From the recording Jersey Stories Part 1

written 3/13/84-----Another New Jersey wintertime on unemployment song. You could go from house to house and there was always someone around with whom to pass the day -and maybe have a cup of coffee. I first played this song in Greenwich Village at Folk City (I think) at an open mike night. I used to take the bus into the city and play in Washington Square Park for change- and where, I might add Woody Guthrie also played.

Lyrics

Harsh Realities

Don't mean to be no pessimist
don't want to make it seem
I'm drawn to sad conclusions by harsh realities

there's people sweating hard jobs
for next to nothing it seems
packed into a compress of a steamy factory

young mothers with young babies
can't buy them food to eat
young fathers and their shit jobs
oh those harsh realities

having coffee in the afternoon
you have a choice on to who with be
so many people out of work in the winter time it seems
but still they find a way to laugh
they keep a smile seen
there's many people laughing back at
harsh realities