Homeless Persons' Memorial Day Top 100 Songs
​Song #52

The Climax Blues Band
"Shopping Bag People"

The Climax Blues Band is a British blues rock band. The band was formed in Stafford, England, in 1967 by vocalist and harmonica player Colin Cooper (1939–2008), guitarist and vocalist Pete Haycock (1951–2013), guitarist Derek Holt (b. 1949), bassist and keyboardist Richard Jones (b. 1949), drummer George Newsome (b. 1947), and keyboardist Arthur Wood (1929–2005).

"Shopping Bag People" can be found on the band's 6th studio album recorded in 1974 titled, Sense of Direction. The song addresses the difficulties that persons experiencing homelessness have with managing the few items that add up to 

everything they own. "Shopping bag people, sure have a hard, hard time." 

"Shopping Bag People"
Lyrics

Shopping bag people, sure have a hard, hard time
Shopping bag people, sure have a hard, hard time

Well you don't look sideways and you don't look back
When you carry your world in a big brown sack.
Shopping bag people, sure have a hard, hard time

Give me a dollar, give me a lousy dime
Give me a dollar, give me a lousy dime
Out in the snow or in the sunlight heat
tryin' to make it on the city streets
Shopping bag people, sure have a hard, hard time

Nothin' comes easy and poverty's still a crime,
Nothin' comes easy and poverty's still a crime,
Trouble at work I don't know what it means,
Until you're living alone with just broken dreams

Shopping bag people, sure have a hard, hard time

Shopping bag people, sure have a hard, hard time
​

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