Tell me what a young man mama, what's he got to live for   Tossed in the [Incomprehensible] everyday war   Searchin' for some trouble, Lord, 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, Lord   The trigger be his only friend, it's a shame, oh yeah   But it ain't never gonna end, Lord 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   Step aside      I can't see tomorrow and I don't see today   Trail of confusion Lord done leadin' my way   They say the only thing worth killin', Lord be killin' time   I say the only soul worth savin' now mama, resavin' 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? Alright      He keeps shootin' mama like any old fool would do   Lord, the life he be leadin' ain't the one he has 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      Yeah, he's a pocketful of hate that don't give a damn   Oh, 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, the machine gun man, yeah, yeah