i can tell it wears you out you deserve better now but a loss is a loss any old way you played by the rules you kept every word but no one ever heard what you wanted to say it s a backwards world it s a backwards world upstream is forward in a backwards world when a man gets your respect you know it won t buy him much so maybe it s not worth as much as it once was if the total of it all doesn t add up to an ounce so when then what is it for yeah what is it all for it s a backwards world it s a backwards world upstream is forward in our backwards world is this truly my faith pray to the lord my soul to take around around around if you don t show me sign then it s up to me to find  it s a backwards world it s a backwards world upstream is forward in our backwards world