Uncle Sam's Lament

Well, it ain’t no hype
Times is tough
I’m cryin' and wipin' my nose on my cuff
And I stand out on the sidewalk with my hand out in the cold
Buddy, can you spare a billion dollars?
Well, I’m feelin' blue
'Tain't feelin' pink
'Cause I printed too much green stuff with red ink
And I walk up Main Street, Anytown, in hock up to my neck
Buddy, can you spare a billion dollars?
Once the sun was high and I was everybody’s Uncle Sam
All I had to do was point a finger at 'em and say, «I want you.»
But, now the sky is cloudy and they swear they don’t know who I am
I’m mildly recessed
And tremendously overdressed
(Spoken)
A billion dollars… That’s a thousand million dollars. That’s enough to fill
the Houston Astrodome with Good & Plenty. That’s enough to support Arianna
Huffington for six or seven years. That’s enough to buy every banjo ever made.
But for me, that’s just one day’s interest payment
(Sung)
Now, when I was secure
I was a mensch
I rebuilt Europe in spite of the French
Now I’m flat out on the sidewalk with my hat out in the snow
Buddy, hey, buddy
Anybody, can you spare a billion dollars?