Lyrics If the Poor Don't Matter - Tom Paxton

If the Poor Don't Matter

If the kids are hungry
But there’s nothing to eat,
If the baby has a fever
But there is no heat,
If they’re living in a Chevy
As the world walks by,
If the poor don’t matter,
Then neither do I.
If the poor don’t matter,
If the poor don’t matter,
If the poor don’t matter,
Then neither do I.
If they’re living in a cardboard
Or a packing case,
If they’re gone by morning
And they leave no trace,
If nobody wonders
If they live or they die,
If the poor don’t matter,
Then neither do I.
If the poor don’t matter,
If the poor don’t matter,
If the poor don’t matter,
Then neither do I.
Push them back, sweep them out, anything to keep them out,
Keep them real branded out, standing with their hands out.
Knocking at the back gate, radio talking hate,
Wrong here, strong here, know they don’t belong here.
My house, my car, living like a rock star,
Caviar, wet bar, bought another Jaguar.
Get it all payday, now its time to play-day,
Trouble not to think about, not to make a stink about…
If the poor don’t matter,
If we chase them away,
We’re gonna see them again, boys,
On the judgement day.
We’re gonna see them again, boys,
On the day we die.
If the poor don’t matter,
Then neither do I.
If the poor don’t matter,
If the poor don’t matter,
If the poor don’t matter,
Then neither do I.
If the poor don’t matter,
If the poor don’t matter,
If the poor don’t matter,
Then neither do I.