A Plea For Tenderness
(Appears on Live at the Long Branch Saloon, Live at the Longbranch and More, Precise Modern Lovers Order, Best of Jonathan Richman / I Must Be King, Songs Of Rememberance, route 128 revisited and A Plea For Tenderness)
Unknown versions - Live at the Long Branch Saloon, Songs Of Rememberance, and route 128 revisited
Now this next song is for all the women in the audience
a song for the girls
hey girls, [B] do you hate men? [A]
[B] do you hate the earth? [A]
Well [B] I still see tenderness in [A] your face
and [B] innocence straight from [A] infant days
and there [B] must be tenderness [A] deep inside
you're so [E] cold, but it [F#] shows
you [E] told me about [F#] school
[E] I only want to know about [F#] you
[E] and it hurts me now
[F#] and it scares me now
and [E] now [F#] you [B] know
but if you care about [E] me
(tell me [B] now)
if I'm better than the [E] wall
(tell me [B] now)
and if it's important when I touch your [E] hand
then you'd better
[E] tell [F#] me [B] now
well
now, i've just read some [E] writers
from the old [B] days
because I knew, I knew that they'd [E] understand
because [B] dignity, dignity and [E] tenderness should [B] apply
to modern ro[E]mance [B]
So i don't wanna know, I'm just not interested in you're [E] school
[B] So i don't wanna know, I don't wanna hear about you're stupid [E] cats
(or you're homework)
just talk about [B] love, or [E] sex, or [B] starving hearts, [G#m] or just [F#] shut up
and I'll go
but
[B] if you care about [E] me
(tell me [B] now)
if I'm better than the [E] wall
(tell me [B] now)
and if it's important when I touch you're [E] hand
(tell me [B] now)
and if it's important when I come to you're [E] kitchen
when it's late at night
and when it's [B] cold at night
when it's dark outside
when it's [E] cold outside
I wanna know if it's important when I touch your [B] hand
when you're all [E] alone
(tell me [B] now)
if you really want to talk to [E] me
(tell me [B] now)
and if you're lookin for a [E] lover
(tell me [B] now)
I mean, if you need a [E] lover
(tell me [B] now)
if you're ready to be honest with a [E] lover
(tell me [B] now)
if it's important when you're [E] alone at night
and when it's cold at night and when it's [B] dark at night
when it's cold outside when it's [E] sad outside
and when I'm sad outside, by the [B] streetlight
by your house and near your [E] kitchen door
I'm stumped because I'm [B] scared
Because I'm sad
Because it's [E] cold at night
Because it's dark at night
and I'm [B] alone at night
I'm so sad and I'm [E] so scared
and I want to know, if you'll [B] tell me
if you care about [E] me
then if you care about [B] yourself
and if you'll stop taking [E] drugs
and if you'll stop bein so [B] hard
and if you'll stop being hard to [E] talk to
and if you'll let me come [B] inside
and I can talk to you
when it's [E] dark at night
and when it's sad at night
and [B] alone at night
I don't want to be [E] alone at night
(tell me [B] now)
I don't want to be [E] sad at night
(tell me [B] now)
I want to help you
when it's [E] cold outside
when you're all around
when it's [B] sad outside [E]
I want you to tell me [B] now
I can't wait another [E] day
you gotta hurry [B]
I can't wait another [E] minute
It's now or [B] never
It's now or [E] never
you gotta tell
you [B] gotta tell
you can't hide
or [E] take drugs
or cigarettes
or [B] dark outside
or cats
or these [E] other things that you use
so I can't [B] see you clear
I want to see you clear
I want to [E] talk to you now
you've got to be honest now
you've got to [B] tell me now
if you care about [E] me
[E] tell [F#] me [B] now
wait a minute
wait a minute
I want to say, I want to say somethin else now
wait a minute
I want to show you that I understand you now
(this is the guy talkin to the girlfriend)
he's gonna show you, he's gonna show you that he understands the deepest darkest parts
when he says ...
He says [G#m] I know how beautiful death [B] is
and [G#m] I know why you hate [B] life
but I'm [B] just a [F#] tender [G#m] soul
so be [E] glad [F#] you [B] know
I want to tell ya
that all [B] men are just [F#m] tender [G#m] souls
and be [E] glad that [F#] you [B] know
Now this next song is for all the women in the audience
a song for the girls
hey girls, do you hate men?
do you hate the earth?
Well I still see tenderness in your face
and innocence straight from infant days
and there must be tenderness deep inside
you're so cold, but it shows
you told me about school
I only want to know about you
and it hurts me now
and it scares me now
and now you know
but if you care about me
(tell me now)
if I'm better than the wall
(tell me now)
and if it's important when I touch your hand
then you'd better
tell me now
well
now, i've just read some writers
from the old days
because I knew, I knew that they'd understand
because dignity, dignity and tenderness should apply
to modern romance
So i don't wanna know, I'm just not interested in you're school
So i don't wanna know, I don't wanna hear about you're stupid cats
(or you're homework)
just talk about love, or sex, or starving hearts, or just shut up
and I'll go
but
if you care about me
(tell me now)
if I'm better than the wall
(tell me now)
and if it's important when I touch you're hand
(tell me now)
and if it's important when I come to you're kitchen
when it's late at night
and when it's cold at night
when it's dark outside
when it's cold outside
I wanna know if it's important when I touch your hand
when you're all alone
(tell me now)
if you really want to talk to me
(tell me now)
and if you're lookin for a lover
(tell me now)
I mean, if you need a lover
(tell me now)
if you're ready to be honest with a lover
(tell me now)
if it's important when you're alone at night
and when it's cold at night and when it's dark at night
when it's cold outside when it's sad outside
and when I'm sad outside, by the streetlight
by your house and near your kitchen door
I'm stumped because I'm scared
Because I'm sad
Because it's cold at night
Because it's dark at night
and I'm alone at night
I'm so sad and I'm so scared
and I want to know, if you'll tell me
if you care about me
then if you care about yourself
and if you'll stop taking drugs
and if you'll stop bein so hard
and if you'll stop being hard to talk to
and if you'll let me come inside
and I can talk to you
when it's dark at night
and when it's sad at night
and alone at night
I don't want to be alone at night
(tell me now)
I don't want to be sad at night
(tell me now)
I want to help you
when it's cold outside
when you're all around
when it's sad outside
I want you to tell me now
I can't wait another day
you gotta hurry
I can't wait another minute
It's now or never
It's now or never
you gotta tell
you gotta tell
you can't hide
or take drugs
or cigarettes
or dark outside
or cats
or these other things that you use
so I can't see you clear
I want to see you clear
I want to talk to you now
you've got to be honest now
you've got to tell me now
if you care about me
tell me now
wait a minute
wait a minute
I want to say, I want to say somethin else now
wait a minute
I want to show you that I understand you now
(this is the guy talkin to the girlfriend)
he's gonna show you, he's gonna show you that he understands the deepest darkest parts
when he says ...
He says I know how beautiful death is
and I know why you hate life
but I'm just a tender soul
so be glad you know
I want to tell ya
that all men are just tender souls
and be glad that you know