Bad Penny

It all started when I kissed you

You smiled because you knew

There was something set in motion

Only currency could move

You led me to an empty bench inside a public park

You made me wait

You watched my watch

And watched the sky go dark

I looked around and got nervous

I heard a crying crow

And a tiny circle rolled our way

And settled in the snow

You pointed at that penny

And it pointed back at you

And our great emancipator

Told yours truly what to do

He said, we've all got money

We've all got time

So, let's sell the house, sell the car

Sell the deed to a copper mine

Maybe the rock of ages is just another stone

The tomb is empty, children

Leave this livin’ world alone

I grabbed your hand and hurried

Knew we didn't have much time

We left the trail and ran like hell

To make it out alive

We scurried under bushes

Like a field mouse from a snake

I felt a tug upon my shirt sleeve

From a beggar at the gate

He said, can you spare a nickle son

I'm down to my last two

I said that I was done with change

So a dollar would have to do

But when first I touched my wallet

Then I realized my mistake

Our great emancipator's big green head began to shake

He said, I'll see your penny

And I’ll raise you ninety-nine

Seems all your gods and prophets

Never reached the welfare line

Maybe the rock of ages is just another stone

The tomb is empty, children

Leave this livin’ world alone

I tossed away that greenback

And that beggar-man just laughed

I hailed a speeding taxicab

Before it hurried past

He asked me, where to mister?

Up to Sixth and Fifty-Third

I looked at you, you looked at me

And we didn't speak a word

There was silence in the city

As we passed under the Moon

And that taxi-man starting whistling

Some old antebellum tune

He turned around to face us

'Neath the lights of Broadway

And that tall man in the tophat said

There's something I've got to say

I don't want your money

Just a minute of your time

You can sell your house, sell your kids

Sell your soul to the picket line

Maybe the rock of ages is just another stone

The tomb is empty, children

Leave this livin’ world alone