Because My Love For John Knows No Bounds
YOU'RE HAVING MY BABY
(Paul Anka)
Paul Anka & Odia Coates - 1974
Ancient Greek Text:
PAUL: Havin' my baby
What a lovely way of sayin' how much you love me
Havin' my baby
What a lovely way of sayin' what you're thinkin' of me
I can see it, face is glowin'
I can see in your eyes, I'm happy you know it....
BOTH: That you're havin' my baby
PAUL: You're the woman I love and I love what it's doin' to ya
BOTH: Havin' my baby
PAUL: You're a woman in love and I love what's goin' through ya
PAUL: The need inside you, I see it showin'
Whoa, the seed inside ya, baby, do you feel it growin'?
Are you happy you know it? That you're....
BOTH: Havin' my baby
ODIA: I'm a woman in love and I love what it's doin' to me
BOTH: Havin' my baby
ODIA: I'm a woman in love and I love what's goin' through me
PAUL: Didn't have to keep it
Wouldn't put ya through it
You could have swept it from you life
But you wouldn't do it, no, you wouldn't do it
etc....
King James Version:
PAUL:
You will give birth to my prodigy
A preferred manner in western culture to express fidelity
You will give birth to my prodigy
A preferred manner in western culture to acknowledge male superiority
I have proof of your pregnancy
Your face is getting fat
And your eyes are bloodshot
I'm glad that prostitute didn't cause me to be infertile
BOTH:
Hoping it's our legitimate child
ODIA:
I'm married to an unsympathetic man who delights in seeing me vomit
BOTH:
Hoping it's our legitimate child
ODIA:
At least I figured out how to keep my husband from divorcing me, now if I
can only get rid of this son of a bitch
PAUL:
Considering abortion is legal you didn't have to keep the pregnancy
Really, it would have been fine if you didn't want this pregnancy
But despite my pleading, you refused to abort the child
etc....
(Paul Anka)
Paul Anka & Odia Coates - 1974
Ancient Greek Text:
PAUL: Havin' my baby
What a lovely way of sayin' how much you love me
Havin' my baby
What a lovely way of sayin' what you're thinkin' of me
I can see it, face is glowin'
I can see in your eyes, I'm happy you know it....
BOTH: That you're havin' my baby
PAUL: You're the woman I love and I love what it's doin' to ya
BOTH: Havin' my baby
PAUL: You're a woman in love and I love what's goin' through ya
PAUL: The need inside you, I see it showin'
Whoa, the seed inside ya, baby, do you feel it growin'?
Are you happy you know it? That you're....
BOTH: Havin' my baby
ODIA: I'm a woman in love and I love what it's doin' to me
BOTH: Havin' my baby
ODIA: I'm a woman in love and I love what's goin' through me
PAUL: Didn't have to keep it
Wouldn't put ya through it
You could have swept it from you life
But you wouldn't do it, no, you wouldn't do it
etc....
King James Version:
PAUL:
You will give birth to my prodigy
A preferred manner in western culture to express fidelity
You will give birth to my prodigy
A preferred manner in western culture to acknowledge male superiority
I have proof of your pregnancy
Your face is getting fat
And your eyes are bloodshot
I'm glad that prostitute didn't cause me to be infertile
BOTH:
Hoping it's our legitimate child
ODIA:
I'm married to an unsympathetic man who delights in seeing me vomit
BOTH:
Hoping it's our legitimate child
ODIA:
At least I figured out how to keep my husband from divorcing me, now if I
can only get rid of this son of a bitch
PAUL:
Considering abortion is legal you didn't have to keep the pregnancy
Really, it would have been fine if you didn't want this pregnancy
But despite my pleading, you refused to abort the child
etc....
10 Comments:
Tears in my eyes with laughter...
By John Shannon, at 25/7/04 9:16 AM
Well I hope you're happy now John, I've desecrated another great 1970's A.M. gold song. But I have to be honest - I love that crap. Nothing could be better than listening to some Neil Diamond, Gilbert O'Sullivan, Gordon Lightfoot along with hit makers such as Orleans.
By Brad, at 26/7/04 9:34 AM
Seriously, me too. I love that shit. What's with us?
By John Shannon, at 26/7/04 9:51 AM
"Claire. The moment I met you, I swear.
I felt as if something, somewhere,
had happened to me, which I couldn't see.
And then, the moment I met you, again.
I knew in my heart that we were friends.
It had to be so, it couldn't be no.
But try as hard as I might do, I don't know why.
You get to me in a way I can't describe.
Words mean so little when you look up and smile.
I don't care what people say, to me you're more than a child.
Oh Claire. Claire ..." Gotta love Gilbert, even McCartney loved him.
It must be the lyrical committment, the strength of melody, the production, the singular quality of each "hit."
By John Shannon, at 26/7/04 10:38 AM
I love the honest sentimentality of those lyrics, unashamed and oblivious to what others thought of them. The 1970's is my favorite decade for the 'songwriters' - along with the sappy ones there are also the Neil Youngs, Nick Drakes, & even rockers like Pete Townsend. Being honest with one self was the key, retreating from the excessive philosophical tantrams of the late 1960's and before the pointless lyrics of the 1980's & present. Cynicism has ruined pop culture - everything has to be 'smart' and 'stylish', gone are the days of being oneself - perfect or mostly not.
ah, ranting....
To leave I'll post my most depressing song - "Alone Again (Naturally)" by Gilbert O'Sullivan. Incredibbly enough it's sung with such gay enthusiasm.
In a little while from now,
If I'm not feeling any less sour
I promised myself to treat myself
And visit a nearby tower,
And climbing to the top,
Will throw myself off
In an effort to make it clear to who
Ever what it's like when your shattered
Left standing in the lurch, at a church
Where people 're saying,
"My God that's tough, she stood him up!
No point in us remaining.
May as well go home."
As I did on my own,
Alone again, naturally
To think that only yesterday,
I was cheerful, bright and gay,
Looking forward to, but who wouldn't do,
The role I was about to play
But as if to knock me down,
Reality came around
And without so much as a mere touch,
Cut me into little pieces
Leaving me to doubt,
All about God and His mercy
For if He really does exist
Why did He desert me
In my hour of need?
I truly am indeed,
Alone again, naturally
It seems to me that
There are more hearts
Broken in the world
That can't be mended
Left unattended
What do we do? What do we do?
(instrumental break)
Now looking back over the years,
And what ever else that appears
I remember I cried when my father died
Never wishing to have cried the tears
And at sixty-five years old,
My mother, God rest her soul,
Couldn't understand, why the only man
She had ever loved had been taken
Leaving her to start with a heart
So badly broken
Despite encouragement from me
No words were ever spoken
And when she passed away
I cried and cried all day
Alone again, naturally
Alone again, naturally
By Brad, at 26/7/04 10:59 AM
Brad, that definition was it. I must quote you again! Oh, man, then I don't even have to ask you how you might feel about "The Theme to Midnight Cowboy," such a simple, delicious offering of pain has yet to be re-creatred. Maybe "The Deer Hunter"'s use of the John Williams' compostion "Cavatina."
Another heart-rending favorite: "Ruby" by Kenny Rodgers.
It's not that I get off on pain; but man, I must have some kind of melancholy aspect that has kept me flirting for years with terrible depressions that have subsequently led me to appreciate the "life" of these emotions. I no longer get depressed, it's something to be conquered I strongly believe.
But, beyond depression, I really mean to stick with the subject at hand: the wonderful honesty, as you've pointed out, that this era of songwriting is about. Jimmy Webb's stuff as written for Glen Campbell sends me happily to Cheeseland, Wisconsin, where you can find me eating a cow's ass. There is nothing better than "Witchita Lineman."
By John Shannon, at 26/7/04 11:23 AM
And I forgot to mention Burt Bacharach - I don't tell many people, but my wife & my 'song' is "Rain Drops Keep Falling On My Head". She met me in Atlanta many years ago, & being the 90's sensitive ironic hipster I was - I insisted she listen to this great song, so I played an LP from my parents (I owe my parents much praise as well as apologies for insulting this music) & put on the soundtrack to "Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid".
Of course, then my intent was out of irony, I played the LP and simply rocked my head back in forth like a kindengardener listening to a Sesame Street melody. But that moment was simply one of those moments, it defined what she thought of me & what I thought of her. The rest is history...
But Burt! He's got to be cool if Elvis Costello regards him so greatly. Again, Elvis is a product of honest songwriting, what is so funny about peace, love and understanding?
By Brad, at 26/7/04 11:45 AM
Right on. I like your "Raindrops" story. Burt rocks my world, especially when Aretha belts him out. How about Barry Manilow's "Could This Be the Magic? complete with nerve-tweaking Chopin intro? Love that cholesterol-induced cholesterol.
Yes, this is all hard to admit, but I completely trust my company.
By John Shannon, at 26/7/04 11:57 AM
I would comment, but I don't want to interrupt...
-Melissa
By Ollie, at 27/7/04 12:59 PM
Please do comment...
By Brad, at 28/7/04 8:32 AM
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