A bill becomes a law like a man becomes a fool
Starts off making sense, ends up a talking mule.
Bill becomes a law like a man becomes a fool
And if your life depends on him
You’ll find out just how cruel life is.
Life is.

A bill becomes a law like a wife becomes a whore
Starts off loving you, turns out she’s loving more
A bill becomes a law like a wife becomes a whore
And if your love depends on her
You’ll find out just how poor love is.
Love is.

A bill becomes a law like a saint becomes a thief
Starts off doing good, then sins beyond belief.
A bill becomes a law like a saint becomes a thief
And if your hope depends on them
You’ll find out how much grief hope is.
Grief is.

A bill becomes a law like a vet becomes a tramp
Starts off hot as hell, ends up all cold and damp.
A bill becomes a law like a vet becomes a tramp
But if your law depends on me
You’ll find out what a camp of us is.
Of us is.  

On to Washington
Let’s get this army on the move
Fall in, soldier, straighten up.
You ain’t a bum with an old tin cup
Chest out, chin high, giddyup
We’ve got a lot to prove.

On to Washington
Let’s get this army on its way
Jump the freights like we did as kids
Nobody there to say we hit the skids
Won’t turn back, no, heaven forbids
We’re gonna have our day.

On to Washington
Watch the country roll on by
Railroad men don’t hit those brakes
You were a soldier too you know what that takes
They’ve got work, we’ve got aches
We’re gonna ask them why.

Passing these american ghosts on the road
Bindles and hollowed out eyes
Turn to the train and they cheer as we pass
The hopes of a nation arise.

On to Washington
From every corner of the land
Oregon to Tennessee
From fruited plain to the factory
North to south and sea to sea
We’ll make them understand.

On to Washington
No one’s gonna keep us down
Let us in quiet or we’ll run amok
Too many years spent being stuck
Hoover’s just run out of luck
We’re coming in to town.