Peachum [To the audience]: Something new - that's what we must have. My business is too difficult. You see, my business is trying to arouse human pity. There are few things that'll move people to pity, a few, but the trouble is, when they've been used several times, they no longer work. Human beings have the horrid capacity of being able to make themselves heartless at will. So it happens, for instance, that a man who sees another man on the street corner with only a stump for an arm will be so shocked the first time that he'll give him sixpence. But the second time it'll be only a threepenny bit. And if he sees him a third time, he'll hand him over cold-bloodedly to the police. It's the same with these spiritual weapons.
line from The Threepenny Opera, Act I, Scene 1 by Bertolt Brecht (1928)
Submitted by Dan Costinaş
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Related quotes
This Is Such A Pity
How is your heart little darling?
I didn't mean to get so mad.
Let me just hold you closely.
How did things get so bad?
I know how to pick on you.
You pushed me over the edge.
We caused so much agony.
We can't seem to move ahead.
This is such a pity.
We should give all our love to each other.
Not this hate that destroys us.
This is such a pity.
(This is a pity)
What kind of future will we have?
Will we we ever find peace?
Everybody thinks we're crazy.
They're about to call the police.
I don't wanna be a chump.
You think I'm a fascist pig.
Right now everything is black.
I don't think we'll get it.
This is such a pity.
We should give all our love to each other.
Not this hate that destroys us.
This is such a pity.
(This is a pity)
[solo]
This is such a pity.
We should give all our love to each other.
Not this hate that destroys us.
This is such a pity.
(This is a pity)
song performed by by Weezer
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Pity, pity, pity
Look at to the unwanted child
Look at to the divorced wife
Look at to the homeless man
What people do other than saying
“Pity, pity, pity”
Look at to the tragic hero
Look at to the sympathized villain
Look at to the clueless victim
What witnesses do other than staring
“Pity, pity, pity”
Look at to the crazy dreamer
Look at to the unlucky gambler
Look at to the stubborn fighter
What friends do other than whispering
“Pity, pity, pity”
Look at to the withering flower
Look at to the starving animal
Look at to the extinct nature
What human do other than howling
“Pity, pity, pity”
Look at to the empty spaces
Look at to the blank faces
Look at to the lost traces
What devils do other than laughing
“Pity, pity, pity”
poem by Maria Sudibyo
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Takin' Care Of Business
You get up every morning
From your alarm clock's warning
Take the 8:15 into the city
There's a whistle up above
And people pushin', people shovin'
And the girls who try to look pretty
And if your train's on time
You can get to work by nine
And start your slaving job to get your pay
If you ever get annoyed
Look at me I'm self-employed
I love to work at nothing all day
And I'll be...
Taking care of business every day
Taking care of business every way
I've been taking care of business, it's all mine
Taking care of business and working overtime
Work out
--- Instrumental ---
If it were easy as fishin'
You could be a musician
If you could make sounds loud or mellow
Get a second-hand guitar
Chances are you'll go far
If you get in with the right bunch of fellows
People see you having fun
Just a-lying in the sun
Tell them that you like it this way
It's the work that we avoid
And we're all self-employed
We love to work at nothing all day
And we be...
Taking care of business every day
Taking care of business every way
I've been taking care of business, it's all mine
Taking care of business and working overtime
--- Instrumental ---
And we be...
Taking care of business every day
Taking care of business every way
I've been taking care of business, it's all mine
Taking care of business and working overtime
--- Instrumentall to fade ---
song performed by by Alabama
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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It's a very, very difficult space to operate in, the restaurant business-it requires a lot of human beings to intersect at just the right place to make it all work out.
quote by Rocco DiSpirito
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Don’t Pity Me
I can stand on my own two feet
Spare me the reminder that I came from those lonely streets
Which made me cold as I grew old
Don’t pity me, no don’t pity me at all
I did what was necessary to survive
Build my dreams on hard concrete
Fed myself dust until I couldn’t eat
Why pity me, why pity me at all
Now that I am full, I can use the energy
To do what you could have done
Saved me instead of feeling sorry
Because you pity me, and you pity me until I was no more
So the next time you look down and see me
Remember this, it could have been you not me.
poem by Landsley Alexandre
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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I Pity You
I pity you when you walk down the street
I pity you when you open your mouth to speak
You will tell your story, with its pity and glory
As sympathy is all that you do seek.
I pity you and your parents dear
I pity you when from you they don’t want to hear
As you put them to blame, for your sadness and pain
That’s why for you no-one will shed a tear.
I pity you when you laugh and smile
I pity you as your life is full of guile
But you are the source, for your sadness and remorse
And you wont change even when walking your last mile.
I pity you as you once had something
I pity you as now you have nothing
You threw everything away, so you could stray
Now your retribution will be coming.
I pity you as with time you will age
I pity you with your hate and your rage
You will always fight, whether you are wrong or right
You are the animal and your soul is your cage
I pity you and I do it without a clue
I pity you whenever I see or hear of you
There is no sympathy, as your not my friend or enemy
And all I can say is, that I truly pity you.
Randy L. McClave
poem by Randy McClave
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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It Isn't Everyday One Makes An Order, And Throws Out The Past
It isn’t everyday one makes an order, throws out the past
Goes through the piles of old papers
And sees here a missed opportunity there another time of life
Which one has long forgotten
Throwing most of the business papers away
And holding on to most personal things
One finds letters one did not answer
And dreams one did not begin to realize
Pictures are most painful
People no longer here
Loved ones in youth
Oneself as one was and will never be again
A life in these things
And almost gone
Cancelled bank books
Money one had once and no longer has
Love and people who were once one’s whole life
And are now strangers
The children
In so many different ages and times
The children no longer children
The past too too much past
Weighing me down with grief and despair
Asking myself how I can go on and for how much longer
Before someone else has to deal with the mess
poem by Shalom Freedman
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Risky Business
Eight ounce gloves now, its title time
You can use your chosen tools and Ill choose mine
Im afraid weve gone and laid it on the line
Its a risky business
In the garden-time to go
Show them crazies whos the one who runs the show
While they gamble in your corner for your robe
Its a risky business
And the best that you can do is buy some time
til they can find somebody better
It dont matter what they call you when you
Know youve been the best that you could be
Give em hell boy, while you can
Make them fight to take the title you defend
til they nail you with a double-cross again
Its a risky business
song performed by by Kris Kristofferson
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Depression and Black dog
She rises from bed and stares
out the window. Another day.
No new horizons. Why do
people talk such crap, she muses,
senses the hangover bite in.
He said it was just a sex thing,
no strings, see what a new
tomorrow brings. Her mother
had this thing about what the
neighbours said, how things
looked from another's perspective.
There is a damp patch where
her hand has touched, blood,
bright red. She sees him or rather
his outline in the dark of the night
before. All ten minutes of excitement,
a two-bit joy. Her hand runs over
the patch, feels the stickiness.
Depression digs in its feet, plunges
in its dark claws, rips through her
sense of being, sees the outside
city, no real care, no pity, just what
is she seeing? Shadows and outlines,
people, cars, streets, sun, clouds,
business out there. She wants her
mother back, the loss of all those
years ago, lingering in the back of
her mind and center of her heart.
Depression and the black dog tear
All things and love and life apart.
poem by Terry Collett
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Time Re Written
Time goes fast
Time goes slow
Time sees love ones pass
Time sees the living grow
Time finds it hard to forget
Time can store up treasures and sorrows, and very hard to let go...
Time rushes fast
Time stops and starts
Time is shown by nights turn into days
Time makes all the seasons change
Time is going slowly at times but
Time can race you across the line
Time awaits for you to have peace but
Time can also hide sadness deep
Time is sometimes patient
Time can be kind
Time often cruel and
Time can be so so unkind
Time is a second
Time is minute, hour, even days and months
Time is not possible for us to keep
But right now...I wish time will not pass me by
Nor it slip back into yesterday day...
For i have much to look forward
In Time...and much more afar
I am certain now that
Time is a precious thing and will bring along amazing things...
Time...more time...and much much time
And somehow i feel a bit lost at this...
Time
Perhaps only when the dark night comes at long last
I will stop thinking about
Time
For time will no longer matter then
And only then... until then
Each second, Every minute...Even hour and all these Endless days
Bientôt mon chéri, venez à moi
poem by AngelLucianna Vesna
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Divine Image
To Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love
All pray in their distress;
And to these virtues of delight
Return their thankfulness.
For Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love
Is God our Father dear,
And Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love
Is man, His child and care.
For Mercy has a human heart,
Pity, a human face,
And Love, the human form divine,
And Peace, the human dress.
Then every man, of every clime,
That prays in his distress,
Prays to the human form divine,
Love, Mercy, Pity, Peace.
And all must love the human form,
In heathen, Turk, or Jew;
Where Mercy, Love, and Pity dwell
There God is dwelling too.
poem by William Blake from Songs of Innocence (1789)
Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
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Mr. President
We've taken all you've given
But it's gettin' hard to make a livin'
Mr. president have pity on the working man
We're not asking you to love us
You may place yourself high above us
Mr. president have pity on the working man
I know it may sound funny
But people ev'ry where are runnin' out of money
We just can't make it by ourself
It is cold and the wind is blowing
We need something to keep us gong
Mr. president have pity on the working man
Maybe you've cheated
Maybe you've lied
Maybe you have lost your mind
Maybe you're only thinking 'bout yourself
Too late to run. too late to cry now
The time has come for us to say good-bye now
Mr. president have pity on the working man
Mr. president have pity on the working man
song performed by by Randy Newman
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Mr. President (Have Pity On The Working Man)
We've taken all you've given
But it's gettin' hard to make a livin'
Mr. President have pity on the working man
We're not asking you to love us
You may place yourself high above us
Mr. President have pity on the working man
I know it may sound funny
But people ev'ry where are runnin' out of money
We just can't make it by ourself
It is cold and the wind is blowing
We need something to keep us gong
Mr. President have pity on the working man
Maybe you've cheated
Maybe you've lied
Maybe you have lost your mind
Maybe you're only thinking 'bout yourself
Too late to run. Too late to cry now
The time has come for us to say good-bye now
Mr. President have pity on the working man
Mr. President have pity on the working man
song performed by by Randy Newman
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Devine Image
To Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love,
All pray in their distress,
And to these virtues of delight
Return their thankfulness.
For Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love,
Is God our Father dear;
And Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love,
Is man, his child and care.
For Mercy has a human heart
Pity, a human face;
And Love, the human form divine;
And Peace, the human dress.
Then every man, of every clime,
That prays in his distress,
Prays to the human form divine:
Love, Mercy, Pity, Peace.
And all must love the human form,
In heathen, Turk, or Jew.
Where Mercy, Love, and Pity dwell,
There God is dwelling too.
poem by William Blake
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Temperatures Heat Up Slow
Temperatures heat up slow.
Some boil to explode.
Steaming to show outside...
What can no longer hide.
Temperatures heat up slow.
some refuse to let go!
Until it's hard to keep...
A heat that has been released.
It's difficult to find the time to explain it.
Words aren't there to say what's going on.
Some people make it their business,
To stir up arguments.
And leaving behind them created conflicts.
Temperatures heat up slow.
With a click.
Some boil to explode.
With many clicks.
Steaming to show outside...
Flying fists.
What can no longer hide,
Loud brawled rifts!
And it's hard to find time to explain this!
Or sit in calmness to cool rowdy rows.
Some folks will agitate this,
As if it's a gift.
To then give to others...
To glow in what has been bestowed.
To behold what is done,
That gets old.
And this has left many cold.
Some people make it their business,
To stir up these riffs.
And leaving behind them created conflicts.
With all conflicts growing old!
Much too old to bestow.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Make A Change
I see it on the streets as we walk right by
what little value we place on human live
but it's time we get priorities It's time to rearrange
won't turn away any longer it's time we make a change
people so cold they ignore others pain
people too proud to realize that we're the same
but it's time we get priorities It's time to rearrange
won't turn away any longer it's time we make a change
song performed by by Youth Of Today
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Mind Your Own Business
Mind Your Own Business
(Words and music by Hank Williams, Sr.)
If the wife and I was fussin', brother that's our right
Me and that ole woman bought a license to fight
Why don't you mind your own business(Mind your own business)
Yeah,mind your own business(Mind your own business)
If youmind your own business, you won't be mindin' mine.
Well, the woman on the party line's a nosey thing
She picks up her receiver when she knows it's my ring
Why don't you mind your own business(Mind your own business)
Yeah, mind your own business(Mind your own business)
If you mind your own business, you won't be mindin' mine.
--- Instrumental with ad libs ---
Well, I got a little girl that wears her hair up high
The boys all hollar when she walks by
Why don't you mind your own business(Mind your own business)
Yeah, mind your own business(Mind your own business)
Just mind your own business, you wont be mindin' mine.
--- Instrumental with ad libs ---
I may tell a lot of stories that may not be true
But I can get to Heaven just as easy as you
Why don't you mind your own business(Mind your own business)
Yeah, will you mind your own business(Mind your own business)
Mind your business, and you won't be mindin' mine.
--- Instrumental with ad libs ---
Now, If I want to honky tonk 'til around two or three
Darlin' that's my headache, don't you worry 'bout me.
Why don't you mind your own business(Mind your own business)
Go on and mind your own business(Mind your own business)
If you're mindin' your business, you won't be mindin' mine.
--- Instrumental---
Mindin' other people's business seems to be high-toned
Well, I got all that I can do just to mind my own
Mind your own business(Mind your own business)
Yeah, mind your own business(Mind your own business)
If you mind your businessmyou won't be mindin' mine.
Dear Lord, If you mind your business, you'll be busy all the time...
song performed by by Alan Jackson
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Threepenny Pierrot
Threepenny pierrot - we love you
Threepenny pierrot - loves us too
Pockets of gladness, gay time eyes
Comical hero, threepenny pierrot
Happy little feet that dance all day
Lonely little heart with lots to say
Stepping footprints on your mind
Offering thoughts of columbine
Bang the drum and blow the bugle call
Pierrot takes the stage to play for all
For heres a life his fortune rules
Forsaken by his columbine
Threepenny pierrot - we love you
Threepenny pierrot - loves us too
Pockets of gladness, gay time eyes
Comical hero, threepenny pierrot
To tap his feet to greet dear harlequin
The hearts of folks so keenly hard to win
A patchwork frame of tears and wine
The nectar for cruel columbine
The part of three and leaves the stage forlorn
Puppets cold, their faces sad and drawn
Relive each trial of rise and fall
The love which lacks between us all
Threepenny pierrot - we love you
Threepenny pierrot - loves us too
Pockets of gladness, gay time eyes
Comical hero, threepenny pierrot
Threepenny pierrot - we love you
Threepenny pierrot - loves us too
Pockets of gladness, gay time eyes
Comical hero . . . . . . threepenny pierrot
song performed by by David Bowie
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Nobodys Business
I went out in the darkness
Just searching for someplace to be
Wasnt looking for trouble
I guess it was looking for me
And I knew I was wasting my time
But it was nobodys business
Nobodys business but mine
I was taking some comfort
I needed a break from the rain
I guess I was mistaken
And someone remembered my name
But I knew I was doin just fine
And it was nobodys business
Nobodys business but mine
Well I guess for some
Revenge is sweet
Though it be once removed
I hope you feel better
I dont know what you proved
Well, yonder comes the emperor, boys
He sure looks fine in blue
I hope you feel better, babe
I know youre scared too
Well it sure makes you wonder
The things that some people will say
They can see black and white but they
Dont seem to notice the gray
What a price for a victimless crime
When it was nobodys business
Nobodys business but mine
Yeah, it was nobodys business
Nobodys business but mine
song performed by by Don Henley
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Ground Thrush
I'm a business man; and I can't spare time
For this fluting and fussing and frilling.
The song of my cousin may be sublime,
But I never have found it filling.
So I run and I dig and I dig and I run,
And I'm at it soon as the day's begun,
And I never knock off till the light is done
Over the garden and lawn and tilling.
I'm a business man on my business bent,
And I've never an hour of leisure.
I have little regard for sentiment,
And I fritter no time in pleasure.
But I dig and I run and I run and I dig;
And you never see me at my ease on a twig,
Prinking and posing in holiday rig
Or trilling a tuneful measure.
I'm a business man, and I've much to do;
So the day's work must be speeded.
For time is fleeting and worms are few-
I've never had all I needed.
So I run and I dig and I dig and I run
From sun to shadow, from shadow to sun,
I'm a business man, and the world I shun;
So I live and I die unheeded.
poem by Clarence Michael James Stanislaus Dennis
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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