Roughneck Life

Obsessing over the color of my piss for the sake of my life,

heat exhaustion is real and people die out here on the oil field,

all the time. 

Death from dehydration is still not my most urgent concern, this 4 ton swinging pipe is.

My bosses preach safety, but everyone knows their 7 figures are more important than my life is.

Hydrogen Sulfide gas seeps out of the ground and can kill you instantly.

I'm trying not to think about this company's semi annual fatality.

There's caustic that can burn your skin off, 

everything covered in ice and heights that you can slip off,

some asshat not paying attention when lives are on the line,

a co worker throwing chains who's fucked up on meth all the time,

I live an hour and a half away and need to get behind the wheel after busting my ass on a 16 hour shift,

I have to pay alimony out the ass because my ex wife doesn't want to work for shit,

My wife and kids are in another state and theres a good chance she's with a side guy,

I can't remember the last time I wasn't sleep deprived,

My leg is fucked up but I can't afford to miss hours,

I hope this rope holds if I fall off this 90 foot derrick tower,

The blow out preventer could fail and this whole rig could explode,

I think inspectors have been paid off to ignore safety codes,

I see dudes without fingers and wonder if that will be me, 

but I prefer adrenaline to that thought thats repeating... 

I miss my family. 

They say God will redeem you from the hell you carry inside,

and that's true for my mind, soul, hope and afterlife.

But while deep thoughts are nice, I have to focus on my problems in this world,

and if you're a felon, with bills, debts and child support,

there's no place else to escape that hell,

that pays this good without risking jail.

In this life, the oil field is redemption. 

Where else can you come out of prison with no skills, bad english with teeth disfigured,

get hired on the spot and make six figures.

If you're against fracking, oil and gas, 

you're against the only hope that I have.

There are millions out there who are just like me,

we have nothing else, there is no plan B.

To think of climate change but no other jobs for us out there,

would be like holding your breath and thinking about Plato instead of air.

Give us an alternative or shut the fuck up. 

When given a chance we always buck up.

For now we provide you with a product you need, 

for food, stuff on shelves, to get to point B.

You depend on us so give some respect.

We're a special breed, we are the roughnecks