Monday, June 14, 2010

"Lean On Me"

I love just trucking down the road (70's saying) with the windows open, the sunroof letting in more sunshine and wind and singing at the top of my lungs.  It could be just about any artist or group any song with words sometimes 'Phantom of the Opera', sometimes 'The Who' sometimes 'Iron Butterfly' sometimes 'Kenny Loggins' sometimes 'Placido Dimingo' sometimes 'Helen Reddy','I Am Woman', I'm sure you get the idea that I have very eclectic taste in music just like so many of my interests.  Sometimes I think it would be better if I was a lot more picky and than I wouldn't accumulate so many things but there are so many things that bring joy into my life that I really think I like having eclectic tastes better even if it does tend to create clutter simply out of shear numbers of things that I enjoy.  Anyway I'm rambling a little back to trucking down the road; One of the best delights of trucking down the road is turning on my station of the day- today was my oldies station- and hearing a long time favorite song- delightful- can get me revved up sometimes- today the song was "LEAN ON ME" by Bill Withers.  When it was first popular I was the one being leaned on.  My good friend Debbie and I would go visit Mama G an elderly member of our church and help her.  It was always delightful to be around her, she was like a grandmother to us.  Neither one of us had a grandmother nearby and she made the most wonderful apple pies.  I also made it a regular practice to sit with families with lots of small children especially those who had duties on the stand.  The mom was the chorister or dad was conducting the meeting.  These were things I delighted in doing.  Now the song has another meaning for me as I am on the receiving end and have been for awhile.  With my knee replacement coming up next week; as long as I am healthy enough; this is going to be doubly true. Although I have often found that both the giver and the receiver benefit.  This song has much wisdom in it for both sides the giving and the receiving and best of all it's still great to belt out in the car as I go truckin' down the road.

Artist: Bill Withers
Title: Lean On Me


Sometimes in our lives
We all have pain
We all have sorrow
But if we are wise
We know that there's
Always tomorrow


Lean on me
When you're not strong
I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
Till I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on


Please, swallow your pride
If I have things
You need to borrow
For no one can fill
Those of your needs
That you won't let show


You just call on me brother
When you need a hand
We all need somebody
To lean on
I just might have a problem
That you'll understand
We all need somebody to lean on


Lean on me
When you're not strong
I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For, it won't be long
Till I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on


You just call on me brother
When you need a hand
We all need somebody to lean on
I just might have a problem
That you'd understand
We all need somebody to lean on


If there is a load
You have to bare
That you can't carry
I'm right up the road
I'll share your load
If you just call me
Call Me
If you need a friend
(Call Me)
Call Me
If you need a friend
(Call Me)
If you ever need a friend
(Call Me)
Call Me
If you need a friend


Keep on truckin' ya'll and sing your heart out!!


 

2 comments:

Zuzana said...

I love Bill Withers. Any of his songs. This one is beautiful. My favorite is *Ain't No Sunshine*.
What a lovely post too, I recognize all the sentiments. This post brought back the US to me in a major way, as it is only there that I felt the magic of the open road this way.
xoxo

Debra Babcock said...

The first one, I think it is called 'Hot Georgia Nights' is sooo beautiful! I would love to have that kind of entrance to my yard!