Story Behind The Song

Written in 1973 at the height of the Watergate Scandal and ending of the Viet Nam War. From the point of view of a young Canadian who had been following the Viet Nam War since the mid-60s and witnessed the massive anti-war protests that had begun in the early 70s. I met many draft dodgers who had moved north to avoid having to go overseas to murder innocent civilians and of course watched the saga of President Richard Nixon's impeachment unfold. Nixon was probably one of the most hated politicians on the planet at that time.

Song Description

The song has a grand yet heartbroken feel. This song was written during the presidency of Richard Nixon and at the height of the Watergate Scandal. America's youth were dying in Viet Nam and anti-war protests were breaking out all over the country. A folk inspired story mixed with a nod to some of the great folk and rock bands of the 1960s from the Byrds to the Beatles. The opening piano was originally recorded in 1973 and offers a background bed for radio or TV quotes of politicians or other voices of the day.

Lyrics

I Need You

I need you like a hole in the head
They freed you from the book of the dead
And with your cold old soul
You loved each line that you read

Gonna take my heart to a good mortician
It was blown apart and now my only mission
Is to sit and watch while the street musicians play

I need you like American Pie
Indeed you are the whiskey and rye
And them poor young lads
Toast to the mud in your eye

And I really don't that think they want to listen
To songs about love songs about kissing
For them those things just picked up and died

Do you remember when you had
Children arm in arms all around you
Oh how you broke their hearts
When you raised your crown
They put Old Glory in the ground

I need you like a mouthful of lead
They feed you on the whitest white bread
And the cold cold North
Is where I'm laying my head

And a man named Sam supposed to be my brother
But I wouldn't want to see him making eyes at mother
I think he might want to take her away

I followed your dream but you turned it around
I followed your dream but you turned it around

Playlist Creator	Playlist Name	Date Added
Linda Mckenzie	Some of My Favs	4/2/2024