Lyrics:

Larry is a veteran, I seen him at the store
A six pack of malt liquor; it's the Prozac of the poor
A can o' chili and a can o' beans and a pack of cigarettes
Four cheap cigars, he writes a check

He climbs into his van, it's a blue Econoline
They're both on their last legs, if looks are any sign
There's a flag on the bumper and just to the right
A bald eagle with a nail file says, 'It's time to fight'

You think you've got nothing to give
Look around how people live
Loneliness is poverty
Say, 'hey,' say, 'hey,' to me

I had an old piano, it just didn't belong
A couple missin' keys that seem to be in every song
Even when I had it tuned, it didn't sound that good
I was tempted to scrap the guts and burn the wood

I put it in the paper, a piano for free
'If you can haul it, you can have it', and people came to see
Some folks played 'Chopsticks' or 'Body and Soul'
Always, they'd hammer in the empty holes

You think you've got nothing to give
Look around how people live
Loneliness is poverty
Say, 'hey,' say, 'hey,' to me

'I heard you got a piano,' he said with suspicion
He was shakin' from the cold and probably malnutrition
I said, 'Hey, Larry, won't you come on in
Can I make you some coffee?', but he wasn't listenin'

He went to that piano like he'd seen an old friend
He drew his name in the dust, he told me where it was made and when
He said, 'I haven't seen one like this since I was a boy'
His face was twisted into joy

You think you've got nothing to give
Look around how people live
Loneliness is poverty
Say, 'hey,' say, 'hey,' to me

Well, we talked a few minutes, then the coffee was hot
I said, 'Hey, Larry, won't you show me what you've got'
He showed me what he had alright, with conviction and soul
He banged the Barrelhouse Blues, baby, he rolled like Jellyroll

He played songs of love and country, 'from sea to shining sea'
And not once, not once, did I hear a broken key
A broken old piano and a broken old man
Rolled away smokin' in a broken old van

You think you've got nothing to give
Look around how people live
Loneliness is poverty
Say, 'hey,' say, 'hey,' to me