Dog Collar Man

Punch-clock dawn
Same old van
Steel-toe boots
And a coffee can
Got a name tag shine
And a gravel yard tan
But the boss tugs hard
On the chain in his hand

Every time they yank that lead
Something wild inside me stands

I'm a dog collar man
On a short chain
Long day plan
Got a tired back
Bleeding hands
Still I howl at the gate when I can
I'm a dog collar man
But I won't bow
Won't kiss their brand
When they pull
I dig in and stand
Yeah
I'm a dog collar man (hey!)

Break-room talk
Same thin pay
Dreams taped up
On a locker door gray
Hear the whistle bark
"Boy
Get back where you belong"
But I feel that leash
Getting brittle
Getting wrong

Every order
Every shout
Just another rusted link

I'm a dog collar man
On a short chain
Long day plan
Got a tired back
Bleeding hands
Still I howl at the gate when I can
I'm a dog collar man
But I won't bow
Won't kiss their brand
When they pull
I dig in and stand
Yeah
I'm a dog collar man

One day I'll snap that ring
Leave this yard
Feel my lungs start to sing (woah)
See that moon over factory smoke
Hear my heart beat louder than the boss's choke
All you strays in the shadow of the plant
Raise your heads
Raise your rough hands
If you're tired of living by another man's command
Come and run with the dog collar man

I'm a dog collar man
On a short chain
Long day plan
Got a tired back
Bleeding hands
Still I howl at the gate when I can
I'm a dog collar man
But I won't bow
Won't kiss their brand
When they pull
I dig in and stand
Yeah
I'm a dog collar man

Dog collar man
(Stand, stand, dog collar man)
Dog collar man
(Howl if you hear me, dog collar man)