Leaflet with 'Dance of the Underclass' gives the words for No Half Measures/Song of the Drinking Man's wife - Words & Music by Alistair Hulett

My old man has a heart that's as warm
As the breeze on a summer's afternoon
He's clever with his hands; you should see his fingers dance
When he laughs he's as crazy as the moon.
I've been with him now for nearly sixteen years
But I can't tell you how, for I've cried so many tears

CHORUS: He can't seem to lay off the bottle
He just doesn't know when to stop
Something snaps in his head
And he won't come to bed
'Til he's finished every drop.

My old man has been in and out of work
For as long as I can recall
It's all for his grog and he can't hold down a job
So we've nothing much to show for it all.
It'S not things that I need, I'm not that way inclined
It just makes my heart bleed to see him get so blind

CHORUS

Well, I think I'll send the kids for a spell with me ma
And I'll take some time on my own
We could talk but I doubt we'd ever work it out
But I'm not sure I can live alone.
It's been so many years, Christ, it's almost half my life
But he's married to his beer and I don't feel much like a wife.

CHORUS

My old man had a heart that's as warm
As the breeze on a summer's afternoon.
He was clever with his hands; you should have seen his fingers dance
But now he's living in a rented room.
We meet from time to time but there's nothing much to say
We once had something fine but there's nothing left today.

CHORUS