If beauty is an ecstasy and anger keeps you poor
A hungry man is never free, a rich man never cured
Things were never what they used to be
Now every crowd has its silver lining, we all got stuff to sell
And you may live your life so bitter, but you remember it so well
Things were never what they used to be

For all the folks who can run the world, drive cabs or cut your hair
And the sun may set without your help, but you're beautiful people to me
You may fall before you're pushed, but it's beautiful people I see
If you only see the stars when it's dark, that's enough for me
An empty soul with a full opinion is beautiful people to me

It's all the same in different hats, the proof of the missing link
A nation talking to itself and none of us can think
Things were never what they used to be
For a silent fool may still be wise, there's no way you can tell

And the captain more scared than his crew is beautiful people to me
And the finest government you could buy, it's beautiful people I see
If you live five to one against, it's good enough for me

Can't use two steps to cross a canyon, you're beautiful people to me
If you don't see the same trees I see, you're beautiful people to me
Make deserts bloom and oceans die, just beautiful people to me
If you're lost and dying of civilization, that's enough for me

If you believe your own blind eye, you're beautiful people to me
And you may miss what you never had and have what you don't need
And the sun may set without your help, but you're beautiful people to me
You may fall before you're pushed, but it's beautiful people I see
If you only see the stars when it's dark, that's enough for me
An empty soul with a full opinion is beautiful people to me

And the captain more scared than his crew is beautiful people to me
And the finest government you could buy, it's beautiful people I see
If you live five to one against, it's good enough for me

Can't use two steps to cross a canyon, you're beautiful people to me
If you don't see the same trees I see, you're beautiful people to me
Make deserts bloom and oceans die, just beautiful people to me
If you're lost and dying of civilization, that's enough for me