Common Man

©1994 J. Graves, Jr.

 

Regretful to say what's at hand,

But decide to say what I can,

I peacefully look up and view the clever high hand,

Deny the thought of peacefully occupied man,

Demand the right of love I might understand,

For peace I strive and beauty I walk in hand.

 

To life I give a thought - as much as can stand,

It takes and it gives caring not for once hoped for plans,

I pray for Thee please open man’s hand,

And give him the strength to fight as much as he can,

For I am so small and Father you are so grand,

They look they see and yet don't understand.

 

For the loves of my life I give them that part of me,

I want most of all of them remember me,

I thank you my dears for giving your love to me,

For the one I most cherish now she does not love me,

I want you to hear and please try to see,

I was looking for myself alone I had to be.

 

I've learned quite a lot from the ones that came to me,

Thank you again for giving your love to me,

I now take my story and leave you as you might be,

Understand this and you'll answer my plea,

Live every day as much as you might can,

Remember these words love the Common Man,

For you are no better that he the Common Man.

 

I was 13 when I wrote this song.  It wasn’t the first song that I wrote, but it was, I thought, rather deep, or “heavy” as we said back in the 60’s.  I was already in a band by then - the Ponce de Leon FFA String Band, with my cousin, Marion McMillan, and our good friend, Cecil hatcher.  Both played guitar.  I was the drummer, armed with a snare drum from the former PDL HS band.

 

From that beginning, and with the addition of my cousin Martha McMillan on vocals and keyboards, and Jake Spade from Choctaw Beach FL on drums, we formed The Luv Brigade.

 

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