It Won't Play That Way (the Iron Duke) (2025)

He came from Dakota or Iowae  that boarder farm stretched half-cross both
Worked the land back when hands did twice than machines
Fields forgave only those who would leave
When the country went crash and the jobs went away 
and the lines round the soup kitchens formed
they worked longer each day and the harder they prayed
over meals they had pulled from God's soil 

And you won't get by the iron duke -- you should take that card right back
You were thinking about that finesse tonight--you were thinking he'd not see that
But your thinking's all wrong  it don't work that way 
cause you'll never get that play past
No you won't get that by the iron duke -- you won't get that by my old man

Through the big one he made sure the engines ran in that can on the ocean floor 
They took bets as the bombs blew the waters away
Winner guessed just how close that one was
Later rocking and rolling in old LA never gave him a second pause
Just sit back, enjoy this, cause it's not everyday that God wakes us up safe in his arms.

 
Famous men they will do outrageous things for the fame and the cash and the crowd
Famous men spend their time and their toil and their sins
just to hear their name called out loud
But my dad when he passed had no enemies--not a single man would say
that a famous man lived any better life- than that boy from North Sioux City

© Edward Lee Lamoureux, 2012, 2025