The Bottle (Live 1983)

See that black boy over there runnin' scared
His old man in a bottle
He done quit his 9 to 5
He drink full time and now he's livin' in a bottle

See that black boy over there runnin' scared
His old man got a problem
And it's a bad one
He done pawned off damn near everything
His old woman's weddin' ring for a bottle
And don't you think it's a crime when
Time after time after time
People in the bottle
Livin' in the bottle

See that sister, sho' was fine
Before she started drinkin' wine in a bottle
She told me her old man committed a crime
He's doin' time and now she's hangin' in a bottle
I seen her out there on the avenue
All by herself, she sho' need help from the bottle
I seen a preacherman try to help her out
She cussed him out and hit him in the head with a bottle
They turn to me, and they ask me, Gil

Don't you think it's a crime the way
People in the bottle
Sure living in the bottle

You see that gent in the wrinkled suit
He done damn near blown his cool to the bottle
He was a doctor helpin' young girls along
If they wasn't too far gone in her problems
But defenders of the dollar eagle said
"What you doin, man, ain't legal"
And now we watch him every day
And now we watch him everyday
He's tryin' to chase the prisons away from the bottle

Don't you think it's a crime the way
Time after time
Friends of mine in the bottle
People living in the bottle

I'll tell you a little secret
If you ever come lookin' for me
You know where I'm bound to be
In a bottle
Then, turn around
Look around on any corner
If you see some brother looking like a father
It's gonna be me

Na na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na
Everybody needs something here
Everybody needs something here
Everybody needs
Everybody needs something here