The State Worker

But Civil Service appealed to me
Thought I could make a dent in the bureaucracy
So I took me a test, got on a list
Started pushing that paper and I done my best

Chorus
I got the State Worker blues
I been paying my dues
Have you heard the good news?
... Well, there ain't none

Now, year after year we done more with less
And the less got less now there's nothing left
If you want a paperclip you gotta get your chief to sign
And they're handing out staples one at a time

Now we never throw anything away
'Cause we're saving it up for State Garage Sale day
I look around the corner and what do I see?
They're getting ready to recycle me

Chorus

Three Fridays a month, not much to do
Try to sing a little song for a nickel or two
Or look for empty bottles and trade 'em for cash
My California dream is feeling kind of sad

I got a target on my back for every cheap shot
Though I never done nothing except my job
But I got a little tip for the blood-thirsty mob
If you want to cut government, start at the top

Chorus

Politicians speechifying, thumping their chests
Gonna solve this problem, gonna fix that mess
But they just keep digging us a deeper hole
As around and around the drain we go

Now we're coming up on election year
Maybe they'll pretend to lend an ear
When we tell the politicians and make it real clear
If they want someone to blame, just look in the mirror

Chorus

Now, I'm not complaining about my fate
The food at the potlucks is always first-rate
And I'll tell Saint Peter at the Pearly Gate
I was proud to be a worker for the Golden State

Now, my fellow State Workers are as good as gold
Helping out the people who are hungry and cold
So to the best civil servants in all the land
This is for you, give yourselves a hand

From Scrooge and his minions
The pronouncements are grim
No schooling, no healthcare
For poor Tiny Tim

And it's wait awhile, catastrophe
The ghosts of the past,
Are still haunting me
There's years of bad budgets
And ol' Prop Thirteen
The Grinch is a'coming
And he's looking real mean

Even Santa's not jolly
His sleigh's on the fritz
Guess that's what you get
When you go with low bid

No Dasher, no Dancer
No Rudolph's red nose
They're not working tonight
'Cause they've all been furloughed

And it's wait awhile, catastrophe
The ghost of the present
is laughing at me
The boys in the back room
Don't care how it plays
When times get tough
They give their elves a raise

Now the dome looks real pretty
On a cold winter night
And the tree is all lit up
With them LED lights

So remember the season
And find you some joy
There's always next year
If we're still employed