Remarks:
My favourite Chi-Lites song. It went to #1 on the American R&B charts in 1971. They just do not make songs like this anymore.
Lyrics:
[Spoken:]
One month ago today
I was happy as a lark
But now I go for walks
To the movies – maybe to the park
And have a seat on the same old bench
To watch the children play (huh)
You know, tomorrow is their future
But to me, just another day
They all gather around me
They seem to know my name
We laugh, tell a few jokes
But it still doesn’t ease my pain
I know I can’t hide from a memory
‘Though day after day I’ve tried
I keep sayin’ she’ll be back
But today again I lied
Oh, I see her face everywhere I go
On the street, and even at the picture show
Have you seen her?
Tell me, have you seen her?
Oh, I hear her voice as the cold winds blow
In the sweet music on my radio
Have you seen her?
Tell me, have you seen her?
Why, oh, why
Did she have to leave and go away (oh, yeah)
Oh-oh-oh, I’ve been used to havin’ someone to lean on
And I’m lost
Baby, I’m lost (Oh)
Oh, she left her kiss upon my lips
But left that break within my heart
Have you seen her?
Tell me, have you seen her?
Oh, I see her hand reaching out to me
Only she can set me free
Have you seen her?
Tell me, have you seen her?
[Spoken:]
As another day comes to an end
I’m lookin’ for a letter or somethin’
Anything that she would send
With all the people I know
I’m still a lonely man
You know, it’s funny
I thought I had her in the palm of my hand
[Repeat to fade:]
Have you seen her
Tell me, have you seen her (tell me, have you seen her?)
This is a great song, but what’s always bothered me about it is the guitar from the beginning. They get an intriguing tone on it, with that bright, dry fuzz, but then they fade it out around 0:40, and it never shows up again. This makes it so that the first forty seconds have a very different feel from the rest, and so the song ends up being very disjointed.
Why couldn’t they have kept using the guitar? I don’t mean letting it run the whole time, but it would have been great to pepper it in later on to remind us of the beginning. Or, on the other hand, they could have not used the guitar at all, thereby smoothing things out.
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@Theages
Interesting observation about the guitar.
“Oh Girl” is pretty good, too!
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@Theages. That is interesting. I never thought about it. Maybe it was deliberate with the producer just wanting a certain tone for the intro? Or maybe it was an accident and somebody accidentally erased the tape?
Love the Chi-lites!
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I still love this song! It is one of my favorite Chi-Lites songs, too. Takes me back… in a very good way.
dbg
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Alright Brother Abagond!!!
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Yeaaah Abagond – I also enjoyed THIS Chi-lites joint!
For God’s sake, you got to give more power to the people
There’s some people up there hoggin’ everything. Tellin’ lies, givin’ alibis about the peoples, money an’ things. An’ if they gonna throw it away, might as well give some to me. Yeah, they seen an’ heard it but never had misery
There are some people who are starvin’ to death. Never knew but only heard ’em an’ they never had happiness. If you don’t have enough to eat, how can you think of love? You don’t have time to care, so it’s crime you’re guilty of
For God’s sake, you got to give more power to the people. For God’s sake, why don’t you give more power to the people?
Cut this jive an’ see who’s got the power to kill the most. When they run out of power, the world’s gonna be a ghost. They know we’re not satisfied, so we begin to holler. They give us a promise an’ throw in a few more dollars
There’s no price for happiness, there’s no price for love. Up goes the price of livin’ an’ you’re right back where you was. So whatever you got, just be glad you got it. Now we’re gonna get on up an’ get some more of it
For God’s sake, you got to give more power to the people. For God’s sake, why don’t you give more power to the people?
For God’s sake, you got to give more power to the people. For God’s sake, why don’t you give more power to the people? For God’s sake, you got to give more power to the people. For God’s sake, why don’t you give more power to the people?
….
Honorable mention to these other Chi-lite joints:
* We Are Neighbors
* The Coldest Days Of My Life
* I Want To Pay You Back (For Loving Me)
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@theages, I actually think that is one of the singers voices not a guitar, but I do hear what your saying.
Great Song!
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They played this song at my 7th-8th grade prom. I don’t remember dancing with anyone during this song though, but it takes me back everytime I hear it.
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I really dig it , too
What year did it come out? Im asking because if it was the mid 60’s, for sure I was dancing with some beautiful lady when it was on
I just cant remember the year, but , I remember hearing it
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(Brothawolf, I know 6th or 7 th grade might be a little early to be slow dancing with a lady)
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It was the 70’s.
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Ok, that was a little after my social high school partying dancing days, I am a pretty good dancer, by the way ( no false modesty here haha)….but, I heard that song and dug it
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1971, grinding under blue lights in the basement
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[…] "My favourite Chi-Lites song. It went to #1 on the American R&B charts in 1971. They just do not make songs like this anymore." -Abagond […]
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There is hope to this song my first love was taken away 45 years ago by her mom and I’ve been looking for her ever since and listening to this song well last Friday night we had our first date so there’s hope never give up on your dreams I didn’t and now we are back together after 45 years
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