Tell me, what a young man, Mama, what's he got to live for?
Tossed in the shuffle of everyday war
Searchin' for some trouble, which I'm sure he will find
Spend your whole life fightin' son, meet your dyin' time

It's a shame, it's a shame
The trigger be his only friend
It's a shame, oh, yeah, oh, yeah
But it ain't never gonna end, that's right

He's a pocketful of hate that don't give a damn
What fate awaits the machine gun man?
Well, he ain't got no future and he ain't got no plan
What fate awaits the machine gun man
The machine gun man, yeah?

I can't see tomorrow, Lord, I don't see today
Trail of confusion, Lord, done leadin' my way
They say the only thing worth killin', Lord, be killin' time
The only soul worth savin' now Mama, be a savin' mine

It's a shame, it's a shame, Lord
The trigger be his only friend
It's a shame, oh, yeah
But it ain't never gonna end, that's right

He's a pocketful of hate that don't give a damn
What fate awaits the machine gun man?
Well, he ain't got no future and he ain't got no plan
What fate awaits the machine gun man?

He keeps shootin', mama, like any old fool would do
Lord, the life he be leadin', ain't the one he had to choose
As he walks on out that door, Mama breaks down to cry
Oh, as she waves the machine gun man
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, yeah

He's a pocketful of hate that don't give a damn
What fate awaits the machine gun man?
Well, he ain't got no future and he ain't got no plan
What fate awaits the machine gun man?
The machine gun man, yeah the machine gun man, oh, yeah