Lyrics:

Tell me what a young man, Mama
What's he got to live for?
Tossed in the shuffle of everyday war
Searchin' for some trouble
Which I'm sure he will find
Spend your whole life fightin', son
To meet your dying time

It's a shame, it's a shame, Lord
The trigger be his only friend
It's a shame, oh yeah
But it ain't never gonna end, that's right

He's a pocketful of hate that don't give a damn
What fate awaits the machine gun man?
Well, he ain't got no future and he ain't got no plan
What fate awaits the machine gun man?
The machine gun man

Can't see tomorrow, Lord, I don't see today
Trail of confusion, Lord, done leadin' my way
Say the only thing worth killin', Lord, be killin' time
Only soul worth savin' now, Mama, be savin' mine

It's a shame, it's a shame, Lord
The trigger be his only friend
It's a shame, oh yeah
But it ain't never gonna end, that's right

He's a pocketful of hate that don't give a damn
What fate awaits the machine gun man?
Well, he ain't got no future and he ain't got no plan
What fate awaits the machine gun man?
The machine gun man

He keeps shootin', Mama, Mama
Like any old fool would do
Lord, the life he be leadin'
Ain't the one he had to choose
As he walks on out that door
Mama breaks down to cry, oh as she waves -
The machine gun man goodbye, goodbye, goodbye,goodbye

A pocketful of hate that don't give a damn
What fate awaits the machine gun man?
Well, he ain't got no future, he ain't got no plan
What fate awaits the machine gun man?
The machine, yeah, gun man
The machine gun man, yeah