My older brother Tommy was a lineman rest his soul
His job was hanging hot wire on them high-line power poles
Every morning bright and early he'd climb way up in the sky
And i never understood it so one day I asked him why

He said it pays big money and man I'm into that
It pays big money of you're willing to take a chance
let me tell you something, sonny, you ought to see my bank account
It pays big money but he sure can't spend it now

Well, my late uncle Charlie was this demolition hound
He'd travel across the country blowing buildings to the ground
He carried a case of dynamite seemed everywhere he went
He smoked them big long cigars and he'd wink at you and grin

He said it pays big money and man I'm into that
It pays big money of you're willing to take a chance
let me tell you something, sonny, you ought to see my bank account
It pays big money but he sure can't spend it now

Well, now the moral of this story, boys, is don't go getting yourself killed
Be nice to your rich relatives they just might put you in their will

That pays big money and we're all into that
It pays big money and big money's where it's at
Let me tell you something, sonny, you ought to see my bank account
It pays big money and we're rolling in it now

It pays big money having foolish kin
It pays big money, guess i owe it all to them
Let me show you something, sonny, take a look at this bank account
It pays big money let's all spend some of it now