Outside the darkened factory Now the winds of winter blow The jobs were seeking sunshine So they moved to Mexico The corporate man he shook my hand And said he wished me well And wrapped the chain around the door And damned this town to hell Stubborn hearted, holding on I watched the others go To leave the life we've always known And walk the bitter road Three generations on the job My dad and grandpa too We worked the mill from dawn 'til dusk The only life we knew We knew the work inside and out We felt the craftsmen's pride And on that day the mill shut down Then something sacred died Stubborn hearted, holding on I watched the others go To leave the life we've always known And walk the bitter road So I sit here inside my house With winter coming on The best and brightest of this town Have moved away and gone The skies are gray, the trees are bare The fire is growing dim I'm waiting for a springtime That may never come again Stubborn minded, left behind I'm choosing not to go I cling on to this life I've known Here on the bitter road