20090825

He Was Me, He Was You

The sisters I wrote about yesterday, who were abandoned and marginalised by society, reminds me of the song "He Was Me, He Was You", one of my favourite of the 70s.


The little man was lonely but they took him as a tramp
with a love note in his pocket and no money for a stamp
He just sits there in the doorway and he sings his lonely song
mumbling the cold out of his hands
watching the shadows weave and dance
smiling but in his mind the chances are gone

He was me, he was you, maybe someone that you knew
there goes everybody's brother
what's his name?
walk on by, pay no mind, heartbreak happens all the time
ain't it cold enough today, so let it rain

The painter tries to paint him and the poet he tries to see
I think he had a castle in the man he used to be
He just stops to ask a question
can you tell me what you've learned
nobody knows the truth he said
not till the book has all been read
follow the one you love instead of the road

He was me, he was you, maybe someone that you knew
there goes everybody's brother
what's his name?
walk on by, pay no mind, heartbreak happens all the time
ain't it cold enough today, so let it rain



The central question is: What have we learned from seeing sad people like that? The song title, "He Was Me, He Was You", suggests that they were not always so unfortunate but used to be like us. It reminds us that we could easily have been in each other's position. So show compassion to these people because they are "everybody's brother". Do not "walk on by, pay no mind" and have the rather selfish idea that "heartbreak happens all the time".

No comments: