It Sure Was Better Back Then â？ Steve Forbert
Live version â？ Folk Live from Mountain Stage
(guitar Intro)
Working on the Georgia Line the live long day
Ninety nine degrees and only half past May
Nailing down the metal with the crosstime blues
I had creosote all over my shoes
I hated it, you know, now I find I miss it
Every time my little pension check rolls in  
Course I had it bad... not as bad as this is
It sure was better back then
yeah It sure was better back then
Working in the rain beneath surplus tarp
Foreman in  the wagon twanging a sad Jews harp  
Passing out at night still in my mud caked jeans
I was living off of berries and beans
I hated it, you know, now I swear I miss it
Every time I look down on my pale white skin
Course I had it bad... not as bad as this is
It sure was better back then
It sure was better back then
(guitar lead)
Well, the cable caught my leg, and, boy, the damn thing bled
Foreman sewed the muscle up with tarp patch thread
Sit me by the camp, gonna have the cook clean pans
And scrub them down with Georgia red sand...
I hated it, you know, now I really I miss it
Staring in my TV till the broadcast ends
Course I had it bad... not as bad as this is
It sure was better back then
It sure was better back then
It sure was better back... one more time...
It sure was better back then
(guitar lead)
(spoken over guitar lead) Let's go on off with 'em (??)
...Some kind of beat happenin' (audience clapping)
...that's gonna do, that's good... (??)
Well, the cable caught my leg, and, boy, the damn thing bled
Foreman sewed the muscle up with tarp patch thread
Sit me by the camp, gonna have the cook clean pans
And scrub them down with Georgia red sand...
I hated it, you know, now I really I miss it
Starin' in the TV till the broadcast ends
Course I had it bad... not as bad as this is
It sure was better back then
It sure was better back then
It sure was better back... one more time...
It sure was better back then
(guitar out)