Musical Interlude

[willowisp]

This song was written by Fred Small. In the liner notes of an album which contains the song is the following brief history:

Janet Peterson of Motherlode asked Fred to write it for her eight-year-old son after he came home from school one day and said "Mom, it's getting hard to grow up and be a man these days; you can't hug your friends any more. You have to slug 'em and say 'Son of a bitch'."
-The Flirtations Live: Out on the Road

I've only ever heard it sung by The Flirtations, an a capella group which has unfortunately since split up. If folks are interested I will try to track down non-spamazon sites which sell their albums; I just discovered there is a third one out which I don't have... yet.



We have cleared off the table
The leftovers saved
Washed the dishes and put them away
I have told you a story and tucked you in tight
At the end of your knockabout day
As the moon sets its sail to carry you to sleep
Over the midnight sea
Well, I will sing you a song no one sang to me
May it keep you good company

You can be anybody that you want to be
You can love whomever you will
You can travel any country where your heart leads
And know I will love you still
You can live by yourself
You can gather friends around
You can choose one special one
And the only measure of your words and your deeds
Will be the love you leave behind
When you're gone

Some girls grow up strong and bold
Some boys are quiet and kind
Some race on ahead
Some follow behind
Some grow in their own space and time

Some women love women
And some men love men
Some raise children and some never do
You can dream all the day never reaching the end
Of everything possible for you

Don't be rattled by names
By taunts or games
But seek out spirits true
If you give your friends the best part of yourself
They will give the same back to you

You can be anybody that you want to be
You can love whomever you will
You can travel any country where your heart leads
And know I will love you still
You can live by yourself
You can gather friends around
You can choose one special one
And the only measure of your words and your deeds
Will be the love you leave behind when you're gone

Oh the love you leave behind
When you're gone...

Comments

[tyee.livejournal.com]

Both Fred Small and Motherlode have recorded the song. I have copies of both versions if you would like me to mp3ize them. Janet Peterson is hilarious telling the story about her son (my mom is friends with one of the other women in Motherlode).