They say that Richard Cory owns one-half of this whole town With political connections to spread his wealth around Born into society, a banker's only child He had everything a man could want, power, grace and style 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 The papers print his pictures 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 yacht Oh, he surely must be happy with everything he's got 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 He freely gave to charity, he had the common touch And they were grateful for his patronage and they thanked him very much So my mind was filled with wonder when the evening headlines read "Richard Cory went home last night and put a bullet through his head." 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