ARTHUR LEE'S BIRTHDAY - LIVE AND LET LIVE live at Glastonbury with Love (Baby Lemonade) 2003

 

Arthur died aged 61 from a complicated case of acute myeloid leukaemia for which he had to cancel appearances for his last tour which I had tickets for and I was so sad I didn't go to see The Love Band on their own and Baby Lemonade are superb and in retrospect I wish I had gone but with no Arthur there and life long fan it didn't seem right somehow . . . . . . he passed away in August a year later at his home in Memphis, having seen at least a glimmer of what we felt for him in the later resurgence of interest with support from that band. A great poet and mercurial songwriter we will  not see his like again . . . . . 

Oh, the snot has caked against my pants

It has turned into crystal

There's a bluebird sitting on a branch

I guess I'll take my pistol

I've got it in my hand

Because he's on my land

 

And so the story ended

Do you know it oh so well

Well should you need I'll tell you

It end-end-ended-end-end-end-end-ended

And...

 

 

Yes I've seen you sitting on the couch

I recognize your artillery

I have seen you many times before

Once when I was an Indian

And I was on my land

Why can't you understand

 

And so the story ended

Do you know it oh so well

Well should you need I'll tell you

The end-end-ended-end-end-end-end-ended

And...

 

Served my time

Served it well

You made my soul a cell

Write the rules

In the sky

But ask your leaders

Why Why

 

Oh, the snot has caked against my pants

It has turned into crystal

There's a bluebird sitting on a branch

I guess I'll take my pistol

I've got it in my hand

Because he's on my land

And so the story ended

Do you know it oh so well

Well should you need I'll tell you

The end-end-ended-end-end-end-end-ended

And...

 

Served my time

Served it well

You made my soul a cell . . . . . . . . 

 

Songwriters: Arthur Lee

Live and Let Live lyrics © Trio Music Company

guessimdumb:

Love - Willow Willow (1969)

Arthur Lee never again reached the heights of the LP Forever Changes, but there are still some wonderful songs on the later LPs.   Arthur Lee often had a jazzy element to his songs that shows up on this tune from Out Here. I also wonder what this would’ve sounded like with producer Bruce Botnick, and string arrangements like Forever Changes.

Can't fault Guess I'm Dumb here. . . . . .and whilst the backing band are not the LOVE band we know and knew from Da Capo to Forever Changes the acoustic guitar break (Arthur?) is lovely here and the writing may not be Forever Changes style or level of achievement, it is worth listening to and no mistake 

Thanks again to Guess I'm Dumb