Fred sits alone at his desk in the dark
There's an awkward young shadow that waits in the hall
He has cleared all his things and he's put them in boxes
Things that remind him that life has been good

Twenty five years, he's worked at the paper
A man's here to take him downstairs

And I'm sorry, Mr. Jones, it's time

There was no party and there were no songs
'Cause today's just a day like the day that he started
And no one is left here that knows his first name, yeah
And life barrels on like a runaway train

Where the p***engers change
They don't change anything
You get off, someone else can get on

And I'm sorry, Mr. Jones, it's time

Streetlight, it shines through the shades
Casting lines on the floor and lines on his face
He reflects on the days

Fred gets his paints out and goes to the ba*****t
Projecting some slides onto a plain white canvas
And traces it, fills in the spaces

He turns off the slides and it doesn't look right
Yeah, and all of these *******s have taken his place
He's forgotten but not yet gone

And I'm sorry, Mr. Jones
And I'm sorry, Mr. Jones
And I'm sorry, Mr. Jones, it's time