In the corner of the barroom
Lives the ghost of Langston Hughes
He's takin' notes and smokin' cigarettes
Sippin' slowly on his booze
Got them goin' nowhere blues

And on the stage beneath the spotlight
Woody Guthrie sings the news
He's always ready for the good fight
Never thinkin' that he'll lose
Got them goin' nowhere blues
Through the back way in the alley
Sellin all you should refuse
Looks like Jane has finally given in
Hey, what the hell it ain't no use
Got them goin' nowhere blues

Out the front around the corner
Martin Luther shines your shoes
He's preachin' justice and equality
I guess Martin's payin' dues
He's got them goin' nowhere blues

On the other side it's a free ride
You've got money you can burn
When the ground shakes and the earth breaks
Which way you gonna turn
Are you ever gonna learn
In the poolroom on the table
Swillin' wine and smashin' cues
They locked him up last night for fighting
Cesar Chavez blew a fuse
He's got them goin' nowhere blues

All the members of the union
All the farm and labor crews
They used to be meet here by the dozens
They disappeared in ones and twos
Got them goin' nowhere blues
So you wonder why they come here
They come here to look for clues
Passin' time until they live again
To fight these going nowhere views
Leave these goin' nowhere blues
To fight these goin' nowhere views