Times are tough, and plenty of people are struggling without much in their pocket. In times of turbulence and struggle, music always helps the downtrodden get through it all. Let’s take a look at just three songs about being broke that could be the right kind of balm for your spirit during hard times.
1. “The Jangling Man” by Cleaners From Venus
“The Jangling Man” by The Cleaners From Venus is probably more relatable if you dealt with the political and financial upset of 1980s England, since that’s when and where this song about being broke was written. Released in 1990, this jangle-pop track is surprisingly angsty for its genre, but it’s a delightful and vengeful jab at the conservative government of the time. Considering this is a Martin Newell song, it’s also packed with whimsy and storytelling.
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It’s an excellent song for a soundtrack about revolution. “They haven’t really been this angry since 1381,” is just one noteworthy line.
2. “Mile End” by Pulp
Pulp made it big by finding ways to make boring, everyday subject matter romantic. This entry on our list of songs about being broke is full of excellent storytelling and vivid, albeit depressing picture-painting.
Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker croons about living in a rotten, abandoned apartment with damaged plumbing. It’s a relatable and rough journey from beginning to end. We’re glad Cocker eventually got out of that situation.
3. “Ain’t Got No / I Got Life” by Nina Simone
What would our list of songs about being broke be without this classic from the incomparable Nina Simone? “Ain’t Got No / I Got Life” was released back in 1968 and was written during the Black Power movement. At the time, a number of activists were trying to build networks of support for one another.
Simone poses the question “Who am I?” and names everything that she lacks: Money, clothes, cigarettes… Yet in the end, she comes to the conclusion that her life is what truly defines her, rather than what she has and does not have. This is a really, deeply personal song, but it’s still quite relatable to anyone who has known what it is like to struggle without wealth.
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