The ability to choose doesn't seem like much to ask
But it's only a few get to pick their own path

If you wander up here past the trees at the top,
There's a new supermarket, you can find yourself a job
There's a sign on the door says there's 25 opportunities
Who needs mistakes with breaks like these?

Take a right turn at the university
In three or four years you can buy a degree
Times by ten for the years in debt
Watch out for the holes in the safety net

There are shiny, modern offices on the sunny side of town called KMLP or PLGC
That's where the money jumps around
They've got pension plans and company cars
Some of these guys are working 70 hours a week, 4 hours' sleep,
See their kids once a year, on skis

The ability to choose doesn't seem like much to ask
But it's only a few get to pick their own path
And the paths look many
They rise and they fall
But all those paths lead here, to the wall

Forget all your plans
They're worth nothing at all
Cause we're all at the wall
Yes, we're all at the wall

Think you can find your way out?
But there's no one to call
Cause they're all at the wall
Yes, we're all at the wall

If you head down town to where the sun goes down
There's people on corners just hanging around
They've got the bars down here
There's noise and there's life
More than their fair share of struggle and strife
Accordions, alcoholics, pickpockets,
Heat and light,
Girls working in and out of sight
Oh when do the saints go marching in?
Every single night

The ability to choose doesn't seem like much to ask
But it's only a few get to pick their own path
And the paths look many
Your stride, great or small
But all those paths lead here, to the wall

Whatever your plans,
They're worth nothing at all
Cause we're all at the wall
Yes, we're all at the wall

Think you can find your way out?
But there's no one to call
Cause they're all at the wall
Yes, we're all at the wall

You can keep your head down
Or say you won't crawl
But we're all at the wall
Yes, we're all at the wall

Forget all your plans
They're worth nothing at all
Cause we're all at the wall
Yes, we're all at the wall

The ability to choose doesn't seem like much to ask
But it's only a few get to pick their own path
And the paths look many
They rise and they fall
But all those paths lead here, to the wall.