Marcus von Rittberg - Jenny | Molly Malone's L.A. 10/05/19

When I was almost finished with the lyrics, a pirate ship popped into my head while meditating. After contemplating how a pirate ship could fit into a politically inspired song, I remembered “Jenny The Pirate”, a song from the “Three Penny Opera” by Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht. Nina Simone does an amazing cover of it.
"Jenny" © 2019
He hates the sick and the poor
The kind and the gentle
Keeps his money offshore
Delusions of grandeur
While Jenny ‘s scrubbin’ the floor
The bigot keeps mocking
But her hands now are sore
The ship will be docking
Time to split, move on, you heartless bastard
Time is up, step down, you callous master
In the mist a black ship, ghostly freighter
Underfed, on the look for our traitors
In the dark, pirate ship, skull on masthead
Ancient ghost, spirit breath from the sea bed
You are me and I am you
We are all just passing through
I am you and you are me
Lock the doors, we’ll find the keys
You’re not royal, you’re not blue
Watch out for the stormy sea
He puts his suit on and tie
His health is unstable
Can’t tell the truth from a lie
Builds towers of Babel
Never had a black mate
Full of white hatred
Wants to close all the gates
“We’re being invaded”
Time to split, move on, you heartless bastard
Time is up, step down, you callous master
In the mist a black ship, ghostly freighter
Underfed, on the look for our traitors
In the dark, pirate ship, skull on masthead
Ancient ghost, spirit breath from the sea bed