In Bruce Springsteen's song : "it's So Hard to be a Saint in the City :?

Question

What does he mean by the lines :
"the cripple on the corner
asks, a nickel for your penny."
Anyone want to give this a go?

Answer 1

well, i'm not much up to date on U.S. currency, but i'm pretty sure a nickel is worth less than a penny. I'm also pretty sure a penny isn't worth much. So, i think the boss is painting a picture of how even though his character is of the "working class" or what not, he himself is findind the going tough in the city. He is still better off than the cripple, but instead of having something more substantial, all he has is a penny. see what i mean. It's a metaphor for how it's hard to get by in the city, let alone be a saint. He just has nothing to give.

I love Bruce Springsteen's work, he is one of the most brilliant lyricists i have ever seen. This is off Greetings, right? You're doing better than i could anyway, i don't get half the lyrics on that album.