They say that Richard Cory owns one half of this whole town With political connections to spread his wealth around Born into society, a banker's only child He had everything a man could want: power, grace, and style
But I work in his factory And I curse the life I'm living And I curse my poverty And I wish that I could be Oh I wish that I could be Oh I wish that I could be Richard Cory
The papers print his picture almost everywhere he goes Richard Cory at the opera, Richard Cory at a show And the rumor of his parties and the orgies on his yacht! Oh he surely must be happy with everything he's got
But I, I work in his factory And I curse the life I'm living And I curse my poverty And I wish that I could be Oh I wish that I could be Oh I wish that I could be Richard Cory
He freely gave to charity, he had the common touch And they were grateful for his patronage and they thanked him very much So my mind was filled with wonder when the evening headlines read: \"Richard Cory went home last night and put a bullet through his head\"
But I, I work in his factory And I curse the life I'm living And I curse my poverty And I wish that I could be Oh I wish that I could be Oh I wish that I could be Richard Cory