Compared to What - Ray Charles

Love the lie and lie the love Hangin' on, with a push and shove Possession is the motivation That is hangin' up the God-damn nation Looks like we always end up in a rut (everybody now!) Tryin' to make it real - compared to what? Slaughterhouse is killin' hogs Twisted children killin' frogs Poor dumb rednecks rollin' logs Tired old ladies kissin' dogs Hate the human, love that stinking mutt (I can't stand it!) Try to make it real - compared to what? The President, he's got his war Folks don't know just what it's for Nobody gives us rhyme or reason Have one doubt, they call it treason We're chicken-feathers, all without one gut (God damn it!) Tryin' to make it real - compared to what? (Sock it to me, now) Church on Sunday, sleep and nod Tryin' to duck the wrath of God Preacher's fillin' us with fright Tryin' to tell us what he thinks is right He really got to be some kind of nut (I can't use it!) Tryin' to make it real - compared to what? Where's that bee and where's that honey? Where's my God and where's my money Unreal values, crass distortion Unwed mothers need abortion Kind of brings to mind ol' young King Tut (He did it now) Tried to make it real - compared to what?!

I love to lie and lie to love I'm hangin' on they push and shove Possession is the motivation That is hangin' up the goddamn nation Looks like we always end up in a rut Everybody now Tryin' to make it real compared to what Slaughterhouse is killin' hogs Twisted children killin' frogs Poor dumb rednecks rollin' logs Tired old ladies kissin' dogs I hate the human love of that stinking mutt I can't use it Tryin' to make it real compared to what President he's got his war Folks don't know just what it's for Nobody gives us rhyme or reason Have one doubt they call it treason We're chicken feathers All without one nut goddamn it Tryin' to make it real compared to what Church on Sunday sleep and nod Tryin' to duck the wrath of God Preachers fillin' us with fright They all tryin' to teach us what they think is right They really got to be some kind of nut I can't use it Tryin' to make it real compared to what Where's that bee and where's that honey Where's my God and where's my money Unreal values a crass distortion Unwed mothers need abortion Kind of brings to mind old young King Tut He did it now Tried to make it real compared to what Tryin' to make it real compared to what

She'd given everything she could give Twenty years of kindness made her sad Kindness never made enough to live So she sold the very last thing that she had As she held her hand out to him as he drove around the block He mouthed through the window just hold on I've held on many years now and I haven't found a lot Hold on, hold on to what? So hold on, hold on to what? Hold on, hold on to what? Hold on, hold on to what? Holding on is harder When it's something you've not got I'll need a pair of stilts If I'm to ever reach the top So hold on, hold on to what? Hold on, hold on to what? Hold on, hold on to what? Many years of service with a smile Up shit creek and down the Rhine Gibraltar Rock and now the Emerald Isle He'd shined every shoe that he could shine And as he lay in his own blood screaming I've been shot He heard the Major whisper just hold on I've held on all these years now, now what medal have I got? Hold on, hold on to what? So hold on, hold on to what? Hold on, hold on to what? Hold on, hold on to what? Holding on is harder When it's something you've not got I'll need a pair of stilts If I'm to ever reach the top So hold on, hold on to what? Hold on, hold on to what? Hold on, hold on to what? Sixty years and he's looking his worst Sitting in the park where she'd died Running hands through his final hair These are the words that he cried Hold on, hold on, hold on To achieve the American dream You need a trampoline to achieve the counter effect Get that whiskey down your neck Hold on, hold on, hold on To achieve the American dream You need a trampoline to achieve the counter effect Get that whiskey down your neck Hold on, hold on, hold on Chamberlain had his paper Jesus had His cross they held on We held on to what? Hold on, hold on, hold on Chamberlain had his paper Jesus had His cross they held on We held on to what? Hold on, hold on, hold on Chamberlain had his paper Jesus had His cross they held on We held on to what? Hold on, hold on, hold on We held on to what? Hold on, hold on, hold on We held on to what? Hold on, hold on, hold on We held on to what? Hold on, hold on, hold on We held on to what?

These are your instructions Should you choose to follow Sit down with pen and paper Begin with something hollow Like the last words that he offered No kind of explanation They only take up space here You do not need to save them Open up the closet Find his winter coat there Check inside the pockets Find a crumpled note there It says "milk and Sunday paper" And a heart smudged in blue ink Fold it up and box it before you've time to think Sundays are the hardest Avoid familiar back roads Erase the old phone numbers Delete all the photos And those you haven't heard from Will come as no surprise They made their calculation When they chose a side These are your instructions When you become reclusive When old friends say they miss you When sleep becomes elusive Fill up every journal Empty every shoebox Burn the lists and letters Sweep out all the old thoughts Shake off all the covers Throw every window open Stand here in your bare feet Welcome in the morning These are your instructions When grace has left you stranded When you are lost and wounded Bleeding and abandoned Use a tourniquet for pressure Let time do it's healing Say prayers for good measure When you think you've lost all feeling Now walk into the guest room The last place he was sleeping See the outline on the pillow Smooth it without weeping One last final walk through Now move the bags and boxes From front porch onto back seat Haul away the losses These are your instructions If you choose to follow Stop and take a big breath Begin with something hollow...

Take it now or leave it Now is all we get Take it now or leave it Now is all we get Take it now or leave it Now is all we get Take it now or leave it Now is all we get Take it now or leave it Nothing promised, no regrets Voulez-vous Take it now or leave it Now is all we get Take it now or leave it Now is all we get Take it now or leave it Now is all we get Take it now or leave it Now is all we get Take it now or leave it Now is all we get Take it now or leave it Now is all we get Nothing promised, no regrets Voulez-vous Take it now or leave it Now is all we get Take it now or leave it Now is all we get Take it now or leave it Now is all we get Take it now or leave it Now is all we get Take it now or leave it Now is all we get Take it now or leave it Now is all we get Nothing promised, no regrets Voulez-vous Take it now or leave it Now is all we get Nothing promised, no regrets Voulez-vous Take it now or leave it Now is all we get Take it now or leave it Now is all we get Take it now or leave it Now is all we get Take it now or leave it Now is all we get Take it now or leave it Now is all we get Take it now or leave it Now is all we get Nothing promised, no regrets Voulez-vous Take it now or leave it Now is all we get Take it now or leave it Now is all we get Take it now or leave it Now is all we get Take it now or leave it Now is all we get Take it now or leave it Now is all we get Take it now or leave it Now is all we get Nothing promised, no regrets Voulez-vous

Sit down, be quiet, they usually say Do this, do that, grow up Be nice and behave But I've never wanted to be like them Monday to Friday, that's just nothing for me We've got a life to live, so please don't waste my time Let tomorrow be tomorrow, not here now Forget your trouble and let's celebrate tonight Come and join in, get it started in this town I'd rather be fun than what they say Won't be safe and sound There's time for that but not now And while we are young, let's be stupid Just you, me and the night The one thing we should know Is that we got plenty of time That we got plenty of time That we got plenty of time They don't know a thing 'bout What this is like I don't want to think 'bout What's ahead I'm here now 'Cause I've always wanted to feel alive Live in the moment, let the future arrive I'm gonna tell the world the way it's going down Let tomorrow be tomorrow, not here now Won't let them bother me, I'm not gonna waste my time Come and join in, get it started in this town I'd rather be fun than what they say Won't be safe and sound There's time for that but not now And while we are young, let's be stupid Just you, me and the night The one thing we should know Is that we got plenty of time That we got plenty of time Yeah, we got plenty of time Whoa, we got plenty of Plenty of, plenty of time, yeah Whoa, we got plenty of Plenty of, plenty of time Plenty, plenty, plenty of time We are young and we got plenty of time And I've got nothing else but you on my mind We got plenty, plenty, plenty of time Yeah, we got plenty of time Whoa, we got plenty of Plenty of, plenty of time, yeah Whoa, we got plenty of Plenty of, plenty of time Oh, we got plenty of time Oh-whoa, yeah, we got plenty of time