Killing Floor Lyrics - Redgum Anthology 1976-1986 - Redgum

Joe spoke no english but he had a dream 

And he saved up most of his pay 

To bring his wife and six kids from Lebanon 

And settle down here to stay 

You could feel the prison of his loneliness 

He wouldn't see them for years 

He kept brandy behind the compressed air tanks 

And he gulped it when the coast was clear 

Nick the Greek collected tropical fish 

Had to be a character too 

Smuggled in Pirhana just to break the law 

And he fed them on kangaroo 

Bob's pride was his handlebar moustache 

Said he still combed out sand 

Pushed a tank through the Sahara desert 

So they made him the leading hand 

And the summer night shifts were long and cool 

Charlie chain smoked cigars 

David sweated in his speckled paint mask 

As he gazed out at the stars 

Crazy Charlie was a Yugoslav 

His old straight eight Chevy could move 

His ambition was to live on a hippie commune 

When Dave told him about free love 

Fred had been a farmer and a heavyweight champ 

Hands like a stump jump plough 

Moved the earth with a thrust of his arms 

He was loading on the paint line now 

And the boys made a noise every Friday night 

At the bar of the Hilton Hotel 

Downing pints and chewing the fat 

Till the ten o'clock closing bell 

It was only rumour til the foreman came 

And hiding his shame with a cough 

He said they're cutting back down to one shift now 

They're gonna have to lay you off 

Joe held his gaze and gulped a brandy 

And spat it out at his feet 

Bob stood bolt still looking thunderstruck 

Nick swore for an hour in Greek 

Their anger was spent in a rush of fire 

And smouldered out of mind 

When they shook hands on that last grey day 

Each was in his way resigned 

Then a few days later I saw old Joe 

Looking like he'd aged ten years 

Drunk on the tiles at the Stag Hotel 

And he couldn't hold back the tears 

Fred had talked of his grueling heavyweight bouts 

I remembered what he'd said 

There's no giving up on that killing floor 

If you don't fight you're dead 

If you work with your hands for your livelihood 

Some day you might have to choose 

When the class war rages on the factory floor 

If you don't fight you lose 

If you don't fight you lose 

If you don't fight you lose 

If you don't fight you lose 

If you don't fight you lose 

If you don't fight you lose 

If you don't fight 

If you don't fight you lose 

If you don't fight you lose