I was born there,
before I knew better.
Went to school there,
but learned to avoid that.
Fell in love there,
but love couldn t thrive there.
Picked it up
and I left it behind, said -

Man, alive!
get me out of this barrel of crabs.

Most our homes were
depressed by division.
What passed for  friendship 
was really  protection .
Any work there
disolved into trouble.
Ate me up,
livin  life on the bubble, said -

Man, alive!
get me out of this barrel of crabs.

Everytime I d gain some ground,
another man s scheme would just pull me back down.
Everytime I spied the top.
the next poor sucker s there to give me the drop.