The Lyrics of Bob Dylan, Linda Wilberger Egan, and Don Binder
“Waxing Poetic”—Pohick Church Lenten Series, 2015
The Reverend Donald D. Binder, PhD
Gotta Serve Somebody
Bob Dylan
You
You
You
You
may be an ambassador to England or France
may like to gamble, you might like to dance
may be the heavyweight champion of the world
may be a socialite with a long string of pearls.
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re gonna have to serve somebody,
It may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.
Might be a rock’n’ roll addict prancing on the stage
Might have money and drugs at your commands,
women in a cage
You may be a business man or some high degree thief
They may call you Doctor or they may call you Chief.
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re gonna have to serve somebody,
W ell, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.
You may be
You may be
You may be
You may be
name.
a state trooper, you might be an young turk
the head of some big TV network
rich or poor, you may be blind or lame
living in another country under another
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes
You’re gonna have to serve somebody,
W ell, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.
You may be a construction worker working on a home
You may be living in a mansion or you might live in a
dome
You might own guns and you might even own tanks
You might be somebody’s landlord you might even
own banks.
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes
You’re gonna have to serve somebody,
W ell, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.
how to cut hair
You may be somebody’s mistress, may be
somebody’s heir.
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes
You’re gonna have to serve somebody,
W ell, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.
Might like to wear cotton, might like to wear silk
Might like to drink whiskey, might like to drink milk
You might like to eat caviar, you might like to eat
bread
You may be sleeping on the floor, sleeping in a
king-sized bed.
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re gonna have to serve somebody,
It may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.
You
You
You
You
say.
may
may
may
may
call
call
call
call
me
me
me
me
Terry, you may call me Jimmy
Bobby, you may call me Zimmy
R.J., you may call me Ray
anything but no matter what you
You’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re gonna have to serve somebody,
W ell, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.
©1979, Bob Dylan
Ballad
Linda W ilberger Egan
The first one ever, oh, ever to know
Of the birth of Jesus, was the Maid Mary,
W as Mary the Maid of Galilee, and
Blessed is she, is she who believes.
Oh, blessed is she who believes in the Lord,
Oh, blessed is she who believes.
She was Mary the Maid of Galilee,
And blessed is she, is she who believes.
You may be a preacher with your spiritual pride
You may be a city councilman taking bribes on the side
You may be working in a barbershop, you may know
The first one ever, oh, ever to know
Of Messiah Jesus, when he said, “I am he”?
The Samaritan woman who drew from the well,
And blessed is she, is she who perceives.
Oh, blessed is she who perceives the Lord,
Oh, blessed is she who perceives.
The Samaritan woman who drew from the well,
And blessed is she, is she who perceives.
The first ones ever, oh, ever to know
Of the rising of Jesus, his glory to be,
W ere Mary, Joanna, and Magdalene,
And blessed are they, are they who see.
Oh, blessed are they who see the Lord,
Oh, blessed are they who see.
They were Mary, Joanna, and Magdalene,
And blessed are they, are they who see.
Linda Wilberger Egan ©1980, 1983, 2015
M ove On (St. Patrick’s Ode)
Don Binder
It’s time to move on, not too long
To say good-bye
For the workers are few
The need is so high
Called from my native land
I can’t say I understand
W hat tomorrow’s going to bring
One thing of which I’m sure
In God’s hand we’ll rest secure
Safe from every earthly thing
It’s time to move on, not too long
To say good-bye
For the harvest is white
The Kingdom draws nigh
You’ve got to take it and make it
Not let it lie
For the workers are few
The need is so high
The faces which I see
Crying out in misery
Longing for the W ord of love
So I reach out my hand
Share with them the Promised Land
Rising with the Son above
It’s time to move on, not too long
To say good-bye
For the harvest is white
The Kingdom draws nigh
You’ve got to take it and make it
Not let it lie
For the workers are few
The need is so high
And as we circle ’round, everything turns clear
As we form this fellowship of peace
Three in one and one in three, binding far and near
Ever to increase
So it’s time to move on, not too long
To say good-bye
For the harvest is white
The Kingdom draws nigh
You’ve got to take it and make it
Not let it lie
For the workers are few
The need is so high
©2008, Donald D. Binder