No. 8 - Act I Opening Chorus - "We always work the public."

Lyrics by Frank Pixley

[Chorus:] We believe in honest labor,
when indulged in by a neighbor,
And we hold it wrong for other folks to rob.
You can hardly call us shirkers,
we're a band of willing workers,
But we always work the public, not the job.
See! We always work the public, not the job.
[Foreman:] We never miss a chance to plunder,
[Chorus:] to plunder, like thunder.
[Foreman:] Though others do the squealing,
for a wonder
No rat is ever hungry at the crib.
[Chorus:] We never miss a chance to plunder,
to plunder, like thunder.
Though others do the squealing, for a wonder
No rat is ever hungry at the crib.
So work, work, work.
We will work with a right good will,
But the work we do and it's hard work, too,
Is running up a great big bill.
Oh, a public job is a private snap.
In spite of all reform clap trap.
We've never found a treasury we couldn't tap,
For we always work the public, not the job.
Work, work, work.
We will work with a right good will,
But the work we do and it's hard work, too,
Is running up a great big bill.
Oh, a public job is a private snap.
In spite of all reform clap trap.
We've never found a treasury we couldn't tap,
For we always work the public, not the job.

Since we're working for the city
we'd consider it a pity
To complete our job, for that would end our pay.
So, we always do our best
to cash in a lot of rest,
For we always fleece the public by the day.
See! We always fleece the public by the day.
[Foreman:] We always plan a steal discreetly,
[Chorus:] so sweetly, and neatly;
[Foreman:] We gobble up your taxes
so completely,
We wipe the whole caboodle off the slate.
[Chorus:] We always plan a steal discreetly,
so sweetly, and neatly;
We gobble up your taxes so completely,
We wipe the whole caboodle off the slate.
So work, work, work.
We will work with a right good will,
But the work we do and it's hard work, too,
Is running up a great big bill.
Oh, a public job is a private snap.
In spite of all reform clap trap.
We've never found a treasury we couldn't tap,
For we always fleece the public by the day.
Work, work, work.
We will work with a right good will,
But the work we do and it's hard work, too,
Is running up a great big bill.
Oh, a public job is a private snap.
In spite of all reform clap trap.
We've never found a treasury we couldn't tap,
For we always fleece the public by the day.