Song of the Fortnight - Aug. 27, 2007 - Broke and Hungry

[paddyinthepub]

Broke and Hungry
from the album Urban Folk Songs


Everybody's got a song about America
Oh, clutch your breast and stand up straight and tall
This is just one song about America
Oh, I took the lyric off a bathroom wall

Broke and hungry
Broke and hungry
Broke and hungry
Broke and hungry

I don't know nothin' about democracy
Don't know how to spell bureaucracy
Don't know about the ups and downs of the economy
All I know is that they're there and I'm here, I'm here

Broke and hungry
Broke and hungry
Broke and hungry
Broke and hungry

I don't know who is in the presidency
Oh and I ain't asking for his royal leniency
Cause I have seen the people stand in line sucking on society
I have seen them all from where I'm standing here, here

Broke and hungry
Broke and hungry
Broke and hungry
Broke and hungry

Copyright Ellis Paul Publishing -- SESAC

Thought I would get this week's discussion started...with the lyrics. I'll pull out the CD for a few spins when time allows and have more to say then. What I do remember about the song right now is how much I enjoyed the way Ellis sings the chorus.....Broke and Hungry...like he knew the feeling.

[JennyLevE]

I, too, will open iTunes and play the song a few times in a bit. I know that I love this song. It might be one of my favorite old Ellis songs. There is something really remarkable about how profound the lyrics (even though I'm not sure that I agree with all the sentiments they contain).

More soon!
--Jen

[paddyinthepub]

I can half imagine the times in which this song was written where one too many songs about America were all over the airwaves. Possibly Lee Greenwood's "Proud to be an American" which was played ad nauseum. All the while there were plenty of things going on in society that would embarass the average American, like our broke and hungry. Kudos to Ellis Paul for the reminder that all was not well in our fair land.

[wendy]

This one sounds like an homage to Woody Guthrie to me. It seems exactly the sort of thing he would have written (did write?). Catchy tune, good hook, thought-provoking message... ahhhh, yet another early gem.

[KarenZ]

Maybe we talked about this previously - I think we discussed this song on the old board - but I swear it wasn't until this morning when I plugged the song in to listen on the drive to work that I heard the word "America" in the first line. I've always thought the line was "Everybody's got a song about a miracle." Now I'm wondering how I could have NOT heard the correct word. It makes a big difference in understanding the song....and when I hear the line I have seen them all from where I'm standing I'm wondering if the song was inspired from EP's days working as an inner-city social worker.

KarenZ

[paddyinthepub]

I think we did discuss this once on the old board and "miracle" might have been the way I heard it too come to think of it. I also saw the likely connection with Ellis' day job as social worker and this song.

Like minds and all.....

[Sue Ellen]

Well, there are alot of broke and hungry people in this country. In 2006, 12.6% of Americans, more than 1 in 10, lived below the poverty line. 16% of Americans have no health insurance. Not only are millions of Americans not earning enough to pay for adequate shelter and nutrition, 46.6 million cannot access basic health care. When you are worried about where you and your children are going to sleep, and where and what the next "meal" will be, there is not much room left in your mind for much else. Day to day survival trumps everything. This is a relevant and appropriately hard-hitting song. Sue Ellen

[paddyinthepub]

It's a reality check for sure. When the numbers tell the tale, it's really mind boggling. Thanks for the reminder that Ellis was trying to "say something" about a real issue in this country.

Springsteen wrote:

"the poets 'round here don't write nothing at all, they just sit back and let it all be"

Ellis Paul wrote something rather profound with this song, didn't he? I'm wondering, for the sake of this discussion, who is singing this song? To me it's part Ellis as storyteller, and part of it is a character living in this god awful situation of which Ellis sings.

Anybody else get that? Perhaps it's Ellis as messenger and Ellis as everyman. The voice of the people, so to speak. Very Woody Guthrie like isn't it?

[KarenZ]

Paddy,

I think it's simply one voice telling a story that was sparked by seeing/reading the words "broke and hungry" written on a bathroom wall. And it's his "song about America" because he's pondering the injustices that exist here...sharing his observations - not offering any solutions. Quite possibly next to the "broke and hungry" was "I love my Eldorado!"

KarenZ

I'm wondering, for the sake of this discussion, who is singing this song? To me it's part Ellis as storyteller, and part of it is a character living in this god awful situation of which Ellis sings.

Anybody else get that? Perhaps it's Ellis as messenger and Ellis as everyman. The voice of the people, so to speak. Very Woody Guthrie like isn't it?

[paddyinthepub]

Well, I used to always feel that way. Except that Ellis would have known who was in the presidency and at least a thing or two about democracy. It's for that reason I feel Ellis starts the song off in his voice, then speaks for the down trodden a little further into the song.

[KarenZ]

Paddy,

Ellis - as the songwriter - is giving the guy telling the story a voice...so he can pretty much make up anything he wants. Even that the guy doesn't know who the president is.

KarenZ

Well, I used to always feel that way. Except that Ellis would have known who was in the presidency and at least a thing or two about democracy. It's for that reason I feel Ellis starts the song off in his voice, then speaks for the down trodden a little further into the song.

[paddyinthepub]

It has just occured to me that in this song, Ellis has done a masterful job of something Johnny Cash once did.... Walk The Line

Okay I think I see it even clearer now than before. Ellis is walking the fine line between artist presenting the song and message in his own voice and creating a character who presents the song and message in his voice. This character, to me, is a street musician or busker, if you will. He's a guy who really has no idea how to spell beauracy (hec, I can't even spell the word without looking ) or knows or much less cares who occupies the oval office since it matters so little in his everyday struggle to survive -- broke and hungry.

Whew..

[Sue Ellen]

I think a major part of Ellis's appeal and brilliance as a songwriter is his ability to step into someone else's story, hear it with an unbiased ear, and then give voice to it, so well in fact, that it is easy to presume it is autobiographical.

[JennyLevE]

I could not agree more, and very well said Sue Ellen!
--Jen