72 Songs About Poverty and Homelessness

FlourishAnyway believes there is a playlist for just about any situation and is on a mission to unite and entertain the world through song.

Tent City in the Suburbs

In the suburbs where I live, there's a tent city in the woods of a nearby community college. This homelessness is in part the result of urban sprawl, as several local low-rent housing alternatives—mobile home communities and residential campsites—have found more lucrative uses for their land.

Some former residents of those locations now find themselves castaways in their own hometown. They can be found with cardboard signs, panhandling at local stop signs or sitting on benches outside local stores. Some venture into the YMCA or the nearby Target to use the facilities.

There are no homeless shelters in this suburb. Those are located in the metropolitan area, 15 miles away. What's a person living on the streets to do?

If poverty and homelessness are issues close to your heart, we have a whole playlist worth of pop, rock, and country songs about the topic. Make a playlist and spread awareness about the problem today.

1. "Another Day in Paradise" by Phil Collins

In this 1989 pop ballad, a cold, homeless woman cries as she beckons a stranger for help. Obviously suffering, she has blisters on her feet and can't walk. Rather than helping, however, the man does what it easy. He pretends not to hear her pleas, then whistles, and crosses the street to avoid her. What would you do?

2. "Moments" by Emerson Drive

A young man intending to end his life by suicide approaches a bridge in this 2006 country song. He is followed by an old homeless man who rises from his cardboard box shelter to share that his own life hasn't always been this way:

I've had my moments, days in the sun
Moments I was second to none
Moments when I knew I did what I thought I couldn't do
Like that plane ride coming home from the war
That summer my son was born
And memories like a coat so warm
A cold wind can't get through
Lookin' at me now you might not know it
But I've had my moments.

The tender exchange between strangers distracted the young man long enough for him to rethink his decision. Now, he looks back and wonders about how the homeless man must be sharing the story of his life-saving act. We are all capable of heroism.

3. "Cost of Livin'" by Ronnie Dunn

In this 2008 country song, a man applies for a job and laments the state of the economy. Having lost his factory job when it closed and moved south, he's now looking for any kind of work to feed and clothe his family. The wolf is knocking at his family's door, and like too many others in his position, he's just trying to survive.

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4. "Allentown" by Billy Joel

An anthem of America's blue collar workers, this 1982 rock song describes the decline of the steel industry in the rust belt of America and its impact on laid-off workers. People the age of Billy Joel's parents enjoyed a thriving working class life working in post-World War II industrial manufacturing, and their children were taught to expect a life at least as good as their parents'.

However, as cheap labor went overseas, opportunity dried up and the union provided little protection. Hordes of workers headed for the unemployment lines, unable to make ends meet. It left them disillusioned with the American dream.

5. "I Need a Dollar" by Aloe Blacc

This 2010 soul song was an international success. It features a man who is facing hard times ahead because he was fired from his job. Now he spends his time drinking. With no other options, he wants to trade his hard luck story for your money as a way of supporting himself.

6. "Even Flow" Pearl Jam

This 1991 rock song is sung from the perspective of a homeless man who is illiterate and mentally ill, as his thoughts "arrive like butterflies" and he chases them away. With concrete as his pillow, the man drifts off after praying to a higher power that hasn't seemed to have helped him much so far.

Approximately 700 homeless people die each year in the United States due to exposure to the elements. On average, homeless people can expect to die 30 years prematurely.

7. "Fancy" by Reba McEntire

Although Bobbie Gentry first introduced this song in 1969, it was country star Reba McEntire who made it famous in 1991. The classic country song describes a poverty-stricken single mother who lived in a shack outside of New Orleans with her two starving children. Seeing no other options, the terminally ill mother encouraged her 18-year-old daughter, Fancy, to prostitute herself as a means of making an independent living.

Years later, Fancy has grown from plain white trash to an astute businesswoman. She survived. Rather than blaming her late mother, she looks back on that difficult decision with empathy.

8. "The A Team" by Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran hit it out of the park with his 2011 debut single, which he wrote after visiting a homeless shelter. It's a tragic ballad about a young heroin-addicted prostitute who is half a breath away from homelessness as she struggles to make ends meet.
She is trapped in a deadly world of addiction and prostitution. Substance abuse has been documented as both a cause and a result of homelessness.

9. "Something to Believe In" by Poison

Bret Michaels wrote this sad 1990 power ballad to commemorate the loss of two important people in his life. His bodyguard and friend, Kimo, died alone in a Palm Springs Hotel Room on Christmas Eve 1989, the victim of a fast-paced lifestyle of drugs and alcohol that the band shared. The song also honors Michaels' cousin, a war-wounded Vietnam veteran.

The tune laments the inner anguish and unjust treatment that Vietnam vets faced after their service. It describes the homeless sleeping on the street as being "like bodies in an open grave." Sadly, more than one-quarter of homeless people are military veterans.

10. "Streets of Philadelphia" by Bruce Springsteen

This Grammy-winning rock song from 1994 was featured in the movie Philadelphia. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and became an international hit. The movie brought attention to the issue of HIV/AIDS, a huge social stigma at the time. The rate of HIV/AIDS among homeless people is three times that in the general population.

In the song, the narrator describes being bruised, battered, and a shell of his former self. As he wanders the streets of the City of Brotherly Love, he fears dying lonely:

I saw my reflection in a window, I didn't know my own face
Oh, brother are you gonna leave me wastin' away
On, the streets of Philadelphia?

11. "Almost Home" by Craig Morgan

Each year, about 700 homeless people die from hypothermia, and the man in this sad country song from 2002 was on his way to becoming a victim. In the freezing weather, he lay curled up behind some garbage cans, trying his best to stay warm.

A stranger gave him a gentle shake and asked if he was okay. He woke but said that he wished the stranger had left him alone because he was dreaming of how things used to be, and he was almost home.

12. "Is This the World We Created?" by Queen

In this 1984 rock song, the legendary rock group shines a light on the suffering and loneliness of the hungry and asks what God would think of this world that we created. The song was part of the 1985 Live Aid concert to raise funds for Ethiopian famine relief.

Unfortunately, despite organizers' best intentions, the country was embroiled in civil war and much of the $283 million raised was used for arms rather than food.

13. "Bread & Water" by Vince Gill

Dirty, dead broke, and ashamed, a man who lives on the streets wanders into a homeless mission in this 2001 country song. He's looking for bread, water, and a place to lay his head. The woman at the shelter welcomes him to the table and offers him friendship and spiritual guidance in addition to the meal he seeks.

14. "He Calls Home" by Candlebox

In this 1993 rock song, a young man, himself down to his last dollar, describes a panhandler whom he regularly sees on the streets. The stranger stays wrapped in a blanket, the only home he knows. The narrator wonders if the homeless man's family knows that he is alive and safe, and when the homeless man moves on, he worries about his welfare.

15. "Electric Avenue" by Eddy Grant

Like many people, I always assumed this 1982 reggae-infused pop song was a positive one, but I wasn't paying enough attention to the lyrics. Were you?

It refers to violence in the streets of a real place in London and tells the story of a poor man who admires many things in life that he cannot afford:

Workin' so hard like a soldier
Can't afford a thing on TV
Deep in my heart I'm a warrior
Can't get food for the kids, good God.

16. "Breadline" by Megadeth

The subject of this 1999 metal song has lost their job and the power and prestige that came with it. As he continues to sink into depression and poverty, he spends any remaining money on drugs to numb his feelings of dejection. As a result, he relies on free food for meals. About one in seven Americans rely on food banks to get by.

17. "Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman

In this 1988 pop song, the narrator is a dreamer who desperately seeks to claw and scrape herself out of poverty. With little formal education and a broken family life, she relies on her own meager savings from a convenience store job to escape her surroundings.

Her partner's contribution is a fast car that takes them to a different situation where they repeat the same cycle of low-paid work, minimal savings, and failing to advance in any significant way economically. Still, she dreams of something better.

18. "Looking for Angels" by Skillet

Among others who are short on hope, the hungry and homeless walk this life looking for understanding angels who walk the street and can lend a sympathetic hand. This 2006 Christian contemporary song encourages us all to be a force of positive change in someone else's life.

19. "Daddy Never Was the Cadillac Kind" by Confederate Railroad

The narrator in this 1994 country song remembers his father as a thrifty, simple man. The family was poor when he was young, and he was jealous of his friends whose families were more affluent. However, his dad emphasized the truisms that "It's what inside that really matters" and "Love is the one thing that money can't buy." He upholds and celebrates those values now that he is an adult.

20. "Burnin' It Down" by Steve Earle

This man feels like he's out of options in life. He's in a very dark place. The 2013 folk rock song features a narrator who left his hometown on a Greyhound bus but now sits in his pickup truck in a Walmart parking lot only a half-mile from where he grew up. A deep sense of failure gnaws at his insides.

He has nowhere to go and has been living out of his vehicle. His chances of having a good life have evaporated: "I'm getting old. Got no place to go. It's all come unwound."

He keeps looking at his lighter and his 10 gallons of propane. He ponders hard whether he'll torch the vehicle and the store. Such desperate times.

Even More Songs About Poverty and Homelessness

Questions & Answers

Question: Burt Bacharach and Hal David wrote a song for Barbra Streisand to sing about hunger and homelessness. What is it called?

Answer: The song was apparently written for Dionne Warwick originally, but there was some conflict behind the scenes and Bacharach announced on a 1971 television special that he had written the song, "Be Aware," for Barbara Streisand. Here are sample lyrics about hunger as well as a YouTube link:

And while your stomach's full

Somewhere in this world

Someone is hungry

When there is so much

Should anyone be hungry?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG3BabJI-Yw

Question: I'm not very smart and don't have any special skills. I also tend to say things to offend people. Do I have any chance of making it in this life?

Answer: Not everyone is smart or has special skills, but skills can be learned and so can self-confidence. What I'd worry about is your habit of blurting out offensive comments. While you can work hard and apply yourself, rude and inconsiderate behavior will hold you back. Work on that as well as showing up every day with a good attitude ready to give your 100% to whatever task you're applying yourself to. Flipping burgers or cleaning toilets are both honest jobs that should be applauded, for example. Whatever job you're qualified to perform just put your full effort into it and be proud of yourself.

Question: Which songs by Ed Sheeran are based on homelessness?

Answer: Ed Sheeran wrote his song, "The A Team" after visiting a homeless shelter. Early in his music shelter, there were some nights when he did not have a bed to sleep and thus had to resort to sleeping outside of Buckingham Palace or on the Tube (the London subway). He has written and/or recorded several songs that reference rough sleeping/homelessness, including:

"Homeless" (2011)

"The A Team" (2011)

"London Bridge" (with Yelawolf, 2012)

"I Will Take You Home" (2014)

"Runaway" (2015)

"Dark Times" by The Weeknd (with Ed Sheeran, 2015)

© 2018 FlourishAnyway

Comments

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on April 13, 2020:

Ruth E Kaiser - Thanks for stopping by. Stay healthy during this difficult time and take care of your brother, husband, and his homeless friend.

Ruth E Kaiser on April 12, 2020:

Wonderful compilation. Here's one more just released today:

https://daveseabury.bandcamp.com/track/streets-of-...

From my husband, his brother, and a homeless friend Ace Backwards.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on April 04, 2020:

Grabber - Thanks for the song suggestion which I have added. Be well in this precarious time.

Grabber on April 02, 2020:

You missed the best one, Mournin Glory Story by Nilsson

Robert Sacchi on June 27, 2019:

You're welcome. Your articles trigger a lot of song memories.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on June 27, 2019:

Shawindi - Thank you!

Shawindi Silva from Sri lanka on June 26, 2019:

A great article !!!

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on June 26, 2019:

Bob - Thanks for that suggestion!

Robert Sacchi on June 24, 2019:

Consider "Houston" by Dean Martin.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on June 24, 2019:

AF - Thank you.

AF on June 24, 2019:

Great list. I love them.

Robert Sacchi on January 01, 2019:

Thanks. I think that comes from being from an earlier generation.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on January 01, 2019:

Bob - You always seem to come up with the ones no one else can. Great addition. Thank you and wishing you all the best in the new year ahead!

Robert Sacchi on December 30, 2018:

What about "Rag Doll" by "The Four Seasons"?

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on December 30, 2018:

John - Thanks for the suggestion. I'll add it.

John on December 30, 2018:

Arrested development - mr. Wendel...

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on September 17, 2018:

Shaun - Thanks for the additional information. Although it doesn't ring a bell, I'll keep my eyes out for it. Also, perhaps one of our readers will know. Many people read the comments. If someone knows I hope they'll leave a comment here.

shaun on September 16, 2018:

well i heard it about 10 or 9 years ago so i think 2009 maybe , its like soft rock i couldn't remember the lyrics , all i could remember is the video clip , even when i tried to search about the video clip i didnt get the result , so i thought maybe you could remember

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on September 12, 2018:

Shannon - I have it represented on both this list and a playlist about sad Christmas songs. Such a sad song.

Shannon Henry from Texas on September 11, 2018:

"Santa I'm Right Here" by Toby Keith comes to mind because it made me cry when I first heard it.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on September 11, 2018:

Shaun - Sorry but that video doesn't sound familiar at all. Can you say more about the song itself, such as the music genre (pop, rock, country, etc.), when the song was popular, was it a man or woman, band or individual, and any particular lyrics you can recall? Obviously, the video made an impact on you, but I'm wondering what you know about the song. They don't always track with the songs themselves.

shaun on September 11, 2018:

i need to know about a song , the video clip is about homeless guy who finds a robot boy , and try to revive him but he fails , then the homeless guy dies , and the robot come to live and try to wake the dead body of the homeless guy plz help me !!!!!!!!

Robert Sacchi on July 20, 2018:

Thank you. A great weekend for you too.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on July 20, 2018:

Bob - Thanks for stopping by and for your comment. Have a great weekend!

Robert Sacchi on July 19, 2018:

Yes, these are songs that highlights hard times and people down on their luck. "Brother Can You Spare a Dime?", #52 on your list, was the anthem of the Great Depression.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on May 06, 2018:

Nithya - Thank you for stopping by. Homelessness is hard to see and a difficult problem to address. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Nithya Venkat from Dubai on May 06, 2018:

These songs reflect the pain and suffering that the homeless people undergo. I know some of the songs and they are heart rending. Never knew there were so many songs about poverty and homelessness, thank you for putting together such a list.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on May 05, 2018:

Catherine - I was quite surprised myself how extensive the list was. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment.

Catherine Giordano from Orlando Florida on May 05, 2018:

I wouldn't have thought that homelessness and poverty would be topics for popular music. You have shown me how oblivious I am. You have done a wonderful job of bringing this issue to our attention. Thank you.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on May 05, 2018:

Chris - Thanks for your comment. Glad you enjoyed the map. I think they're an interesting add. The editors don't always agree. We'll see if they let me keep it.

Krzysztof Willman from Parlin, New Jersey on May 05, 2018:

This list is spot on, I love the map with the locations of names associated with poverty, such an interesting aside.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on May 01, 2018:

Devika - Thanks for stopping by. Glad you enjoyed reading and listening.

DDE on April 30, 2018:

You have shared many lists of songs of some I knew and others I had no idea of on your list.

I enjoyed listening and reading about each song. thank you for that,

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on April 30, 2018:

Natalie - Thanks so much for such a kind comment. I wish we all had a solution. Have a great week!

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on April 30, 2018:

Frank - Thanks for such a poignant comment. It's a sad situation none of us would want to find ourselves in.

Natalie Frank from Chicago, IL on April 30, 2018:

I am continually amazed at the ideas for song lists you come up with. Some of these songs are poignant and touching and all make me think and recognize what a huge problem this is for so many. I don't know of any country that has a good solution to helping their citizens with poverty and homelessness. Thanks again for a great article.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on April 30, 2018:

Rasma - Thank you for taking a look at the playlist and making a comment. I hope you are doing well.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on April 30, 2018:

Dora - I appreciate your stopping by to leave a comment. Have a wonderful week!

Frank Atanacio from Shelton on April 30, 2018:

all these titles tied together really makes you feel the sadness.. I loved singing them .. but really never heard the lyrics.. actually until now.. Allentown was one of my favorites... as always thank you for stirring something in me.. bigger now :(

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on April 30, 2018:

Linda - Thanks for stopping by to comment. I appreciate your reading.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on April 30, 2018:

Heidi - There's a desperate need for more half-way houses, group homes, and other residential solutions for people who are living with severe mental illness who cannot take care of themselves and don't have the social safety net. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Have a great week yourself. Hope it's upbeat and positive.

Linda Crampton from British Columbia, Canada on April 30, 2018:

Thank you for raising awareness of the situation, Flourish. Homelessness is a sad problem that seems to be getting worse in some places instead of better. People need and deserve help.

Dora Weithers from The Caribbean on April 30, 2018:

Sometimes singing about may help to distance the pain. Thanks for including these touching situations in your list.

Heidi Thorne from Chicago Area on April 30, 2018:

It's sad that this is even an issue in our affluent culture. But I see these folks in our area, too. What's of most concern are those who are in this state due to mental or other illness, as opposed to a temporary loss of fortune or finances.

From a musical perspective, lots of good choices, but I think "Fast Car" is the most poignant.

Hope your week is full of good things!

Gypsy Rose Lee from Daytona Beach, Florida on April 30, 2018:

Another excellent hub. Never knew there were so many songs about homelessness. Hopefully these songs get out the message of this tragic situation.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on April 30, 2018:

Larry - It says a lot about priorities. Even the food banks, unfortunately, can be poorly run. Someone close to me used to sit as an (unpaid) executive member of the local metropolitan food bank but ended up resigning because of the large salary the non-profit's CEO drew and the salary increase they wanted. It just didn't make sense to them (or to me).

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on April 30, 2018:

Thanks, Clive. I added Bob.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on April 30, 2018:

Marc - Thanks for these song suggestions! R&B isn't my forte so I particularly appreciate your weighing in! Have a great week.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on April 30, 2018:

Larry - Thanks for the suggestion. I should do a playlist of bar or drinking songs.

Larry W Fish from Raleigh on April 29, 2018:

Flourish, there are so many people that live in poverty and are close to being homeless. It is so sad that so many in America live like kings and queens while others are sleeping on the streets. I read that one in five children does not have enough to eat every day. Our damn government can pass a 1.5 trillion dollar tax cut for the rich and cares nothing about the poverty and the homeless people. These songs spell it out exactly like it is. Some of the songs give hope. The ones living in poverty and the others homeless, hope is all they have. I am ashamed of our government.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on April 29, 2018:

Linda - It seems to be a bigger problem in the larger cities and warmer climates. I read that 20% of the homeless population is in California. I just know that when it reaches the suburbs in numbers like what I'm now seeing, there's a shift going on. Maybe my community is a one-off? It's a shame that at the same time that we need so many people to fill jobs, including low skilled ones, that people are living like this.

Many extended families have that one (or more) relative they don't quite know what to do with -- that one who is a heartbeat away from homelessness. I know my extended family sure does. Perhaps they're an addict, mentally ill, keep falling behind on bills, are in and out of jail, or some other combination of challenges. Attempts to intervene and help out repeatedly fail, even backfire, and at some point the "assistance" becomes enabling. There is no easy answer.

I used to do outreach work fixing pets of poor people and I'd watch over a period of years as people moved from crappy apartment to ramshackle maisonnette to a half a trailer. You could see homelessness as the next stop off for some. I served many of the people who are probably living in those tents I referenced in the article above. No easy answer. You're right.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on April 29, 2018:

Louise - Thanks for the nice compliment. It's a sad, almost overwhelming problem that affects so many countries and it's hard to know where to begin to address it.

Linda Lum from Washington State, USA on April 29, 2018:

Oh, Flourish, so much sadness in this article. I live near a large metropolitan city and the homelessness is no longer hidden along the railroad tracks or under the freeway overpasses. It is camped in every vacant lot, in the parks, and even on the sidewalks.

Homelessness will never be totally erased no matter what we do. There are some who simply do not want the burden or responsibility of home ownership (or even renting) or because of mental illness, they cannot cope. I wish there was an easy answer. Heck, there isn't even a difficult answer.

Your article is powerful in bringing this problem to light. Outside of the large metro areas, how well known is this issue?

Clive Williams from Jamaica on April 29, 2018:

What about Bob Marley?

Marc Lee from Durham, NC on April 29, 2018:

THere are also great Blues and R&B songs about this issue...

Flood Water Blues written in the 20's....

Nobody Knows You When You Are Down and Out....

Busted --- Ray Charles

Inner City Blues - Marvin Gaye

Several songs about the devestation and poverty left by Katrina also by various artists...

These are just a few examples....

Larry Rankin from Oklahoma on April 29, 2018:

Another wonderful list. I don't know if it fits your motif because it's a little more light-hearted, but "One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer," is a song I enjoy where the narrator has essentially become homeless.

The George Thorogood version is my personal favorite.

Louise Powles from Norfolk, England on April 29, 2018:

You put so much work and effort into your music lists. This homeless and poverty topic is certainly very apt in this day and age. Homelessness is a huge problem here in England. Thankyou. I love the Tracy Chapman song you listed.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on April 29, 2018:

Mary - Sadly, the women and children tend to be a byproduct of domestic violence. It's surprising that we can't work out some kind of solution. Additional low-rent housing options would help.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on April 29, 2018:

Bill - Thanks for scanning the list. Hope you get some sleep.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on April 29, 2018:

Bill - Thanks for stopping by. It certainly is a sad problem with no easy solution.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on April 29, 2018:

Peggy - Thanks so much for sharing the experience there in Houston. There are so many communities that have the visible problem. It's such a complex issue, as domestic violence, substance abuse, chronic illness, and affordable housing are all issues that are in play.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on April 29, 2018:

Frances - What a sad testament to how close we each are to homelessness. Thank goodness your partner had you.

Mary Wickison from USA on April 29, 2018:

When I tell people here in Brazil about the homeless problem in the US, they can't believe it. They assume everyone is rich. A friend of mine who lives in Brazil and the US says the demographics of homeless people has changed. Now more women, and families. It breaks my heart.

So many poignant songs that highlight the struggle.

Bill Holland from Olympia, WA on April 29, 2018:

I drew a blank on this one. Once I saw the list I was like DUH, but my mind was evidently bogged down with lost sleep. :)

Bill De Giulio from Massachusetts on April 29, 2018:

Hi Flourish. Another great list. Poverty and homelessness is certainly a problem in this country and music can definitely help to bring the problem to the consciousness of the general public.

Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on April 29, 2018:

Real life is often the subject matter for songs and (sadly) poverty as well as homelessness inspires them as can easily be viewed and heard in your latest post regarding this subject. Not a day goes by as we drive the streets of Houston that we do not see evidence of panhandling and/or homelessness. Hunger still exists as well in this wealthy country of ours. That is shameful!

Frances Metcalfe from The Limousin, France on April 29, 2018:

A relaly sobering article, Flourish. There was a news story in the UK last week concerning a homeless mother and son. Despite spending the night in a hostel sided by side on floor mats, the mother had woken up in the morning, reached out for her son's hand to discover it was cold. Dead cold. It's a disgrace we let our citizens sleep on the streets. When my partner had a heart attack in the UK and could no longer work he was awarded just £22 per week. If he'd been in a rented flat and not with me, well I don't have to say how that might well have ended up. And people wonder why we moved to France?