Sinner on the mainland
He's a sinner on the sea
He looks for absolution

Not accountability
How many destinations
Oh God he's seen them all

He collects his precious pittance
Never a port of call


Remittance Man
Black sheep of the family clan
Broke too many rules along the way

Remittance Man
So far away from home
No they'll never understand

The Remittance Man

A man of empty pockets

From jingling his change
The idleness and grieving
For all that he retains

By the harbour lights of Sydney
Or the Bora Bora moon
He recites his sad confession

To the seagulls and the loons

Remittance Man

Black sheep of the family clan
Broke too many rules along the way
Remittance Man

So far away from home
No they'll never understand
The Remittance Man


Well you can claim that you were born a prince
But you're the only one you can convince

Survivor with no livelihood
That you could ever make it good
But still you dream of what you can pretend


An unexpected passenger
Boarded in Marseilles

An angel full of tenderness
She gave her heart away
She was but a gypsy

He was just a stray
They almost made a miracle but it slowly slipped away
So he follows the equator

With a wish to run aground
It's a very vicious circle
Goin' round and round and round

And he watches from the fantail
As the mainland disappears
Just like the Flying Dutchman

He's a prisoner of his fears

Remittance Man

Black sheep of the family clan
Broke too many rules along the way
Remittance Man

So far away from home
No they'll never understand
No they'll never understand

No they'll never understand
The Remittance Man