Nickel And Dime Blues

Well, I went on down to the corner store

Just to get a little bottle of pills

'Cause the man on the television told me

There's a cure for all my ills

Well, I walked on up to the counter

And I told him what I had

Now he said, "You ain't got no money

You can't afford to be feeling so bad"

Oh, can you spare a nickel, brother, can you spare a dime?

Need a couple more dollars now just to get me on down the line

"Hey there, how you doing?" ask the folks

I tell them all the same thing "Old, black, and broke"

And they think that's a joke, but I ain't playing

It's a whole lot of truth to what I'm saying

See, my bones crack but I'm so pro-black

And I got so many bills and they ain't dough stacks

Hey there, Kojak, sucking on your lollipop

You think I can get a ride over to the trolley stop?

I'm leaving my first gig, heading to the next one

I'll sleep when I'm dead, I'm trying to get these checks, son

Hit the studio in full Rakim mode

'Cause my credit score is in permanent limbo

Speed up the tempo, I gotta get the paper

The garnish on my wages isn't adding any flavor

You can keep the weed in dank amounts

I need folding green in my bank accounts, come on

Well, I went down to the bodega

Just to get a little mountain dew

When I opened up my wallet

There wasn't nothing but an IOU

Well I told my situation, I asked him

"What do you got for me?"

He said, "I got this knuckle sandwich

And I'll give it to you for free"

Oh, can you spare a nickel, brother, can you spare a dime?

Need a couple more dollars now just to get me on down the line

From red dirt out to Red Hook

I been rocking mics since before there was a "FedBook"

The left hook the reason why your man got his head shook

From the PJs where if you slip, you get your bread took

Concrete floors made it chilly when the sun's down

Somehow we all made it out from the run-down

Proper plan prevented getting played for a dumb clown

Took the less-traveled road, standing out amongst crowds

Old head with the fire of a Jit

More heads, you can tell they're a liar when they spit

Baldheads don't want 'plex with the lion and his kits

All's said is really nothing if you ply'em with the fifth

I'm cooking cast iron in a pit

Your bread ain't really thick if all you buying is a fit

I cut it up in sections, then I fry it till it's crisp

Season it a lil’ more than required for the fix

Well, I could not pay my ticket

And I could not pay my bail

Well, the judge couldn't pay me the time of day

And he throwed my ass in jail

Well, they gave me a nickel and a dime

And they placed them upon my eyes

For it cost much more to keep me here

Than it did to let me die

Oh, can you spare a nickel, brother, can you spare a dime?

I need a couple more dollars now just to get me on down the line

I said, I said can you spare a nickel, brother, can you spare a dime?

I need a couple more dollars just to get me on down the line