Uncle Sam in ’35
Picked some men to work down in Florida.
Stood in line, wait all day,
Hope for a chance to work down in Florida.
We saw them off that day,
We all tipped our caps and told ourselves:
“They’re the lucky ones.”

Built that bridge, laid those roads,
From Key West to the mainland of Florida.
Who knew what? Who knew when?
Weather changes quick down in Florida.
We had blue skies that day,
We all looked for work and told ourselves:
“They’re the lucky ones.”

Labor Day in ’35
Big storm hits the keys, it’s a hurricane.
Woh—
Eighteen foot waves they said,
Nowhere to hide from the wrath of a hurricane.
Woh–
We heard the news that day,
We all held our breath and told ourselves:
“There’ll be lucky ones.”

Coast Guard plane warned some folks,
Never bothered with the camps of the working men.
Woh—
Rescue train, sent too late,
Never even stopped at the camps of the working men.
Woh—
Four hundred died that day,
We all hung our heads and asked ourselves:
“Where are the lucky ones?”

Five months pass, Congress sits,
Guess what? They pass a Bonus bill.
Woh—
All those years, all those vets,
Selling apples as they wait for a Bonus bill.
Woh—
We held our checks that day,
We all shook our heads and told ourselves:
“I guess, we’re the lucky ones.”