Citizen Fish are a ska punk band formed in 1989. Based around Bath, England… Read Full Bio ↴Citizen Fish are a ska punk band formed in 1989. Based around Bath, England, the original members were Dick Lucas (vocals/words), Jasper (bass), Trotsky (drums), and Larry (guitar). Following their first album, Free Souls in a Trapped Environment, Larry left the band and was replaced by Phil, who, along with Dick and Trotsky, had previously been a member of the seminal British punk band, the Subhumans. Jasper and Dick had previously played together in Culture Shock. In 2006 Silas replaced Trotsky, who is still playing with the Subhumans.

The band is known for their lyrics, which often make strong social and political statements, dealing with themes such as anti-consumerism, vegetarianism, questioning of the status quo, and the general encouragement of people to get along with one another.

It is rumored that the band Citizen Dick from the movie Singles is an homage to Citizen Fish and its lead singer.

In 2006 they toured with and recorded a split LP with punk band Leftöver Crack. This was the first Fish activity in recent years, as the members have been concentrating on Subhumans activity as of late (they did do a small East Coast/Midwest U.S. tour consisting of off-the-map bars and basements in the summer of 2005, much to the delight of dedicated fans).

Bag Lady
Citizen Fish Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I just ate and I heard the change rattle in your tin/I point my eyes on dis-
Tant blurred horizon me for charity/or coffee make the day go faster/forty
Days forty nights/forty currency exchanges/this is my corner said the bag
Lady/this is my bed said the bag lady/this is my wardrobe/this is my larder/
This is my blood donor card/and you can keep all your opinions/as long as you
Let me keep mine/some of us want some justice/some of us want some dignity/me
I want to be left alone/from people pretending they want to be me/this is my
Can said the bag lady/this is my hand said the bag lady/this is my living -

So what are you giving?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Citizen Fish's song Bag Lady shed light on the reality of homeless people who beg for change on the streets. The song portrays a conversation between a passerby and a bag lady. The passerby hears the rattle of the change in the bag lady's tin, and in response, the bag lady shows the passerby all her possessions, which include not only clothes and food, but also a blood donor card, indicating that she has a life like everyone else. The bag lady emphasizes that this is her home and her way of living, and she does not want anyone bothering her.

The song exposes the harsh realities that the homeless face and highlights empathy and respect. Instead of judging the bag lady and questioning her situation, the song suggests that others should respect her choices and let her live her life in peace. The lyrics also address the societal inequalities that create these circumstances that force people to beg on the streets.

Overall, Citizen Fish's Bag Lady possesses an attitude of social criticism and political awareness, highlighting the issue of homelessness and poverty while advocating for empathy and autonomy of the homeless.

Line by Line Meaning

I just ate and I heard the change rattle in your tin
I just had food and I overheard the sound of the coins you collected for charity.

I point my eyes on distant blurred horizon me for charity
I look towards the faraway, unclear horizon to avoid being approached by people asking me for money.

Or coffee make the day go faster
I try to pass my time with coffee, which helps me to forget the miserable situation I’m in.

Forty Days forty nights forty currency exchanges
I’ve been on the streets for forty days and nights, and I’ve begged for coins and notes for the same amount of time.

This is my corner said the bag Lady
I’ve claimed this place as my own, and I beg for money from here.

This is my bed said the bag lady
This sidewalk is my bed, and I sleep here when it’s time to rest.

This is my wardrobe
The clothes I’m wearing are all the clothes I have, and I cannot afford new ones.

This is my larder
The food I beg for is my only source of sustenance, and I treasure each scrap I find.

This is my blood donor card
This card is proof that despite living in the streets, I still care enough to give blood and help others.

And you can keep all your opinions
I don’t care about your views on my way of life because you cannot understand my struggles.

As long as you let me keep mine
I will continue living my life the way I’ve always lived it, even if that means I have to endure misery every day.

Some of us want some justice
Homelessness is a grave injustice, and we all deserve better than to live on the streets.

Some of us want some dignity
Despite our condition, we want to keep our self-respect and be treated with dignity.

Me I want to be left alone
I don’t want anyone’s pity or concern when it comes to my plight.

From people pretending they want to be me
Some people pretend to be homeless to gain advantages or scam others, and I’m not one of them.

This is my can said the bag lady
This can is where I collect the little coins people sometimes toss at me, and it’s a significant source of money for me.

This is my hand said the bag lady
This is the hand that holds the can and begs for coins, often feeling humiliated by how little I can collect.

This is my living - So what are you giving?
Begging is my only means of living, so what will you give me today?

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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