My mother gave a mighty shout
Opened her legs and let me out
Hungry as a prairie dog
Young man in America
Young man in America
Hungry, hungry, running every which way
Young man in Americay

I come out like a cannonball
Come of age of alcohol
Raven in a field of rye
With a black and roving eye
Black and roving eye
Ravenous, ravenous
What you got, it's not enough
Young man in America

Oh, shelter, mother shelter,
Mother shelter us
Oooh

My father was a lord of land
My daddy was a repo man
Put me out onto the street
Didn't give a damn for me
Did not give a damn
Daddy, daddy, gonna wish you never had me
I'm a young man

I'm growing right before your eyes
I might grow to such a size
Blow in like a hurricane
Everyone will know my name
Everyone'll know my name
Blowing in, blowing up
Shadow on the mountaintop
Young man in America

Oh, shepherd, father shepherd,
Father shepherd us
Oooh

In my feathers and furs
Clothes of many colors
Many men will envy me
When I'm in my finery
Me in my finery
Envy me, envy me
Spending all my bright money
Young man in Americay

Maybe I climb the stairs
With a girl of golden hair
Hold her like a sword and shield
Up against this lonely world
Up against the world
It's a lonely, lonely world
For a yellow-headed girl
And a young man

Like the wind I make my moan
Howl in the canyon
There's a hollow in my bones
Make me cry and carry on
Make the foam fly from my tongue
Make me want what I want
Another wayward son
Waiting on oblivion

Waiting on the kingdom come to meet me in my sin
Waiting to be born again
Mother kiss me cheek and chin
Mmm, a little medicine
Mmm, and then I shed my skin
Mmm, and lemme climb back in the bed you made me in