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 day less 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
Like 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 gonna be hell to pay
At the end of the day

At the end of the day, you get nothing for nothin'
Sittin' 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 hand?
It's because little Fantine won't give him his way
Take a look at his trousers, you'll see where he stands

And the boss, he never knows
That the foreman is always on heat
If Fantine doesn't look out, watch how she goes
She'll be out on the street

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 'til you drop, or it's back to the crumbs off the table
Well, you gotta 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 shouting 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, and 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 hidin' 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

It is 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 gonna end in the gutter
And 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