Songs for the Poor Man was recorded at the WOMAD-affiliated Real World Studios in Wiltshire over three days in May 1989 with production, engineering and mixing help from David Bottrill.

The album exemplifies Ongala and the band's move towards a soukous-style sound, while being more sparse and broadened than conventional soukous and adding elements of East African funk, Afro-Latin and Caribbean music, as well as making prominent usage of conga parts to double its guitar lines.

Although 'Ubongo beat' musician Remmy Ongala, alongside his backing band Orchestre Super Matimila, started to become one of the most famous musicians in Tanzania in the 1980s, his increasing fame failed to parallel with increasing fortune due to a lack of adequate copyright law protection and scam record labels in countries such as Kenya who pressed more copies of a recording by Ongala than they agreed to, keeping the royalties from the extra copies themselves.

[3] While the band's appearances were acclaimed, the ensemble had to shrink in size when playing live for touring practicality, and were also moving towards a soukous sound, "the brasher, faster modern variant of rumba Congolaise then popular.

[6] The up-front conga parts, played by Saidi Salum Jumaine, double the guitar lines and, according to Christgau, "convey an esteem for both tribal difference and East African ways that complements the caring precision of Ongala's singing and the undulating buoyancy of his groove.

[8] "Kipenda Roho" features a "hard drive" while "Mariamu Wangu", Ongala's "own all-time favourite," is based on the popular "mdundiko ngoma," which originates from Dar es Salaam.

"[11] One writer elaborated on the lyrics of the song: "Both the material contrast between rich and poor and the social alienation of the underprivileged are brought to the listener's attention.

Bob Tarte of AllMusic, while rating the album three stars out of five, was praiseful, saying "Ongala's songs on social themes are delivered with winning conviction.

"[9] Writing in his Consumer's Guide for The Village Voice, music critic Robert Christgau rated the album a grade of "A."

He said: "Isolated culturally and economically by socialist underdevelopment, Tanzanian pop nurtures national treasures more diligently than neighboring Zairean and Kenyan styles," praising the album's musical palette, conga parts, "esteem for both tribal difference and East African ways," and concluding: "Sweet.

[8] In his 1992 book Breakout: Profiles in African Rhythm, writer Gary Stewart noted the album's messages were "strong and passionate" and said the record was "music for the brain and for the feet and hips as well."

"[2] In the Rough Guides book World Music: Africa, Europe and the Middle East, the album was described as Ongala's "best international release.