Bill Withers - I Can’t Write Left Handed

When people talk about Vietnam songs, they think about There’s Something Happening Here. But I think this song evokes a little more somber, spiritual feeling about war than most others.

This song speaks from the point of view of a soldier who lost his right arm after being shot in the shoulder. From the start, it’s straight gospel. It’s some singing, some spoken word for around 6 minutes. Like a lot of Bill Withers, the song is all about that voice. Because there’s not much progression, the song plays out like a meditation.

And please call up the Rev. Harris.
Tell him to ask the Lord to do some good things for me.
Tell him I aint gonna live to get much older.

Bill Withers once said in an interview “I am the goddam blues.” Got that right.