Ben Harper Album

Words and music by Chris Darrow

Well you can need me
Well I want you to
And you can feed me
How I like that too
But don't you lead me
I won't follow you
Listen here
I don't fear
I don't want to be your whipping boy

Oh - you can tease me
Oh - how I want you to
And you can squeeze me
Baby, I like that too
But don't you lead me
I won't follow you
Listen here
I don't fear
I don't want to be your whipping boy

Oh - you can hold me
Baby, I want you to
And you can scold me
Yes, I like that too
But don't you lead me
I won't follow you
Listen here
I don't fear
I don't want to be your whipping boy

Well you can need me
Well I want you to
And you can feed me
Baby, I like that too
But don't you lead me
I won't follow you
Listen here
I don't fear

Traditional

Jesus is on that mainline, tell him what you want.
Jesus is on that mainline, tell him what you want.
Jesus is on that mainline, tell him what you want.
You gotta call him up and tell him what you want.

If you're sick and you want to get well, tell him what you want.
If you're sick and you want to get well, tell him what you want.
If you're sick and you want to get well, tell him what you want.
You gotta call him up and tell him what you want.

If you're sick and you want to get well, tell him what you want.
If you're sick and you want to get well, tell him what you want.
If you're sick and you want to get well, tell him what you want.
You gotta call him up and tell him what you want.

If you want in his kingdom, tell him what you want.
If you want in his kingdom, tell him what you want.
If you want in his kingdom, tell him what you want.
You gotta call him up and tell him what you want.

Jesus is on that mainline, tell him what you want.
Jesus is on that mainline, tell him what you want.
Jesus is on that mainline, tell him what you want.
You gotta call him up and tell him what you want.

Jesus is on that mainline, tell him what you want.
Jesus is on that mainline, tell him what you want.
Jesus is on that mainline, tell him what you want.

David Lindley / George 'Baboo' Pierre

Pay the man
Everybody's got to pay the man
And before you leave this world
You got to pay the man
Pay the man
Everybody's got to pay the man
And before you leave this world
You got to pay the man

Of the senators in the fancy houses
He's a friend of Babylon
Got a wife and a dog and a cadillac
And people hung around
Got his ways and means and all he needs
To keep him satisfied
But before he leaves this world
He's got to pay the man

Pay the man
Everybody's got to pay the man
And before you leave this world
You got to pay the man
Pay the man
Everybody's got to pay the man
And before you leave this world
You got to pay the man

Sally had a baby
It almost droke her crazy
When she dropped into the river
Now Sally she's a happy girl
And you see her on a ...
She's doing all the best she can
And she...
...you got to pay the man

Pay the man
Everybody's got to pay the man
And before you leave this world
You got to pay the man
Pay the man
Everybody's got to pay the man
And before you leave this world
You got to pay the man

Pay the man
Everybody's got to pay the man
And before you leave this world
You got to pay the man
Pay the man
Everybody's got to pay the man
And before you leave this world
You got to pay the man

A capella

Pay the man
Everybody's got to pay the man
And before you leave this world
You got to pay the man

Pay the man
Everybody's got to pay the man
And before you leave this world

Bob 'Frizz' Fuller

There's a quarter of a man in the market with a quarter of a car so it's easy to
park it.
He gets to the counter he pays what he can but he only pays a quarter.
He's a quarter of a man.

Now this quarter of a man he got fired, the next damn day he got hired.
The only thing wrong with this plan is he only makes a quarter.
He's a quarter of man.

Every day he's on the street, too few quarters to live or to eat.
He's so little the people all stare but he only pays a quarter fare.

Now this quarter of a man's on vacation but he still gets his ration.
He gets to the market he saves what he can but he only saves a quarter.
He's a quarter of a man.

Every day he's on the streets too few quarters to live or to eat.
He's so little the people all to stare but he only pays a quarter fare.
Now.

There's a quarter of a man in the market with a quarter of a car so it's easy to
park it.
He gets to the market he saves what he can but he only saves a quarter.

Words and music by Ben Harper

Papa, he left home today
And said he ain't comin' back again
Said he ain't gonna be nobody's second best
Just cause mama's got a special kind of friend

Papa, he left home today
Said he ain't comin' back no more
Said he ain't gonna take no damn back seat
And how could mama do him so low

But mama's got a girlfriend now, boy !
Mama's got a girlfriend now
Mama's got a girlfriend
Mama's got a true friend
Mama's got a girlfriend now

You see mama don't watch your damn football
And your beer drinkin' just won't do
You're just stayin' out late
And you're preachin' the hate
And you never have been true

You see, mama she want her somebody
Who will let her be herself
So she's leavin' you and your stinky damn ways
Cause she's found somebody else

And mama's got a girlfriend now boy
Mama's got a girlfriend now
Mama's got a girlfriend
Mama's found a true friend
Mama's got a girlfriend now

Papa he left home today
He was wavin' his hands and cryin'
You could tell by the sound and the tone in his voice
That his heart was slowly dyin'

But mama said :
"Boy if I ever catch you 'round here again
You ain't never gonna have nobody else
Not a woman or a man"

And mama's got a girlfriend now boy
Mama's got a girlfriend now
Mama's got a girlfriend
Mama's found a true friend
Mama's got a girlfriend now

Mama's got a girlfriend now, boy!
Mama's got a girlfriend now
Mama's got a girlfriend
Mama's found a true friend

John Prine

I am an old woman named after my mother.
(My) old man is another child (that's) grown old.
If dreams were thunder and lightning was desire,
this old house would've burned down a long time ago.

Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery.
Make me a poster of an old rodeo.
Just give me one thing that I can hold on to.
To believe in this living is just a hard way to go.

(When) I was a young girl I had me a cowboy.
Wasn't much to look at, just a free ramblin' man.
(But) that was a long time, (and) no matter how I try.
The years just flow by like a broken-down dam.

Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery.
Make me a poster of an old rodeo.
Just give me one thing (that) I can hold on to.
To believe in this living is just a hard way to go.

There's flies in the kitchen, I can hear all their buzzin'.
(But) I ain't done nothin' since I woke up today.
I am a kind of person goes to work in the morning,
come home in the evenin' and have nothin' to say.

Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery.
Make me a poster of an old rodeo.
Just give me one thing (that) I can hold on to.
To believe in this living is just a hard way to go.

Words and music by Tom Freund

Come on baby click yo' heels
Let me know our love is real
Cause we're a long way from anywhere
But I can really feel it

I've been up, I've been down
I've been tossed all around
But I always seem to come down on my feet

So don't think I'm crazy if I wanna sing
'bout the good things life has in store

Cause we're a long way from anywhere
But I can really feel it
A long way from anywhere

Come on babe let down your hair
Let me know you really care
Cause we're a long way from anywhere
But I'm ready for your dare

I remember a man in an upstate town
Said, "you can't get there form here"
We all took it as a joke but it held like smoke
Now it's ringing in both my ears

I look up babe see the sky is rollin'
Time has come to carry on

Cause we're a long way from anywhere
But I can really feel it
We're a long way from any town
But I think we'll come around
I really feel alright
I really feel alright
Cause we're a long way from anywhere

Words and music by Tom Freund

[Yeah man, just do it man, just tear it up
He's running with it, so go ahead, go ahead man]

Smooth, little one
You like to throw your hand beneath and run
Move back to L.A. for some sun
Leave us to clean up this mess you done

You should have come to me when you told her about us
You should have come to me
You should have come to me when your love ran dry
You should have come to me

Choose your better friend, I can see then
At the expense of my rearend
Make me look real bad
And you just not so good
I dont know how you can keep on going like you do

You should have come to me when you told her about it
You should have come to me
You should have come to me when your love ran dry
You should have come to me

I see the way that you ran and hide
I see the way that you fooled her eyes
I see the way that you ran inside
You should have come to me
Come

It takes two to tango, and only one to tell
And I'm sure you made us seem
Like I was the one crawling back from hell
All the reason, to step you out of my life
I am gonna squeeze one last tune out of you
Before I take it back

You should have come to me when you told her about it
You should have come to me
God Damn babe
You should have come to me when you told her about it
You should have come to me
You should have come to me when your love ran dry

Robert Johnson

I believe,
I believe I'll dust my broom.
I believe,
I believe I'll dust my broom.
Girlfriend, you know the (black) man you've been lovin',
girlfriend, can get my room.

I'm gon' write a letter, telephone every town I know.
I'm gon' write a letter, telephone every town I know.
He's not in West Helena, she must be in Claremont now.

I'm gettin' up in the mornin',
I believe I'll dust my broom.
I believe,
I believe I'll dust my broom.
Girlfriend, the black man you've been lovin',
girlfriend, can get my room.

I believe,
I believe --
I believe,
I believe --
--

Yes, I'm gettin' up in the mornin',
I believe I'll dust my broom.
I believe,
I believe I'll dust my broom.
Girlfriend, the black man you've been lovin',

Robert Johnson

Oh- baby, don't you want to go?
Oh- baby, don't you want to go?
Back to the land of California - to my sweet home Chicago.
Oh- baby, don't you want to go?
Oh- baby, don't you want to go?
Back to the land of California - to my sweet home Chicago.
Now one and one is two - two and two is four.
I'm heavy loaded baby - I'm booked I got to go.
Cryin baby - honey don't you want to go?
Back to the land of California - to my sweet home Chicago.
Now two and two is four - four and two is six.
You goin keep on monkeying round here friend boy.
You goin get your business all in atrick, but I'm cryin.
Baby- honey, don't you want to go?
Back to the land of California - to my sweet home Chicago.
Now six and two is eight - eight and two is ten,
Friend boy she trick you one time, she sure goin do it again.
But I'm cryin, hey, hey - baby don't you want to go?
To the land of California, to my sweet home Chicago.
I'm goin to California - from there to Des Moines, Iowa.
Somebody will tell me that you need my help someday, cryin.
Hey, hey - baby, don't you want to go?

Words and music by Ben Harper

I'm leaving here on the morning train
And I will never see this world again
Oh - I've felt pleasure
And I've felt pain
And I know now
That I can never be the same

How I wonder why the world can be so cold
And if only good die young
Then left with me cruel here to grow old
Oh - I've felt pleasure
And I've felt pain
And I know now
I can never be the same

And if someday I find my peace of mind
I will share my wealth with all of human kind
Well I've felt pleasure
And I've felt pain
And I know now
That I can never be the same

So if the sun does shine or rain does fall
I give thanks I've had my sight to see through it all
Oh - I've felt pleasure
And I've felt pain
And I know now