I Makes Money (Money Don't Make Me)

(album: Mr. Bojangles - 1968)

I makes money, money don't make me, that's the way I am and it's plain to see
Get right for yourself, they can't put you on a shelf
Live and let live, you know its plain enough
There ain't a dollar in the world can make me change my stuff

I met lots of men who told me when they finally make their first million
They're gonna live like kings, gonna try everything
They're gonna flatter pretty women
If they know how to do it, why not get to it, instead of waiting all your life
'Cause life is only doing, what you think is worth pursuing
Instead of waiting all the time

If you find yourself waiting and you know you're hesitating
Get your butt off the ground
It ain't your money or your honey, and you know it's kind of funny
When it's all boiled down
If you want to be the man, and you know you certainly can
Then do it, do it, do it, do it, do it
Clothes don't make the man, money won't help you stand
Any truer than you're doing

So you'll never find the ending of sitting and pretending
You're gonna do it sometime
You keep knocking on wood, doing exactly what you should
Trying to save enough dimes

Build 'em up higher, so you can retire, to your castle in the blue
But you find it's all behind and it's probably slipped your mind
And you're too pooped to toot