Mike Love (Reggae)
Penniless
I’ve kept my mouth shut too long
Begging for scraps down here at the bottom
And though I know it might ruffle some feathers
I just can’t hold my tongue no more
‘Cause I’m sure that the weak and the poor
Got something to say, but they can’t pay so nobody listens
And a man with a hell of a plan
Can’t do nothing with his hands, while he’s stuck in the back washing dishes
It don’t seem right that some work ’til the day that they die
And some never have to work a single day in their lives
Won’t somebody tell me why
I get paid half as much to work
Twice as hard as all these yuppie jerks
Just because I don’t wear a suit and a tie
Am I out of my mind to wish that I was

[Chorus]
Penniless, so that I could rest
All these money troubles give me stress
Always wanting more and having less
All these worries take my life away
There goes another day
Working minimum wage
Trapped up inside this cage
With one foot in the grave
I think it would be best
It we all were just more penniless
They say you’re penniless, you’re broke
But to me it’s a joke
‘Cause the wealthiest ones, mentally, spiritually, are the unhealthiest ones
Their trust funds ain’t gonna save ‘em when the judgement comes
We’ll just watch them run
‘Cause the tidal wave’s coming and it’s gonna break
And take away all ignorance, leave only truth in its wake
‘Cause any system’s bound to fail that lets the treacherous prevail
Puts the innocent in jail, watches them burn at the stake

But I and I know that there will come a day
When the breeze will blow and take this all away
And in time everything will be okay
If we can just find a way to stay

[Chorus]
Penniless, so that I could rest
All these money troubles give me stress
Always wanting more and having less
All these worries take my life away
There goes another day
Working minimum wage
Trapped up inside this cage
With one foot in the grave
I think it would be best
It we all were just more penniless
What we hold within our hearts
Will always be, will never part
And what we hold within our hands
Will quickly turn to smoke and sand
So let it go, let it go, let go, let go
‘Cause the rain will fall and wash away
And sun will shine another day, another life, another way
Another chance to run and play
And all these things that you hold dear
They will all just disappear
So let it go, let go

‘Cause what we hold within our hands
Will quickly turn to smoke and sand
So let it go, let it fade, let it slide and slip away
And may your soul be at rest
Rich in Love and rich in truth and truly blessed
Truly penniless