Written for Tina. I asked James Halpern from Willow I to do the vocal as I always loved the soul in his voice. When Janie came in to lay down the piano track, she got stoned and sat down and started to play. After a while, Elliot leaned over to me and said: She thinks she’s playing a piano concerto. Whatever, her piano part is clearly the best part of this recording.
Lyrics
Helpless Man
You’re looking at a helpless man
A man who don’t know just what he’s supposed to do
You’re looking at a helpless man
A man who’s looking helplessly right back at you
It happens when you least expect it
When everything’s so high
Suddenly you are rejected
And love has passed you by
Can’t I make you understand
You got to take my hand and help me
I’m a helpless man
You’re looking at a helpless man
A man who isn’t half the things that he would seem
You’re looking at a helpless man
Ain’t there no one here to wake me from this awful dream
Nothing I do won’t change your mind
You’ve heard my each and every tune
Jesus ain’t it hard to stay behind
Singing to an empty room
Can’t I make you understand
You got to take my hand and help me
I’m a helpless man and I can’t understand why you’ve gone
You closed your eyes, you loved me but you closed your eyes
You never cried, you never let me see those feelings locked inside
You could have tried to look at me just one more time
But you chose to close your eyes
You’re looking at a helpless man
A man who’s sinking fast into the distant past
You’re looking at a helpless man
You’re looking at a man who couldn’t make the moment last
If only you had looked into my face
And touched my teary cheek
Our loving would have reached across the space
Of every word we couldn’t speak
Can’t I make you understand
You got to take my hand and help me
I’m a helpless man and I can’t understand why you’ve gone
(cho)