I should know to leave them home
They follow me through the store
with these toys I can't afford
"Kids, take them back, you know better than that"
Dolls that talk, astronauts, TV games, airplanes,
they don't understand and how can I explain?

I try and try but I can't save
Pennies, nickels, dollars slip away
I've tried and tried but I can't save

My youngest girl has bad fever, sure
All night with alcohol
tryin' to cool and to rub her down
Ruby, I'm tired, I'm tired, try and get some sleep.
I'm adding doctor's fees to remedies
to the cost of three day's work lost

I try and try but I can't save
Pennies, nickels, dollars slip away
I've tried and tried but I can't save

The hole in my pocketbook is growing
"There's a new wind blowing" they say,
it's gonna be a cold, cold one
So brace yourselves my darlings,
'Cause it won't bring anything much our way
but more dust bowl days

I played a card in this weeks game
Took the first and the last letters
in three of their names
This lottery's been building up for weeks
I could be lucky me with the five million prize,
tears of disbelief spilling out of my eyes

I try and try but I can't save
Pennies, nickels, dollars slip away
I've tried and tried but I can't save

The hole in my pocketbook is growing.
"There's a new wind blowing" they say,
it's gonna be a cold, cold one
So brace yourselves my darlings,
'Cause it won't bring anything much our way
But more dust bowl days