Folk Singer

I came for a one-handed applause
And I stayed because on stage I feel at home
And I'll share my opinion with an SM-58
But that doesn't make me clever and that doesn't make me great
In fact sometimes I feel like I'm a tool
As I gaffer tape my soul to the same old chord
Trying to make a living whilst trying to stay free
I'll be down the front tonight selling my CDs
But it's not about the money, it's just nice when I get paid
I'd like to think that if I didn't though I'd do it all the same
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice
I dunno where I read that but I'll bet you've heard it once or twice before
So what am I singing for?

Well anyone can be a folk singer
You just find a song and sing it for another
It's a funny old tradition, trying to stay in tune
While the trials and tribulations scare off many but a few
And then you're left to roam and travel round
Making up songs about the stories that you've found
I'm barely breaking even getting paid more than I'm worth
If you give me a tenner I'll give you a t-shirt

But it's not about the selling though, it's all about the songs
It's all about the distance to the distant singalongs
I'm quick to criticize and quick to put the world to right
But I just love singing these songs every night
And so I'm gonna sing a couple more

Did you hear that Pete Seeger died on Monday?
He pretty much invented this whole folk singing malarkey
Just one man and a banjo or guitar
And a song sung from the heart