Poorman
Notes
Dave Gahan told Billboard:
"We recorded ['Spirit'] during the [2016 United States presidential election] campaign. We were recording during the time when Brexit was happening and when we finally got the news. A lot of change, a lot of "Really?"-type stuff happening. But it’s been going all around the world, and this separatism, "I've got to keep mine, and get out of my way," and all the stuff we've been hearing for years about the one percent -- "When are we going to see it trickle down?" It comes up in “Poorman” on this album."
Martin Gore told Drowned In Sound:
"'Poor Man' people could say, 'OK, how could you say that [as a rich man]? But I agree in paying taxes and I would be quite happy to pay higher taxes. I think huge multi-national corporations should be paying tax and they should be paying large amounts of tax; I don’t think it’s right to do a deal with a country and not pay tax."
Martin also told El Tiempo (translated from Spanish):
"I think 'Poorman' is definitely influenced by the blues, but I think in general this album is less "blues" than 'Delta Machine'. Maybe there's something "bluesy" in the way we write the lyrics."
Lyrics
Poorman
Hey, there's no news
Poor man still got the blues
He's walking around in worn out shoes
With nothing to lose
Hey, he's on the road
Pushing along his heavy load
Heading for no fixed abode
Shuffling slow
Corporations get the breaks
Keeping almost everything they make
Tell us just how long it's going to take
For it to trickle down
When will it trickle down
Hey, he's on the street
Laying in the snow and sleet
Begging for something to eat
And looking beat
Hey, passers-by
They don't dare to catch his eye
Couldn't even tell you why
Or what's happening inside
Corporations get the breaks
Keeping almost everything they make
Tell us just how long it's going to take
For it to trickle down
When will it trickle down
Songwriter: Martin L. Gore
Publishing Information: ©2016 Sony ATV Music Corp. and Grabbing Hands Music Ltd. All rights on behalf of itself and Grabbing Hands Music Ltd. admin. by Sony ATV Music Corp. (BMI). (USA).
Published by Sony ATV Music Publishing Ltd Licensed by Grabbing Hands Music Ltd. (Rest Of The World)
Dates with available recordings of Poorman
- There are currently no recordings of Poorman available to download.
Dates where Poorman was played
2017-2018 Global Spirit Tour
- Poorman was not played during this tour.
