* R I C H * M A N * P O O R * M A N *









* R I C H * M A N * P O O R * M A N *


JULY

2006












  • The Rich Man And The Poor Man - Bob Miller - (1932)

  • Rags to Riches - Tony Bennett - (1953)

  • Get Rich Quick - Little Richard - (1953)

  • Charming Betsy - The Farmer Boys - (1956)

  • Brother Can You Spare A Dime - Bing Crosby - (1932)

  • On the Nickel - Tom Waits - (1980)

  • Taxes On The Farmer Feeds Us All - Fiddlin' John Carson and Moonshine Kate - (1924)

  • Hobo, You Can't Ride This Train - Louis Armstrong - (1932)

  • Do Re Mi - Woody Guthrie - (1937)

  • Rich Woman - Little Millette & His Creoles - (1972)

  • Poor Side of Town - Johnny Rivers - (1966)

  • The Welfare Turns Its Back On You - Freddie King - (1963)

  • If You're So Smart, How Come You Ain't Rich? - Louis Jordan - (1950)

  • Hobo's Lullaby - Emmylou Harris - (1988)









'Rich Man Poor Man'

was the subject of the

13th episode of Bob Dylan's

"Theme Time Radio Hour"





"... As it says in Proverbs, chapter 19, verse 17:

'He [that] hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord;

and that which he hath given will he pay him again.'

Think it over! ..." * Bob Dylan *










The Rich Man And The Poor Man
Bob Miller

There's just two kind of people, the sinner and the saint;

There's one that gets and always got while the other poor one ain't.

Oh, the rich man drives his Lincoln past the red light with a grin,

And the poor man follows right behind in his little hunk of tin.

There's a motorcycle copper following upon their trail;

Oh, the rich man tears his ticket, but the poor man goes to jail.

Oh, the rich man takes the high road anywhere that he may go,

But when the poor man's travelin' he must always take the low.

So if you're rich you'll travel snug as peas are in the pod;

Oh, the rich man rides a cushion and the poor man rides the rods.

Oh, the rich man when he's ailing stays at home and calls the doc,

But the poor man has to go to work, be in time to punch a clock.

The rich man takes his medicine, has his doctors and his nurse;

So the rich man he gets better but the poor man he gets worse!

Oh, the rich man steals a million from the bank that he controls,

While the poor man steals a loaf of bread or a penny's worth of rolls.

They take them to the courthouse, one is laughing, one's in tears;

Oh, the rich man gets an apology while the poor man gets ten years!

Oh, the rich man gets a lawyer and the lawyer pleads his case,

While the poor man asks for sympathy but of that there is now trace.

So if you're rich don't worry but the poor must give up hope;

Oh, the rich man gets acquitted while the poor man gets the rope!

Oh, the rich man when he kicks off has a casket made of gold,

While the poor man has a wooden box and his grave looks mighty cold.

The rich man gets a sermon but here's one thing that's sure,

When the rich man takes that last long ride he's as much dead as the poor!