Open your hearts and your purses
to a man that is misunderstood.
He takes all of your kicks
and your curses,
yet he wishes you nothing but good.
He tearfully begs you to show him
You think he's a man, not a louse
So remember the debt that you owe him
The landlord who rents you his house
Did he, the downtrodden landlord,
And his back that's all
a -burdened and bent?
Respect his grey hairs,
don't ask for repairs,
And don't be behind in the rent.
When the thunderclouds
gather and darken,
You may sleep undisturbed in your bed,
But the landlord must sit up and hearken,
An d wonder, and worry, and dread.
If you're killed,
then you'll die in a hurry,
And you never will know your bad luck.
But the landlord must wake
up and worry,
Has one of my houses been struck?
Pity the downtrodden landlord,
And his back that's all
burdened and bent.
Respect his grey hairs,
don't ask for repairs,
And don't be behind in the rent.
When a landlord resorts to eviction,
Don't think that he does it for spite.
He is acting on deepest conviction,
And what's right,
after all, is what's right.
I see that your hearts are all hardened,
And that I have been appealing in vain.
Still I hope my last plea will be pardoned,
As I beg on my knees once again.
Pity the downtrodden landlord,
And his back that's all
burdened and bent.
Respect his grey hairs,
don't ask for repairs,
And don't leave behind
another rent. you