At the End of the Day

At the end of the day, you're another day older
And that's all you can say for the life of the poor
It's a struggle, it's a war
And there's nothing that anyone's giving
One more day standing about
What is it for?
One less day to be living

At the end of the day, you're another day colder
And the shirt on your back doesn't keep out the chill
And the righteous hurry past
They don't hear the little ones crying
And the winter is coming on fast
Ready to kill
One day nearer to dying

At the end of the day, there's another day dawning
And the sun in the morning is waiting to rise
And the waves crash on the sand
Like a storm that'll break any second
There's a hunger in the land
There's a reckoning still to be reckoned
And there's going to be hell to pay
At the end of the day

At the end of the day, you get nothing for nothing
Sitting flat on your butt doesn't buy any bread
There are children back at home
And the children have got to be fed
And you're lucky to be in a job
And in a bed
And we're counting our blessings

Have you seen how the foreman is fuming today?
With his terrible breath and his wandering hands?
It's because little Fantine won't give him his way
Take a look at his trousers, you'll see where he stands

At the end of the day it's another day over
With enough in your pocket to last for a week
Pay the landlord, pay the shop
Keep on grafting as long as you're able
Keep on grafting till you drop
Or it's back to the crumbs off the table
You've got to pay your way
At the end of the day

And what have we here, little innocent sister?
Come on, Fantine, let's have all the news
"Dear Fantine, you must send us more money
Your child needs a doctor
There's no time to lose"

What is this fighting all about?
Will someone tear these two apart?
This is a factory, not a circus!
Now come on, ladies, settle down
I run a business of repute
I am the mayor of this town
I look to you to sort this out
Now be as patient as you can

Now someone say how this began!

At the end of the day, she's the one who began it
There's a kid that she's hiding in some little town
There's a man she has to pay
You can guess how she picks up the extra
You can bet she's earning her keep sleeping around
And the boss wouldn't like it

Yes, it's true there's a child and the child is my daughter
And her father abandoned us, leaving us flat
Now she lives with an innkeeper man and his wife
And I pay for the child
What's the matter with that?

At the end of the day, she'll be nothing but trouble
And there's trouble for all when there's trouble for one
While we're earning our daily bread
She's the one with her hands in the butter
You must send the slut away
Or we're all going to end in the gutter
It's us who'll have to pay
At the end of the day!

I might have known the bitch could bite
I might have known the cat had claws
I might have guessed your little secret
Ah yes, the virtuous Fantine
Who keeps herself so pure and clean
You'd be the cause, I had no doubt
Of any trouble hereabout
You play a virgin in the light
But need no urging in the night!

She's been laughing at you while she's having her men
She'll be nothing but trouble again and again
You must sack her today! (Sack the girl today!)
Right my girl
On your way!