Esther Phillips

In a little while from now
If I'm not feeling any less sour
I promise myself to treat myself
And visit a nearby tower
And climbing to the top will throw myself off
In an effort to make it clear to whoever
What it's like when you're shattered
Left standing in the lurch at a church
Where people saying: "My God, that's tough"
"She stood him up"
"No point in us remaining"
"We may as well go home"
As I did on my own
Alone again, naturally

To think that only yesterday
I was cheerful, bright and gay
Looking forward to who wouldn't do
The role I was about to play?
But as if to knock me down
Reality came around
And without so much as a mere touch
Cut me into little pieces
Leaving me to doubt
Talk about God in His mercy
Who if He really does exist
Why did He desert me?
In my hour of need
I truly am indeed
Alone again, naturally

It seems to me that there are more hearts
Broken in the world that can't be mended
Left unattended
What do we do? What do we do?

Alone again, naturally

Looking back over the years
And whatever else that appears
I remember I cried when my father died
Never wishing to hide the tears
And at sixty-five years old
My mother, God rest her soul
Couldn't understand why the only man
She had ever loved had been taken
Leaving her to start with a heart so badly broken
Despite encouragement from me
No words were ever spoken
And when she passed away
I cried and cried all day
Alone again, naturally
Alone again, naturally

Pack up all my care and woe
Here I go, singin' low
Bye bye blackbird

Where somebody waits for me
Sugar's sweet, so is he
Bye bye blackbird

No one here can love or understand me
Oh what hard luck stories they all hand me

Make my bed and light the light
I'll arrive late tonight
Blackbird, bye bye

Make my bed and light the light
I'll arrive late tonight
Blackbird, bye bye

Pack up all my care and woe
Here I go, singin' low
Bye bye blackbird

Where somebody waits for me
Sugar's sweet, so is he
Bye bye blackbird

No one here can love or understand me
Oh what hard luck stories they all hand me

Make my bed and light the light
I'll arrive late tonight
Blackbird, bye bye

Make my bed and light the light
I'll arrive late tonight
Blackbird, bye bye

said see, see, see rider
Oh, see what you have done
I said see, see, see rider
Oh, see what you have done
Oh girl, you made me love you
Now, now, now your lovin' man has gone

hear what I say

Well, I'm going away, baby
And I won't be back to fall
Well, I'm going away baby
And I won't be back to fall
And if I find me a good girl
I won't, I won't be back at all

Hear what I say, I said

See see rider,
Oh see what you have done
Yeah, yeah, yeah

Take me to heart and I'll always love you
And nobody can make me do wrong
Take me for granted, leaving love unsure
Makes will power weak and temptation strong

A woman's only human
You should understand
She's not just a plaything
She's flesh and blood just like her man
If you want a do-right-all-day woman
You've got to be a do-right-all-night man

They say that it's a man's world
Well you can improve that by me
And as long as we're together baby
Show some respect for me

A woman's only human
You should understand
She's not just a plaything
She's flesh and blood just like her man
If you want a do-right-all-day woman
You've got to be a do-right-all-night man

From a whisper in the wind
To a loud scream
The message came
That I'd lost you
To the warmth of another man

I've seen more tears fall from your eyes
Than all the showers of April
I took kindness for granted
As if it came with the wallpaper

So inconsiderate of how much you cared
For some stupid reason, I just thought you had to be there
Oh my love
Oh my love
Oh my love
Oh my love

I simply must have been crazy
Or I must have been out of my mind
For me to overlook the need in you
Tell me, how could I have been so blind

Never giving thoughts to your wants and needs
Now I'm begging you please
Oh my love
Oh my love

So inconsiderate of how much you cared
For some stupid reason, I just thought you had to be there
Oh my love
Oh my love
Oh my love

When your good gal done quit ya
And the sun is going down
You sit down in your swing
And then you're gonna sing

In the evening, in the evening
Baby, when the sun goes down
In the evening, baby when the sun goes down
Well, ain't it lonesome, man ain't happy, Sonny Boy
When your love is not around
Oh, when the sun goes down

Last night I laid sleeping
I was thinking to myself
Last night I lay there sleepin'
I was thinkin' to myself
Thinkin 'bout the one that we loved best, gone
Mistreat you for somebody else

Oh, when the sun goes down
Sun rises in the east
It sets in the west
Sun rising east, Sonny Boy
Said take me in the west
Well, ain't it hard to tell, your heart to *car'
Which ones that will fit you the best

Oh, when the sun goes down

'Wail ya's

Woo, hittin' me
Oh, ooh, oh
Hoo, hittin' you
Love, is cold, Sonny
Hoo, gettin' mean
Lordy!

Goodbye, my old sweetheart
Where have you been?
Yeah, just went away
I may be back there, see you again
Some rainy day
Well, in the ev'nin, in the ev'nin, baby
Honey, when the sun goes down

Oh, when the sun goes down.

Hide your heart from sight,
Lock your dreams at night,
It could happen to you.
Don't count stars
Or you might stumble,
Someone drops a sigh
And down you tumble,
Keep an eye on spring,
Run when church bells ring.
It could happen to you
All I did was wonder
How your arms would b e
And it happened to me

Let there be you,
Let there be me.
Let there be oysters
Under the sea.

Let there be wind,
An occasional rain.
Chile con carne,
Sparkling champagne

Let there be birds
To sing in the trees,
Someone to bless me
Whenever I sneeze.

Let there be cuckoos,
A lark and a dove,
But first of all, please
Let there be love.

Let there be cuckoos,
A lark and a dove,
But first of all, please
Let there be love...

Hmmm umm...love
Hmmm umm...love

Let there be love.

People,
People who need people,
Are the luckiest people in the world
We're children, needing other children
And yet letting a grown-up pride

Hide all the need inside
Acting more like children than children
Lovers are very special people
They're the luckiest people in the world

With one person one very special person
A feeling deep in your soul
Says you were half now you're whole
No more hunger and thirst

But first be a person who needs people.
People who need people
Are the luckiest people in the world
With one person one very special person

No more hunger and thirst
But first be a person who needs people
People who need people
Are the luckiest people in the world

Please release me, let me go
I don't love you anymore
To live together is a sin
So release me and let me love again
I have found a new love dear
And I'll always want him near
His lips are warm while yours are cold
So release me my darling let me go
Oh, please release me, let me go
I don't love you anymore
To live together is a sin
So release me and let me love again

In the dark
It's just you and I
Not a sound
Ther's not one sigh
Just the beat of my poor heart
In the dark

Now, in the dark, in the dark
I get such a thrill
When he presses his fingertips
Upon my lips
And he begs me to plase keep still
In the dark

But soon
This dance will be endin'
And you're gonna be missed
Gee, I'm not pretendin'
'Cause I swear it's fun
Fun to be kissed

In the dark
Now we will find
What the rest
Have left behind
Just let them dance
We're gonna find romance
Lord, in the dark