A Christmas Song For You: Five Pound Box of Money
Last year I posted the lyrics to a great Christmas song, "Rebel Jesus". This year I'd like to share Pearl Bailey's "Five Pound Box of Money". I can't do any justice to the performance, but I can share the text of it:
Hey Santa Claus, you want to make me happy this year? Listen to me, honey.
Give Pearl something that would be of some use to me--
like a five pound box of money.
Now there's a little gift that's loaded with lots of sentiment! See, whenever I get blue, Santa, I'm gonna think of you--but at the same time, have a little change to pay my rent. You see?
Now, money isn't everything, there's no two ways about it. But while we're here, Santa dear--
it's much better with than without it.
So really, I could be real good and not do nothin' funny if you do like I ask you:
Start me right on Christmas night and try me--try me!--try me on that money. Just try me, honey.
Santa, can you hear me? Have you listened to everything I've been asking you about?
Listen honey, Santa dear, the new year, oh, it would be so bright and sunny. Just bring me that ol' simple thing that I've been speaking to you about and bring me a five pound box of money. That's all, that's all.
It would be so heavenly and help me meet both ends, yes indeed. What old Pearl really needs is that five pound box of tens.
(How much could that weigh? I ask you, how much?)
I don't want the whole money tree. What good is that big thing to me? You keep the branches, you keep the trunk, and the roots,
'cause all I want is just a little bit of the fruit.
So if you wanna be sure I'll be your little old honey, honey bunny--you try me--start me off on Christmas night with a five pound-- no, I better increase that, make it ten pounds--
no, I better put in a good beg while I'm beggin',
'cause I mean I'll catch you next year, you know,
people go out and sometimes you don't see them no more--
so bring the money
Santa! Do you hear me? Fine! Bring me some money, ol' Santa!
Hey Santa Claus, you want to make me happy this year? Listen to me, honey.
Give Pearl something that would be of some use to me--
like a five pound box of money.
Now there's a little gift that's loaded with lots of sentiment! See, whenever I get blue, Santa, I'm gonna think of you--but at the same time, have a little change to pay my rent. You see?
Now, money isn't everything, there's no two ways about it. But while we're here, Santa dear--
it's much better with than without it.
So really, I could be real good and not do nothin' funny if you do like I ask you:
Start me right on Christmas night and try me--try me!--try me on that money. Just try me, honey.
Santa, can you hear me? Have you listened to everything I've been asking you about?
Listen honey, Santa dear, the new year, oh, it would be so bright and sunny. Just bring me that ol' simple thing that I've been speaking to you about and bring me a five pound box of money. That's all, that's all.
It would be so heavenly and help me meet both ends, yes indeed. What old Pearl really needs is that five pound box of tens.
(How much could that weigh? I ask you, how much?)
I don't want the whole money tree. What good is that big thing to me? You keep the branches, you keep the trunk, and the roots,
'cause all I want is just a little bit of the fruit.
So if you wanna be sure I'll be your little old honey, honey bunny--you try me--start me off on Christmas night with a five pound-- no, I better increase that, make it ten pounds--
no, I better put in a good beg while I'm beggin',
'cause I mean I'll catch you next year, you know,
people go out and sometimes you don't see them no more--
so bring the money
Santa! Do you hear me? Fine! Bring me some money, ol' Santa!