Andre Fritze has requested the lyrics to this song which I wrote in Sydney in the 80s with Martin Cilia around the time of Surplus and Dearth. It didn’t make that album but I decided to add it to the CD re-issue of This is my Planet which I renamed This Is Your Planet. That CD sold out so it can now be found on the double CD Correct Planet – which contains all the songs from Correct Weight (1979) plus all the tracks from the re-issue This is your Planet. I was looking for a kind of Van Dyke Parks laid back feel to contrast against the lyrics which are earnest, and could easily become melodramatic and/or didactic which I hate and which would work against the genuine sentiment of the song. Nice work from Martin who did the music single-handedly. I might do a new rockier version at some point for the heck of it. BTW reckon I might be the only songwriter who has managed to get Irkutsk into a lyric.
POVERTY
I’ve been around a long long time
I’ve crossed oceans I’ve crossed seas
You’ve tried to stamp me out in every new society
But you’ve never got me down yet
And you never will succeed
As long as there is human nature there’ll be human greed
I’m poverty poverty you really don’t want no part of me
Poverty poverty and if you see me coming you should flee
I’m in the Horn of Africa
I’m everywhere you look
The Highlands of Papua to the Tundra of Irkutsk
And you’ll find me in surprising places
Just a step from Royalty
While the rich get richer the poor poor just get me
I’m poverty poverty you really don’t want no part of me
Poverty poverty and if you see me coming you should flee
I’m ever present I’m so resilient
The curse of the peasant I’m just so Brazilian
And you’ll never rid me no just wait and see
The Ritz will get richer and the poor will get me
I’m poverty poverty you really don’t want no part of me
Poverty poverty and if you see me coming you should flee
… well remember your ‘van dyke parks’ cover/tribute ‘Bing Crosby’way back in the day (1970″s) & yes this could well be a rocker.
the reason for the request was as I buy copies & give them to my friends for present , always an occasion, this song came up (as well as “common touch”- lyrics to follow from you hmmn?) & I didn’t want to spout off on something I didn’t know the background of, unlike say … “worst day” Mug’s Game Album punters! click to buy: – & the story you told about when someone on the train in Spain stole your suitcase full of songs/ or you lost the suitcase on the train, in Spain & a great song came out of that!
thank you for your reply
Good memory Fritze – yes Bing Crosby was always a favourite especially at shopper rock