The Rich Man And The Poor Man 1923

by James Pitt-Payne, London UK - 15Apr2025
2025

The poor are always with us,
so the prophet used to say.
The rich are always with us too,
except when they're away.
But money isn't everything,
and life's a fancy game,
for if you're rich,
or if you're poor,
you've troubles just the same.

The rich man dines at the Ritz or Savoy,
drinks wine, it may be sinful.
The poor man dines on a penny saveloy,
so he always gets his skin full.
The rich man has five courses at lunch;
no wonder he gets fat quick.
The poor man only knows three courses
Kempton, Epsom, and Gatwick.

The rich man sleeps in a mansion grand
built by the poor man's labours.
The poor man sleeps in a Council House
with his feet in the nextdoor neighbour's.
The rich man sleeps in his bed alone;
they have twin beds, 'cause I've seen them.
The poor man sleeps in bed with his wife,
and the four twins sleep between them.

When the rich man's RollsRoyce car breaks down,
all night he has to mind it.
If the poor man's car breaks down, who cares?
There's another car behind it,
When the rich man's queer, they operate
at these Nursing Institutions,
When the poor man's queer he goes to work
and says thank heaven for Kruschen's!

When the rich man's buried, upon his chest
there's a tombstone large ands classy.
The poor man's happy with a dendelion
in a jam jar on his chassis!
The rich man;'s wife had diamonds bright
that her loving husband sends her
when the poor man's wife had a diamond bright
he knows she's got influenza.

The rich man smokes Flor Finas grand,
and he looks tray bong behind 'em.
The poor man smokes Flor Finas too,
and upon the floor he'll find 'em.
The rich man pays five bob in the pound
and thinks that it's a caution,
the poor man pays fourpence in the pint;
in a year he pays a fortune.

If the rish man's wife should prove untrue,
he applies for Decree Nisi's.
If the poor man's wife begins to flirt
he gives her a couple of nice eyes.
the rich man boasts of his ancestors;
they were great men, who could doubt it?
the poor man's people were thieves as well
but he doesn't swank about it.

The rich man's wife has Kolinsky furs,
abd ev'ry kind of rare skin.
The poor man's wife on Friday night
has a bath and shows her bare skin.
The rich man has a bath each day
though it may sound impossossible,
the poor man has to stand in the sink
and he washes as far as possible.

It's all a matter of what you think;
you'll find the whole world o'er.
If you think you're rich, you are rich,
if you think you're poor, you're poor.

Soft karaoke
Words
piano 1
piano 2
piano 3
piano 4
lyric
pizz str bass
*
The Rich Man And The Poor Man 1923
from "Tip Toes"
by R.P.Weston & Bert Lee
© 1923 by Francis, Day & Hunter
*
seqeunce & karaoke by James Pitt-Payne, London UK
on Tuesday 15 April 2025 at 12.10
in association with Torquil Syme
*
James Pitt-Payne