Tell me what a young man, mama, what's he got to live for
Tossed in the shuffles of everyday war
Searchin' for some trouble, Lord, which I'm sure he will find

Spend your whole life fightin', son, meet your dyin' time

It's a shame, it's a shame, Lord

The trigger be his only friend
It's a shame, oh yeah
But it ain't never gonna end, no, that's right


He's a pocketful of hate that don't give a damn
What fate awaits the machine-gun man?

Well, he ain't got no future and he ain't got no plan
What fate awaits the machine-gun man?
The machine gun man, yeah


I can't see tomorrow and I don't see today
Trail of confusion, Lord, done leadin' my way

They say the only thing worth killin', Lord, be killin' time
Only soul worth savin' now, mama, be a re-savin' mine


It's a shame, it's a shame, Lord
The trigger be his only friend
It's a shame, oh yeah

But it ain't never gonna end, that's right

He's a pocketful of hate that don't give a damn

What fate awaits the machine-gun man?
Well, he ain't got no future and he ain't got no plan
What fate awaits the machine-gun man?


He keeps shootin', oh mama
Like any old fool would do

Lord, the life he be leadin'
Ain't the one he had to choose


As he walks on out that door
Mama breaks down to cry
Oh, as she waves the machine gun man

Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye

Yeah, he's a pocketful of hate that don't give a damn

Oh, what fate awaits the machine-gun man?
Well, he ain't got no future and he ain't got no plan
What fate awaits the machine-gun man?

The machine, yeah, gun man, the machine-gun man, yeah, oh yeah