Remittance Man

Sinner on the mainland He's a sinner on the sea He looks for absolution Not accountability How many destinations Oh God he's seen them all He collects his precious pittance Never a port of call Remittance Man Black sheep of the family clan Broke too many rules along the way Remittance Man So far away from home No they'll never understand The Remittance Man A man of empty pockets From jingling his change The idleness and grieving For all that he retains By the harbour lights of Sydney Or the Bora Bora moon He recites his sad confession To the seagulls and the loons Remittance Man Black sheep of the family clan Broke too many rules along the way Remittance Man So far away from home No they'll never understand The Remittance Man Well you can claim that you were born a prince But you're the only one you can convince Survivor with no livelihood That you could ever make it good But still you dream of what you can pretend An unexpected passenger Boarded in Marseilles An angel full of tenderness She gave her heart away She was but a gypsy He was just a stray They almost made a miracle but it slowly slipped away So he follows the equator With a wish to run aground It's a very vicious circle Goin' round and round and round And he watches from the fantail As the mainland disappears Just like the Flying Dutchman He's a prisoner of his fears Remittance Man Black sheep of the family clan Broke too many rules along the way Remittance Man So far away from home No they'll never understand No they'll never understand No they'll never understand The Remittance Man