny Boss Hook: acoustic and electric guitars, organ, lead vocals, drums

Update Feb 13 2008: Thanks to Sloparts on MacIDOLS, for his song Taxman and the inspriration to upload this tune here!

Song Lyrics:

Curse of the Common Man
Lyrics, Alan Crouch; Music: John LaMantia and Alan Crouch

These working towns are losing their life blood
We're fightin' far-away wars on the backs of our prodigal sons
The lord giveth, the tax man taketh way
He took it all except these two knees on which I pray

And with the setting sun, another day done,
I'm out on the streets again
And that's the way it is,
the curse of the common man

They closed the factories and sent our boys away
These rusty cages haunt us and darken our day
I roll the dice and try to climb out of this deep dark well
But I'm slipping away, a fallen angel crashin' down to hell

And when the sun sets low,
with an ominous glow,
I'm out on the streets again
And that's the way it is,
the curse of the common man

I'll take any lousy job just to make the day go by
I'm goin' nowhere fast and if it weren't for Marie I'd die
They grind you up and then the bottle helps to take the pain away
They'll take it all except my mama's rosary on which I pray

And with the setting sun, another day done,
I'm out on the streets again
And that's the way it is,
the curse of the common man
And that's the way it is,
the curse of the common man
And that's the way it is, the curse….
of the common man