Dennen is referring to the beggars on the sidewalk, who literally beg for change, meaning coins, and are also begging for us to change the ways we are doing things as a society. Why, if there are many people thriving in our society, are there also people without enough food to eat, without homes, and those have no loving family? Dennen is trying to tell his listeners that beggars are the “prophets” exposing and telling us this message. The lyrics “There ain't no reason things are this way…I can't explain why we live this way” also tie into this message. Dennen’s line stating, “I got a basket full of lemons and they all taste the same” is an allusion to the American saying “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” When life gives you bad things, you are supposed to make the best of it, making “lemonade.” Dennen, instead, writes that all of the lemons taste the same. He also brings up how our society is superficially focused on appearances and monetary values in the lines “People walk around pushing back their debts, wearing paychecks like necklaces and bracelets.” People flaunt their incomes, making sure others can see how wealthy they are, where everyone else can see. This song is not very positive, talking about our problems as a society and how they have always been
Dennen is referring to the beggars on the sidewalk, who literally beg for change, meaning coins, and are also begging for us to change the ways we are doing things as a society. Why, if there are many people thriving in our society, are there also people without enough food to eat, without homes, and those have no loving family? Dennen is trying to tell his listeners that beggars are the “prophets” exposing and telling us this message. The lyrics “There ain't no reason things are this way…I can't explain why we live this way” also tie into this message. Dennen’s line stating, “I got a basket full of lemons and they all taste the same” is an allusion to the American saying “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” When life gives you bad things, you are supposed to make the best of it, making “lemonade.” Dennen, instead, writes that all of the lemons taste the same. He also brings up how our society is superficially focused on appearances and monetary values in the lines “People walk around pushing back their debts, wearing paychecks like necklaces and bracelets.” People flaunt their incomes, making sure others can see how wealthy they are, where everyone else can see. This song is not very positive, talking about our problems as a society and how they have always been