Lately I been wastin' this hard, hard life Seems like nothin' ever turns out right The day's too short, the nights too long Meet you in the middle if it turns out wrong, hey! ♪ Johnny got a job, but it ain't no good Nickels and Dimes, you know he never could Seem to make it clean, I'm tellin' you When the devil got your soul, there ain't much you can do ♪ Now he prays for a light in the dark to lift 'em on up (lift 'em on up) And he swears with his hand on his heart to lift 'em on up (lift 'em on up) You can tear the night down and turn it inside out ♪ Johnny looks around, but all he sees Is a tired old city livin' on its knees Blue jean faces, fadin' fast Backs are breaking, but the hard times last ♪ And now he, now he prays for a light in the dark to lift 'em on up (lift 'em on up) And he swears with his hand on his heart to lift 'em on up (lift 'em on up) You can tear the night down and turn it inside out You can tear the night down Yesterday's Johnny (Johnny, Johnny) ♪ Johnny and me used to have a dream If you ran real fast, it'd set you free So we kept on running, but our legs got tired And the dream just kinda faded when the spirit died, hey ♪ (Lift 'em on up) (Lift 'em on up) And now he prays for a light in the dark to lift 'em on up (lift 'em on up) And he swears with his hand on his heart to lift 'em on up (lift 'em on up) You can tear the night down, you can tear the night down You can tear the night down and turn it inside out ♪ Lift 'em on up, lift 'em on up Lift 'em on up, lift 'em on up