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Zombie By The Cranberries Lyrics
If I had a cigarette
For every time a perfect stranger asked me for a cigarette
Then I'd have enough cigarettes
To get me through the day
And if I had some spare change
Every time a perfect stranger asked me for some spare change
Then I'd have enough spare change
To take care of these bills I need to pay
And dude, I know that times are tough
But that does not mean that you can have my stuff
So how about a ride?
I could drive you to the shelter
We could eat dinner at the Andre House
And you could even take a shower
Cause I think you deserve much more
Than a smoke and fifty cents
You deserve to be self-sufficient
And buy your own cigarettes
Oh when the saints
Oh when the saints
Oh when the saints go marching in
They will feed you so much pizza
That you'll forget about the rut that you are in
Oh when the saints
Oh when the saints
Oh when the saints go marching in
Well I'm sure they'll feel so much better
With the illusion that they're helping out those sinners
When all they really do is buy the so-called "sinners" shitty dinners
Like five dollar hot n' ready pizzas
And hi fructose corn syrup punch
You're diabetic and apathetic
Wondering when they'll bring you lunch
To the park they keep you in
Oh, when the saints go marching in
So I wish I had a cigarette
For every time a perfect stranger asked me for a cigarette
But I wonder what a cigarette
Will really do to help that person out
I wish to god I had some spare change
Every time a perfect stranger asked me for some spare change
But there's not enough spare change in the world
To make such and empty gesture count.
For every time a perfect stranger asked me for a cigarette
Then I'd have enough cigarettes
To get me through the day
Every time a perfect stranger asked me for some spare change
Then I'd have enough spare change
To take care of these bills I need to pay
But that does not mean that you can have my stuff
So how about a ride?
I could drive you to the shelter
We could eat dinner at the Andre House
And you could even take a shower
Than a smoke and fifty cents
You deserve to be self-sufficient
And buy your own cigarettes
Oh when the saints
Oh when the saints go marching in
They will feed you so much pizza
That you'll forget about the rut that you are in
Oh when the saints
Oh when the saints go marching in
Well I'm sure they'll feel so much better
With the illusion that they're helping out those sinners
Like five dollar hot n' ready pizzas
And hi fructose corn syrup punch
You're diabetic and apathetic
Wondering when they'll bring you lunch
To the park they keep you in
Oh, when the saints go marching in
For every time a perfect stranger asked me for a cigarette
But I wonder what a cigarette
Will really do to help that person out
Every time a perfect stranger asked me for some spare change
But there's not enough spare change in the world
To make such and empty gesture count.
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One time walking out a bar with my boyfriend at the time, a homeless man walked up to us and asked for a cigarette. I gave him one of mine. He started to walk away but then turned around again and asked if one of us had a dollar and got one from my boyfriend. When he left we both started walking toward the car and suddenly, at the same time began singing, "If I had a cigarette...."
This hits close to home since I was homeless for a few months. There is a disconnect from you and people with homes, it almost feels like a class system or something. They are usually truly just humans down on their luck. It's a rather cynical song, but it is true that people kindof see the homeless as much less of a person. It's like "I want to help them, I just don't want them in my sight or to talk to me." Now that I am not homeless people treat me much better even though I have always been the same person.
This is very obviously not a cover of "Zombie," but I suppose they're saying it's similar in spirit, or it's a response to or qualification of the song.