Versions

Version	Length	Source	Availability
Live Acoustic [1]	4:33	Mark Seymour bonus disc version of King Without A Clue album.	Moderately common. Available new in digital form.
Live Acoustic [2]	4:41	Mark Seymour From Bondi to Bedlam video.	Moderately common. Available new in DVD and digital form.

Recommended Version.

Commentary

Origin:

Originally “Richard Cory” was a poem by Edwin Arlington Robinson in a book called “The Children Of The Night” with fundamentals origins around the year 1897.

The “Richard Cory” here is a version written by Paul Simon (as a part of Simon & Garfunkel).

Lyrics

Well they say that Richard Cory
Owns half of this old town
With political connections
To spread his wealth around

Born into society
A bankers only child
He had everything a man could want
Power, grace and style

Oh but I work in his factory
And I curse the life I’m living
And I curse my poverty

And I wish that I could be
Oh I wish that I could be
Oh I wish that I could be
Richard Cory

Well the papers print his picture
Almost everywhere he goes
Richard Cory at the opera
Richard Cory at a show

And the rumours of his parties
And the orgies on his yaught
Well he sure must be happy
With everything that he’s got

Oh but I work in his factory
And I curse the life I’m living
And I curse my poverty

And I wish that I could be
Oh I wish that I could be
Oh I wish that I could be
Richard Cory

Oh but I work in his factory
And I curse the life I’m living
And I curse my poverty

And I wish that I could be
Oh I wish that I could be
Oh I wish that I could be
Richard Cory

Well he freely gave to charity
He had that common touch
Well they were grateful for his patronage
And they thanked him very much

So my mind was filled with wonder
When the evening headlines read
Oh Richard Cory went home last night
And put a bullet in his head

Oh but I work in his factory
And I curse the life I’m living
And I curse my poverty

And I wish that I could be
Oh I wish that I could be
Oh I wish that I could be
Oh I wish that I could be
Richard Cory

[Paul Simon]