A highlight at Woodstock (1969) was the performance of “Judy Blue Eyes” by the choirboys themselves, penned by Steven Stills for beautiful Judy Collins – the classic break-up song. At the end of this live performance Stills admitted, “This is only the second time we’ve ever played in front of people, man. We’re scared shitless.” Of course, they weren’t exactly newbies: Nash had been a member of the Hollies, Crosby was a veteran of the Byrds, and Stills had been with Buffalo Springfield.
choirboys – Chorknaben; penned – geschrieben; newbie – Anfänger
It’s getting to the point
Where I’m no fun anymore
I am sorry.
Sometimes it hurts so badly
I must cry out loud
I am lonely.
I am yours, you are mine,
You are what you are
And you make it hardRemember what we’ve said, and done, and felt
about each other
Oh babe, have mercy.
Don’t let the past remind us of what we are not now.
I am not dreaming.
I am yours, you are mine, you are what you are.
And you make it hardTearing yourself away from me now,
You are free and I am crying.
This does not mean I don’t love you,
I do, that’s forever, and always.
I am yours, you are mine, you are what you are.
And you make it hardSomething inside is telling me that
I’ve got your secret. Are you still listening?
Fear is the lock, and laughter the key to your heart.
And I love you.I am yours, you are mine, you are what you are.
And you make it hard,
And you make it hardFriday evening, Sunday in the afternoon,
What have you got to lose?
Tuesday mornin’, please be gone I’m tired of you.
Can I tell it like it is? Help me I’m sufferin’.
Listen to me baby–Help me I’m dyin’.
It’s my heart that’s a-sufferin’, it’s a-dyin’.
That’s what I have to lose.
I’ve got an answer
I’m going to fly away,
What have I got to lose?
Will you come see me Thursdays and Saturdays?
What have you got to lose?Chestnut brown canary, ruby-throated sparrow.
Sing a song, don’t be long.
Thrill me to the marrow.
Voices of the angels, ring around the moonlight.
Asking me, said she so free,
How can you catch the sparrow?Lacy lilting lady, losing love lamenting,
Change my life, make it right.
Be my lady.
Stills introduced a few birds not known to ornithology: the “chestnut brown canary” (kastanienbrauner Kanarienvogel) and the “ruby-throated sparrow” (Spatz mit rubinrotem Hals), but they must have something to do with the “lacy lilting lady” (Frau in Spitze, trällernd) who had thrilled him to the marrow (bis aufs Knochenmark begeistert). Listening to the song again after a long time, I hear the Indian and Latino influences that were everywhere at Woodstock; after all, Ravi Shankar and Santana were there, too.
Very funny: In the archive of misheard lyrics, a user submits hat she always heard and sang along “Ruby, throw dead sparrow.” 😀
englischlernen mit liedern 🙂 learning english with songs
