Lyrical Philosophy Top Ten: What Are Riches But Contentment (#5)

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Open house day for women veterans! I had a blast. They had a class in bra size measurement (and these were women’s veterans, so none of the cheesy jokes...too bad). I won a huge door prize (that’s right, I won a door ). I’m having lunch now, and I’m ready to give you another piece of philosophy, courtesy of a song. Here’s the next one on my list. #5: What Are Riches But Contentment When I was a kid I thought the name of this Eddy Arnold song was “Humpback Mule,” because the opening line was, “I’ve got a humpback mule, a plow, and a tater patch.” As an adult, I’ve learned two things: one, the proper name of the song (“The Richest Man [In the World]”); and two, the truth of this song. The song, written by the great Hall of Famer Boudleaux Bryant (co-writer of many Everly Brothers hits), lists the things that money cannot buy: “a roof, a bed, a fishing pole, and folks who call me ‘friend.’” Materialism is destroying humanity. If you do as this song says and count your blessings, you may see your immense wealth, too. What Are Riches But Contentment From “The Richest Man (in the World)” Written by Boudleaux Bryant Recorded by Eddy Arnold Released as a single, 1955 A live version (where Arnold acknowledges the great philosophy of the song):