Conflict Theory as a Song

Conflict Theory

Conflict Theory can be defined as "A theory propounded for Karl Marx that claims society is in a state of perpetual conflict due to competition for limited resources. Conflict theory holds that social order is maintained by domination and power, rather than consensus and conformity." So I would describe it as society competing and changing to get scarce resources. Conflict theory can be viewed as a "bad" thing. Or possibly even dangerous. Because people do what they can to be labeled in the upper class.
The richer people benefit from the poor. The poor work in the factories, doing all the hard labor. While the rich sit in the office as a CEO or something. They may have stress and other things to do that seem difficult but it isn't manual labor.

Ain't No Rest for the Wicked

I see this song as describing the conflict theory rather well. He meets people that are just trying to get by in our society by any means. He pretty much asks them "Why are you doing what you're doing right now?" And they give him a pretty solid answer.
In the first set of lyrics that I labeled as "1.", our "narrator" is talking about how he was just walking down the street and what we would assume to be a prostitute came up to him and offered him her services. We can go down to section 2. and she continues. She said that if he pays her that she will give him a good night. Then after all is said and done, she will go. But he stops and asks her, "You seem like such a sweet lady so why do you do this?" Her response is goes into part 3. which is the chorus for the song. Which we will refer back to. She is just trying to get by. She says there ain't no rest for the wicked. She has to pay bills and she has mouths to feed. She would go about another job if she could but she can't. And she is going to keep doing this until she she closes her eyes for good. So until she dies.
In part 4. and 5. we deal with another person. This man is a robber. The robber just wants the money. Not to harm anyone. But if the narrator tries anything or tries to cause a scene, he will shoot him. So he could give him the money and be completely fine or he could get killed. It's the narrators choice basically. So he asks the robber, "What made you want to live this kind of life?" The robber is then brought back to the chorus. 

Next we go to part 6. So our narrator is home and his day is coming to an end. He turns to the news on the TV and sees a preacher getting arrest. He was taking money from the church. The preacher put the money in his own private account. Our narrator was very confused and shocked. But then he says "We all seek out to satisfy those thrills." So he is shocked but then he thinks about it and says that 'Well we are all just trying to get by and get ahold of the money. Because we all want to be on top of the social ladder. We are all trying for that.' He says we are all the same. All wanting to be higher in the social class system.
So our narrator goes back to the chorus. All of those people are going against what the law says and do what they want. They are all trying to get money. They are doing the things that they do to get them out of that lower class system. In this song you don't really see the rich people benefiting from poor people. But you see what poor people will do in order to get by.

Lyrics: 

1. I was walkin' down the street
When out the corner of my eye
I saw a pretty little thing approaching me
She said, "I never seen a man
Who looked so all alone
Oh could you use a little company?

2. And if you pay the right price
Your evening will be nice
And you can go and send me on my way."
I said, "You're such a sweet young thing
Why you do this to yourself?"
She looked at me and this is what she said

THE CHORUS
3. Oh, there ain't no rest for the wicked
Money don't grow on trees
I got bills to pay
I got mouths to feed
And ain't nothing in this world for free
No I can't slow down
I can't hold back
Though you know I wish I could
No there ain't no rest for the wicked
Until we close our eyes for good

4. Not even 15 minutes later
I'm still walkin' down the street
When I saw the shadow of a man creep out of sight
And then he swept up from behind
He put a gun up to my head
He made it clear he wasn't lookin' for a fight

5. He said give me all you got
I want your money not your life
But if you try to make a move I won't think twice
I told him you can have my cash
But first you know I gotta ask
What made you wanna live this kind of life?
He said

Go back to 3. THE CHORUS 

6. Well now a couple hours passed
And I was sitting in my house
The day was winding down and coming to an end
So I turned to the TV
And flipped it over to the news
And what I saw I almost couldn't comprehend

7. I saw a preacher man in cuffs
He'd taken money from the church
He'd stuff his bank account with righteous dollar bills
But even still I can't say much
Because I know we're all the same
Oh yes we all seek out to satisfy those thrills

8. You know there ain't no rest for the wicked
Money don't grow on trees
We got bills to pay
We got mouths to feed
And ain't nothing in this world for free
No we can't slow down
We can't hold back
Though you know we wish we could
No there ain't no rest for the wicked
Until we close our eyes for good

http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/conflict-theory.asp?adtest=term_page_v14_v2
"Conflict Theory Definition | Investopedia." Investopedia. Investopedia, 10 July 2013. Web. 07 Oct. 2015