I hardly had a bellyful
Never knew a new bicycle
Hand me down books and shoes
They brought the yule tides in July

I rode a bus, a train and sometimes
Strolling for miles to a movie show
Singing a song 'Shoobedoo'
While birds and rich folks flew right on by

But we got by, we got by, we got by
Lord, knows we got by
Winter wishes wait till June
We brightened July with that hot dog fun
Tell your mama you're with Sue, baby

You bring some beans girl and I'll find out some wine
And then neon lights were bright till two
And sneaking back home with this girl named Jo
I hurried down to say, 'I do'
And stared my first man child in the eye

Oh, but we got by
Got by, girl got by
Lord, knows we got by
And sometimes I'm missin' you

And now baby's got his bellyful
And finally here's that new bicycle
Working, praying, June to June
And mama's got LA gleaming in her eye

And we got by, got by, girl, got by
Lord knows we got by
You see we kept on walkin' and talkin'
And hawkin' and ooin' and cooin' and wooin'

And lovin' and tuggin' and huggin' and rubbin'
And suggin' and fuggin' and layin' and prayin'
And swayin' and lettin' and frettin' begettin'
And lyin' and flyin' and tryin' sighin' and dying inside

Got by, girl, got by
Really got by, a little bit of help from my mama
Little bit of help from my papa
Little bit of help from my friends

Little bit of help from songs
Little bit of help from prayer
Yeah, I'm back, back
I'm back, back, yeah, I'm back
Back, I'm back, back