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The Shape I'm In Lyrics
Go out yonder, peace in the valley
Come downtown, have to rumble in the alley
Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in
Has anybody seen my lady
This living alone will drive me crazy
Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in
I'm going to go down by the water
But I ain't going to jump in, no, no
I'll just be looking for my maker
And I hear that that's where she's been? Oh
Out of nine lives, I spent seven
Now, how in the world do you get to Heaven
Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in
I just spent 60 days in the jailhouse
For the crime of having no dough
Now here I am back out on the street
For the crime of having nowhere to go
Save your neck or save your brother
Looks like it's one or the other
Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in
Now two young kids might start a ruckus
You know they feel you trying to shuck us
Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in
Come downtown, have to rumble in the alley
Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in
This living alone will drive me crazy
Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in
But I ain't going to jump in, no, no
I'll just be looking for my maker
And I hear that that's where she's been? Oh
Now, how in the world do you get to Heaven
Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in
For the crime of having no dough
Now here I am back out on the street
For the crime of having nowhere to go
Looks like it's one or the other
Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in
You know they feel you trying to shuck us
Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in
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I absolutly love this song...especially the lines "I just spent 60 days in the jailhouse For the crime of having no dough Now here I am back out on the street For the crime of having nowhere to go" Love it
I always thought this song was autobiographical to a typical night in the life of Richard manuel
@deletedaccount Except Richard didn’t write it. Robbie did, as is true of nearly all their songs.
@deletedaccount Except Richard didn’t write it. Robbie did, as is true of nearly all their songs.
I don't know any song with such sad lyrics that's so fun to listen to.
Watching "The Last Waltz" and knowing that Richard commited suicide, then hearing him sing "Out of nine lives, I spent seven Now, how in the world do you get to Heaven"---man, that is really, REALLY eerie. Always sends a firsson up my spine. Spooky, spooky, spooky. Rest in peace, Richard.
Watching "The Last Waltz" and knowing that Richard commited suicide, then hearing him sing "Out of nine lives, I spent seven Now, how in the world do you get to Heaven"---man, that is really, REALLY eerie. Always sends a firsson up my spine. Spooky, spooky, spooky. Rest in peace, Richard.
best. song. ever.
This song works on so many levels, lyrically, musically and vocally. It so aptly puts the ridiculous expectations society puts on people and the ample amount if rope we're given to hang ourselves with. It's a "no win" situation.
"Save your neck or save your brother Looks like it's one or the other Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in"
People often read way too much onto this song. It’s really no more than a drunkard’s thoughts. Robbie often wrote about a young man’s folly’s. Probably autobiographically. Remember Up on Cripple Creek (the drunkard’s dream?). Robbie tended to contemplate things musically. Whatever was on his mind, he wrote and sang. He never meant any of it to be taken too deeply, just enjoyed in the moment. Anyone that loves The Band’s music should listen to Robbie’s solo works as well. Also the collaborations with native tribes. He may have been a Canadian native, but he understood the heart behind all of North America. People to this day keep wrongly categorizing The Band as Southern Rock. They weren’t, but they “got” it.
@chris10721 As far as I can gather from what I read, Robbie did write the song with Richard in mind.
@chris10721 As far as I can gather from what I read, Robbie did write the song with Richard in mind.