by David Budbill
Oh, Mr. Rich Man, Rich Man
Open up your heart and mind.
Mr. Rich Man, Rich Man
Open up your heart and mind.
Give the poor man a chance.
Help stop these hard, hard times.
While you're livin' in your mansion
You don't know what hard times mean.
Oh, you livin' in your mansion
You don't know what hard times mean.
Poor man's wife is starvin'
Your wife a'livin' like a queen.
Oh, you listen to my pleadin'
Can't stand these hard times long.
Listen to my pleadin'
I can't stand these hard times long.
They'll make an honest man
do the thing that he know is wrong.
Poor man's fought all the battles.
Poor man'll fight again today
The poor man's fought all the battles
and he'll fight again today.
He will do anything you ask him
in the name of the U. S. A.
("Mr. Rich Man, Rich Man" is a traditional blues discovered by Odetta on a recording at The Smithsonian Institution, probably made early in the 20th century. I transcribed the lyrics from an Odetta recording of unknown origins." — David Budbill)
(excerpted from the upcoming PARK SONGS, Spring 2012, Exterminating Angel Press )