A Living Wage

... about the struggle of people to make ends meet working for less than a living wage ...about just enough ...about the change that is coming.

I started writing "A Living Wage" after my son lent me the book, "Nickel and Dimed." I finished the song after witnessing and participating in Occupy St. Louis marches and ally meetings.

Download the song at iTunes http://bit.ly/wZ7b81, Amazon and other song sellers.

We will donate the proceeds to the Occupy movement and to its Living Wage ally organizations.

lyrics

A Living Wage

Of New Things... Rerum Novarum
occupy
just enough

How much for the rent
The money's all but spent
At the line we live below

How much for the hands
My fingers understand
The costs of letting go

And oh, I'm sorry son, but the world turns on the dime.
And I'm sorry love, but time is money and money time.

How much for the lights
We'll turn them out at night
And burn candles to the floor

How much for my feet
I left them on the street
And can't feel them anymore

And if I could I'd buy the moon and stars above
I'd buy all the things we need... this labor is my love
And if I could I'd buy enough to be enough
To be safe and sound and warm at home... is all I'm thinking of
Chorus:
They kept sayin'
That there's a way in
So we kept playin'
in silent rage

Now we're sayin'
That we're stayin'
'Til they're payin'
A living wage
'til they're payin'
A living wage
Are they payin'...

How much did they pay
For stories framed that way
And all the lies we've been told

How could they think we should
Buy their bill of goods
But we don't buy it anymore

In the interest of all the stockholders.
In the interest of full disclosure.
In the interest of pundits and pollsters.
The top's too heavy; it's about to tip over.

Big money sells us this dream:
That the rich know best and you're part the cream.
You'll rise to the top. You'll get your bling.
You'll be one of them. You'll have everything.

Big money doesn't want you to know
that workers had to die in the streets below
to get your rights written in the law's pages
weekends, holidays, safety, fair wages.

What do you know about Mother Jones?
Look it up on your smart smart phones?
Do you really think money's on your side?
She'll be comin' round the mountain 'bout to tan your hide.

Big money says do more with less.
Big money says it's wrong to tax the rich.
Big money saves itself above all the rest
until it trickles down on us in its own interest.

Big money figures we're too slow to see
the growing worldwide plutocracy.
If not right now then when will it be.
Time to take a stand —time to hit the streets.

Chorus:
They kept sayin'
That there's a way in
So we kept playin'
in silent rage

Now we're sayin'
That we're stayin'
'Til they're payin'
A living wage
'til they're payin'
A living wage
Are they payin'...

Copyright 2011 Gene Pfeiffer

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Living
• Wage
• Occupy
• Wall
• Street
• St.
• Louis
• Minimum
• Just
• Enough
• Change
• Is
• Coming
• Movement
• Organized
• Labor
• Poverty
• Food
• Stamps
• Protest
• Songs
• Unemployment
• Workers
• Rights
• Rerum
• Novarum
• Massive
• Fraud

[michael12fgd]

Really inspiring, have you thought about sending a link of this to the woman who wrote "Nickel and Dimed?" I suspect she'd like it.

[dw1925]

Good for you - you must have hit a nerve based on the rude comment below. Beautiful, poignant, and powerful.

[stlB420]

I dont think you'll be donating much......your song sucks!!! It is almost as stupid as the movement itself.