When I was young, my mama would tell me

“Crime doesn’t pay, son.  Obey the law.”

Now that I’m grown up and out in the cold world,

I’ve seen a lot of things I never heard of from my ma.

            Crime pays for the big corporations.

            Crime pays—they always get away.

            Crime pays—it’s the shame of the nation.

            Crime pays in America today.

If you are a small-time heroin user,

They’ll send you up the river and they’ll throw away the key,

But if you are a big-time industrial polluter,

You’ll be treated like royalty.

            Crime pays for the corporate giants.

            Crime pays—they get off in the end.

            Crime pays—no need for compliance.

            Crime pays—that’s the bottom line, friend.

Crime pays big for all of the bosses

Who break labor laws when workers organize.

Five years later, they slap ‘em on the wrist and.

Meanwhile they killed off the organizing drive.

            Crime pays for the evil employers.

            Crime pays in the world of labor law.

            Crime pays for the management lawyers.

            Crime pays—you never told me that, ma.

            Crime pays for the corporate giants.

            Crime pays—they get off in the end.

            Crime pays—no need for compliance.

            Crime pays—that’s the bottom line, friend.

            Crime pays for the big corporations.

            Crime pays—they always get away.

            Crime pays—it’s the shame of the nation.

            Crime pays in America today.

Copyright by Paul McKenna 2015