The theme of this song is something like this: Material possessions may solve some problems, but they will not fulfill one's desire to have someone stand beside them. In other words, it's one thing to donate to charity in order to gain good publicity, but it's even better to do it out of a true desire for the happiness of those in need of charity.
In the first paragraph, the singer realizes that in spite of everything he could give to the people mentioned in the song, they would still be lacking in love and friendship, whether they have many possessions or not. Their problems are much more seemingly insurmountable because they are lonely. It's up to him, just like it's up to anyone else, to provide them with friendship and encouragement.
The singer then acknowledges that unlike the people in the song, he does have people who care about him and therefore his own problems don't seem nearly as difficult to face. He even relinquishes his right to complain about his problems because he knows that many other people have a lot less in terms of friendship and love than he does. Without those two things, he would probably be as unhappy and as unable to deal with his struggles as the boy, the girl, the lady, and the man.
"Given all that I have
In the palm of my hand
There's still a little boy
With blisters on his feet
There's still a lady crying
Tears fall for me"
The lines above basically say that material possessions are not always worthwile because they do not always serve their purpose. Friendship, however, is always worthwile because it helps people to feel inspired and makes their problems seem a little less unconquerable. That, to me, is one of the things the song is trying to express.
The theme of this song is something like this: Material possessions may solve some problems, but they will not fulfill one's desire to have someone stand beside them. In other words, it's one thing to donate to charity in order to gain good publicity, but it's even better to do it out of a true desire for the happiness of those in need of charity.
In the first paragraph, the singer realizes that in spite of everything he could give to the people mentioned in the song, they would still be lacking in love and friendship, whether they have many possessions or not. Their problems are much more seemingly insurmountable because they are lonely. It's up to him, just like it's up to anyone else, to provide them with friendship and encouragement.
The singer then acknowledges that unlike the people in the song, he does have people who care about him and therefore his own problems don't seem nearly as difficult to face. He even relinquishes his right to complain about his problems because he knows that many other people have a lot less in terms of friendship and love than he does. Without those two things, he would probably be as unhappy and as unable to deal with his struggles as the boy, the girl, the lady, and the man.
"Given all that I have In the palm of my hand
There's still a little boy With blisters on his feet There's still a lady crying Tears fall for me"
The lines above basically say that material possessions are not always worthwile because they do not always serve their purpose. Friendship, however, is always worthwile because it helps people to feel inspired and makes their problems seem a little less unconquerable. That, to me, is one of the things the song is trying to express.