Capitalism gone Mad
Mighty Sparrow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Any time you living here in this country
You got to be in skullduggery, making your money illicitly
To live like somebody in this country
It's outrageous and insane, them crazy prices in Port of Spain
And like the merchants going out dey brain
And the working man, like he only toiling in vain
Where you ever hear, a television for seven thousand
Quarter million for lil piece of land
A pair of sneakers - two hundred dollars
Eighty, ninety thousand for motor cars
At last here in Trinidad, we see capitalism gone mad
It's sad and getting more bad because, doudou, capitalism gone mad!
To provide for your family today on your present salary
Is an impossibility in this country
So many bills to pay, there is no conceivable way
To save for a rainy day in this country
Avariciousness to be precise, is why every damn thing so overpriced
Big business making everybody feel
Government give them an open license to steal
Would you believe me, one nylon panty is nineteen ninety
Twenty dollars for some baby milk
The cheapest jersey cost over sixty
Two hundred and change a yard for silk
It hard here in Trinidad, lord have mercy, capitalism gone mad
It's sad, things getting more bad, oh lord, capitalism gone mad!
To buy a pack of cigarette does leave you with a hole in your wallet
And money is so hard to get in this country
Necessity or luxuries, it doesn't matter what the item is
They charging anything they please in this country
Primary school books prices lewd
Is highway robbery, the price of food
All hopes and dreams elude the poor man
But politicians still expect good work attitude
Just imagine this, the cheapest coffin over three thousand
Not even dying today easy
Thousands of dollars for the undertakers
So you could get a spot in the cemetery
It hard here in Trinidad, oh lord, capitalism gone mad
The gladness that once we had is gone because capitalism gone mad!
You got to have heavy contact, know how to move up in society
To make any kind of impact in this country
You got to know how to gyp the field
How to scheme and swindle properly
Perfect the art of wheel and deal in this country
I say, survival in this land isn't easy for no man
With unemployment and high inflation
Some of we go dead before the end of this recession
Wey de hell is dis, a Mango Julie costing three fifty
Forty dollars for one watermelon
Half your salary for fish, meat and poultry
Time you buy greens all your money done
It hard here in Trinidad, lord, have mercy, capitalism gone mad
It sad and getting more hard, put a hand, lord, capitalism gone mad!
In the song "Capitalism gone Mad" by Mighty Sparrow, the artist portrays the harsh reality of living in a capitalistic society, where the rich get richer, and the poor keep getting poorer. The lyrics showcase the struggle of ordinary working-class individuals who find it almost impossible to survive in a country where the economy is controlled by the wealthy elite. The artist highlights the greed and avarice of big corporations and the government officials who allow them to exploit the common man legally.
The first verse speaks of the societal pressure to be wealthy or part of the middle class to have a comfortable life. The high cost of living and inflation make it challenging for someone to meet their basic needs on their salary, let alone provide for their family. The artist points out how corrupt practices are becoming the norm in the society, and one has to resort to "skullduggery" or unlawful activities to make ends meet.
In the second verse, the lyrics focus on the exorbitant prices of basic items like land, sneakers, and motor cars, which are becoming increasingly unaffordable for the average citizen. Even things like a pair of nylon panties, baby milk, or a pack of cigarettes cost an arm and a leg, leaving little room for individuals to save for an emergency. The artist draws attention to the unethical greed of big businesses, which exploit the poor while the government officials turn a blind eye.
In conclusion, the song "Capitalism gone Mad" by Mighty Sparrow accurately depicts the struggle of living in a society that upholds a capitalistic framework. It portrays how the system is skewed in favor of the rich and how the poor face discrimination, resulting in a society that is unjust and inherently unequal.
Line by Line Meaning
You got to be a millionaire or some kind of petit-bourgeoisie
To have a decent living in this country, one needs to have wealth or occupy a certain social status
Any time you living here in this country
This applies to anyone residing in Trinidad and Tobago
You got to be in skullduggery, making your money illicitly
To earn a decent living, one needs to be involved in shady and illegal activities
To live like somebody in this country
To have a dignified life in Trinidad and Tobago
It's outrageous and insane, them crazy prices in Port of Spain
The prices of goods and services are exorbitant and nonsensical in the city of Port of Spain
And like the merchants going out dey brain
Merchants are taking advantage of the situation by inflating prices excessively
And the working man, like he only toiling in vain
The average worker is merely working to survive and make ends meet
Where you ever hear, a television for seven thousand
A television being sold for seven thousand dollars
Quarter million for lil piece of land
A small piece of land being sold for a quarter of a million dollars
A pair of sneakers - two hundred dollars
A pair of sneakers being sold for two hundred dollars
Eighty, ninety thousand for motor cars
Motor cars being sold for extremely high prices, ranging from eighty to ninety thousand dollars
At last here in Trinidad, we see capitalism gone mad
The state of capitalism in Trinidad and Tobago has reached alarming levels
It's sad and getting more bad because, doudou, capitalism gone mad!
The situation is regrettable and getting worse by the day, as capitalism has gone mad
To provide for your family today on your present salary
To support one's family with the current salary
Is an impossibility in this country
It is an impossible feat in Trinidad and Tobago
So many bills to pay, there is no conceivable way
There are too many bills to pay, making it impossible to save money
To save for a rainy day in this country
To save money for emergencies
Avariciousness to be precise, is why every damn thing so overpriced
Greed is the cause for everything being extremely overpriced
Big business making everybody feel
Large corporations are making the common people feel oppressed
Government give them an open license to steal
The government allows big businesses to take advantage of the situation by letting them increase prices unfairly
Would you believe me, one nylon panty is nineteen ninety
A nylon panty being sold for nineteen ninety dollars
Twenty dollars for some baby milk
Baby milk being sold for twenty dollars
The cheapest jersey cost over sixty
Even the cheapest jersey being sold for over sixty dollars
Two hundred and change a yard for silk
Silk fabric being sold for an exorbitant price of over two hundred dollars per yard
It hard here in Trinidad, lord have mercy, capitalism gone mad
The situation is difficult in Trinidad and Tobago, where capitalism is at an insane level
It's sad, things getting more bad, oh lord, capitalism gone mad!
The situation is lamentable, and it is worsening every day, as the state of capitalism has gone mad
To buy a pack of cigarette does leave you with a hole in your wallet
Buying a pack of cigarettes puts a significant strain on one's finances
And money is so hard to get in this country
It is very difficult to earn money in Trinidad and Tobago
Necessity or luxuries, it doesn't matter what the item is
It does not matter if the item is a necessity or luxury; everything is overpriced
They charging anything they please in this country
Merchants are charging whatever price they want for their goods and services
Primary school books prices lewd
Prices for primary school books are obscene
Is highway robbery, the price of food
Food prices are exorbitant and tantamount to robbery
All hopes and dreams elude the poor man
The poor are unable to fulfill their hopes and aspirations
But politicians still expect good work attitude
The politicians still expect the common people to have a good work ethic, despite the high cost of living and the lack of wealth
Just imagine this, the cheapest coffin over three thousand
Even the cheapest coffin is being sold for over three thousand dollars
Not even dying today easy
Even dying has become a luxury and a difficulty due to the high cost of living
Thousands of dollars for the undertakers
Undertakers charging exorbitant fees for their services
So you could get a spot in the cemetery
To get a place in the cemetery, one must pay a substantial amount of money
It hard here in Trinidad, oh lord, capitalism gone mad
It is difficult to live in Trinidad and Tobago due to the current state of capitalism
The gladness that once we had is gone because capitalism gone mad!
The happiness and joy that once existed have vanished due to the extreme state of capitalism in the country
You got to have heavy contact, know how to move up in society
One must have powerful connections and know how to climb the social ladder to achieve success in this country
To make any kind of impact in this country
To make a difference in Trinidad and Tobago
You got to know how to gyp the field
One must know how to cheat or outsmart others to succeed
How to scheme and swindle properly
Knowing how to deceive and cheat others effectively
Perfect the art of wheel and deal in this country
To become a successful entrepreneur and negotiator in Trinidad and Tobago
I say, survival in this land isn't easy for no man
Surviving in Trinidad and Tobago is not easy for anyone
With unemployment and high inflation
Due to the high rate of unemployment and inflation
Some of we go dead before the end of this recession
Some of us may not survive the current state of recession
Wey de hell is dis, a Mango Julie costing three fifty
A Mango Julie being sold for three hundred and fifty dollars
Forty dollars for one watermelon
One watermelon being sold for forty dollars
Half your salary for fish, meat and poultry
Spending half of one's salary on fish, meat, and poultry
Time you buy greens all your money done
Spending all of one's money on vegetables and greens
It hard here in Trinidad, lord, have mercy, capitalism gone mad
The situation is challenging in Trinidad and Tobago, and divine intervention is needed as the state of capitalism has gone mad
It sad and getting more hard, put a hand, lord, capitalism gone mad!
The situation is sorrowful and increasingly difficult, and divine intervention is required as the state of capitalism has gone mad
Contributed by Nora F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Joy A.
I hope there's a 2020 appearance in NYC!
I will definitely get tickets!
@benjaminfrank4122
Who's here still in 2019!! 🇬🇾
@TheSpikehere
A classic! ... Timeless, both lyrically and musically.
@urbannorville3890
Big big song sing sparrow sing this should be playing on every radio station
@Kaisokid7
We bow to the genius called Winsford 'Joker' Devine, Rest in Paradise Sir! 🙏🏾
@roybrown7357
imagine the mighty sparrow was singing about the things to come ,when it comes to the cost of living,that song was recorded in 1983.the mighty sparrow is shaking his head right now in 2023 saying i told you so,with theses prices at supper markets,and other places.
@kaisomania3905
His writer Winsford Devines.
@suzannebrahim
True dat
@kennethablack2844
2020 and i still here. Back again in 2023 ❤❤
@gepmrk
A work of genius to be sure.