Saturday, June 14, 2008

Manipulate and Control

Still wonder whether or not the public is being manipulated? Can't tell you how many television and movies scenes mysteriously disappear on a second broadcast thanks to the pc police. It's easy to notice, since they usually cut my favorite scenes.

But I thought. naively, that good music had escaped.

I have always been fascinated with good writing. Bill Withers is a prolific, astute American lyricist. He has written some of the most enduring songs that you'll never get out of your mind, "Lean on Me," Ain't no Sunsine, "Lovely Day, " are just a few.

I was most impressed with a song he wrote, called "You." Reportedly it was inspired by a torrid relationship with an estranged ex-wife. It is, probably, the most profound put down song i've ever heard. According to the internet, it doesn't exist.
When the album was re-mastered, the song was omitted. 'Poof," disappeared into thin air.

For posterity, here are the lyrics I can remember (apologies to Mr. Withers for mistakes):

You want to take me to a doctor
to tallk to me about my mind
Trying to get directions to some places
that I don't really want to find.
Troubling me and not related
to things that I might say or do
I'm really not that complicated
Your good doctor friend, he ought to talk to you.

I have a friend that knows your best friend,
He goes some places where she goes.
He said he saw y'all at a party
Stickin white powder up your nose.

Got the nerve to call me narrow minded
cause I'm not loose and indiscreet.
People lying down always get blinded
by people standing on their own to feet.

Life is just a shadow
that I just can't seem to find sometimes
You really only got two choices, you can lay down and be weak
or you can stand up where you at and still be strong

All you find out looking back
is the fact that both of us was wrong

You're talking to me crazy, but you really ain't saying a thing
You're pouring muddy water on me, trying to convince me it's rain
Now you're trying to me crazy, buy you're trying to make me seem insane

You're like a Sunday family digging animals at the zoo
But while you're looking at monkeys, monkeys looking dead at you
Two people getting done trying to figure who's doing who
If you're doing dirty people, you got to get some dirt on you
I got to take a ton of lies, just to get an ounce of truth from you
You're like a man loving Jesus, who says he can't stand a Jew

Ii ain't got time to play the dozens
Talking bout your folks from your mother to your cousins
You're head's down there
You know what I'm tallking about.

Wow! That's it folks. Now, I know I didn't make up these lyrics, and probably got some of them wrong or out of place. But somebody doesn't want this song out there. I hope it's not you, Bill. Apologies if it is.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

You want to take me to a doctor
to tallk to me about my mind
Trying to GIVE directions to some places
that I don't really want to find.
TroublE WITH me IS not related
to things that I might say or do
I'm really not that complicated
Your good doctor friend, he ought to talk to you.

I have a friend WHO knows your best friend,
He goes some places where she goes.
He said he saw y'all at a party
SNIFFin' white powder up your nose.

Got the nerve to call me narrow minded
cause I'm not loose and indiscreet.
People lying down always get blinded
by people standing on their own tWo feet.

Life is just a shadow, OH, OH
that I just can't seem to find sometimes,
OH, LORDY, SOMETIMES
BUT I GUESS I'LL MAKE IT
'CAUSE I FOUND OUT THAT IT'S REALLY IN MY MIND.
REALLY ALL IN MY MIND.
SHOULDN'T TAKE IT TOO SERIOUSLY,
'CAUSE IT REALLY AINT GONE LAST TOO LONG,
REALLY AINT GONE LAST TOO LONG.
You really only got two choices, you can lay down and be weak
or you can stand up where you at and still be strong
STAND UP AND STILL BE STRONG