Finian's Rainbow soundtrack – When The Idle Poor Become The Idle Rich lyrics
Sharon-
When the idle poor
Become the idle rich
You'll never know
just who is who
or who is which
Won't it be rich
When everyone's poor relative
Becomes a "Rockefellative",
And palms no longer itch
What a switch!
Female Ensemble-
When we all wear ermine
And plastic teeth
How will we determine
Who's who underneath
Male Ensemble-
And when all your neighbours
Are upper class
You won't know your 'Joneses'
from your 'Ass-tors'
Sharon-
Let's toast the day
The day we drink that drinky up
But with a little pinkie up.
Company-
The day on which
The idle poor
Become the idle rich
Sharon-
When a rich man doesn't want to work
He's a bon vivant.
Company-
Yes, he's a bon vivant.
Sharon-
But when a poor man doesn't want to work,
He's a loafer, he's a lounger
He's a lazy good for nothing
Company-
He's a jerk!
Sharon-
When a rich man loses on a horse
Isn't he a sport, oh isn't he a sport?
When a poor man looses on a horse
He's a gambler, he's a spender
He's a low life, he's a reason for divorce!
When a rich man chases after dames
He's a man about town,
A man about town.
But when a poor man chases after dames
He's a bounder, he's a rounder
He's a rotter, and a lot of dirty names!
Company-
You'll never know
just who is which
When the idle poor
Become the idle rich.
Sharon-
When the idle poor
Become the idle rich
Company-
When de idle poor
Become the idle rich
You'll never know
Just who is who
Or who is which
Sharon-
No one will see
The Irish or the Slav in you
'Cause when you're on Park Avenue
Cornelius and Mike
Look alike
Female Ensemble-
When poor tweedle Dum
Is rich tweedle Dee
This discrimination will no longer be.
Male Ensemble-
When we're in the dough
And off of the nut
Sharon-
You won't know your banker.
from your but...ler.
Let's make the switch.
We just a few annuities
We'll hide these incongruities
With clothes from Abercrombie-Fitch
Female Ensemble I-
Wheeeeeeeeeen de idle poor
Female Ensemble II-
Wheeeeeeen become the
Male Ensemble-
Wheeeeeeeen idle rich
Company-
When de idle poor
Become the idle rich