It's a big town to walk across There are-holes in your shoes You can feel the mean streets stretching out You're going down With a bad case of the blues You ask for some assistance All you get is a loan And advice to show initiative Get on your bike Gather your things and go Out on your own Out on your own Sixteen years old Nothing for you here But out there is a brave new world Be bold Gather your things and go The wind finally sets you down No time to find your feet The price of bread is still going up You've got a room That you can't afford to heat You ask for some assistance All you get is a loan Then a letter saying this ain't your home Your eight weeks are up Gather your things and go Out on your own Out on your own Sixteen years old Never broke the law You get treated like some criminal Hounded down the road Told to gather your things and go You ask for some assistance All you get is a loan You already owe a fortune And you'll never pay it back So you gather your things and go Out on your own Out on your own Sixteen years old Youth is no defence You're messing up the statistics Don't bother to say hello Just gather your things and go