See a man standin’ there with a smile and a rag and he’s waitin’ just for you.
Ev’rybody comes from miles around just to see what he can do.
He sets you down, puts your foot up, pops a boot-black ready to go.
You can close your eyes and listen,
Listen to the shine man go.

Shine man (x 3)
Shine on, shine man (x 2)
Shine man

Left his home with a rag and a shoe box and he’s just thirteen or so.
He can tell you more about folks and things than anybody else I know.
Elbows flyin’ and a rag a-poppin’, that beat comin’ over you,
‘Cross the way another shine man is getting’ his licks in too
And it sounds like this:

Shine man … etc.