With one of her first singles turning into a national hit, 1962's "Let Me Down Easy", Detroit-raised LaVette would seem a natural soul star, but she was never able to cut an album deal. In 1972 her album A Child of the Seventies was shelved by Atlantic Records, then thought lost forever in a fire. She eked out a living on the European festival circuit, occasionally surfacing such as with the disco single "Doin' the Best that I Can", but remained obscure until French soul collector Gilles Petard tracked down the lost masters and persuaded Atlantic to let him release them on his vanity label as Souvenirs. A live album and 2005's cover album I've Got My Own Hell to Raise followed.
With the release of The Scene of the Crime, Bettye Lavette inches closer to the mainstream, or at least a much bigger cult following. Backed by The Drive-by Truckers and released on -Anti, The Scene of the Crime is recorded at the legendary FAME studios in Muscles Shoals, Alabama. The same place as her lost album. The connection doesn't end there - Patterson Hood of the Drive-by Truckers is the son of David Hood, who played on the 1972 album.
In 2009, she appeared at President Barack Obama's Inaugural Celebration, singing "A Change Is Gonna Come" with Jon Bon Jovi. It was televised globally.
Choices
Bettye Lavette Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There were voices that told me right from wrong
If I only listened, no I wouldn't be here today
Living and dying with the choices I've made
I was tempted, by an early age I found
I liked drinkin', oh, and I never turned it down
There were loved ones but I turned them all away
I guess I'm payin' for all the things I've done
If I could just go back, oh, Lord knows I'd run
But I'm still here losin' this game of life I play
Losing and dying with the choices I've made
I've had choices ever since the day I was born
I have my own voices that told me right from wrong
If I had listened, no I wouldn't be sitting here today
Living and dying with the choices I've made
The lyrics of Bettye Lavette's song, "Choices" speak about the consequences of one's actions and the choices they make in life. In the first verse, Bettye sings about how she has had options or choices to make since the day she was born. The voices that she heard while growing up told her what was right and wrong but she did not always listen to them, leading her to her current situation where she has to live and die with the choices she has made. She acknowledges that she was tempted at an early age with alcohol and though there were loved ones around her, she turned them all away.
In the second verse, Bettye confesses that she feels like she is paying for all the things she has done throughout her life. She wishes that she could go back and undo the choices she made because it seems as though she is losing at the game of life. She concludes the song by acknowledging that she has had choices all her life, but the only voices that mattered were the ones in her own head. If she had listened to them more often, she would not be in such a predicament.
Line by Line Meaning
I've had choices since the day I was born
I've always had different paths to follow in life
There were voices that told me right from wrong
I had guidance from people telling me what was right and wrong
If I only listened, no I wouldn't be here today
Had I listened to the right voices, I could have avoided my current situation
Living and dying with the choices I've made
My choices have shaped my life, for better or for worse
I was tempted, by an early age I found
I was prone to making questionable decisions from a young age
I liked drinkin', oh, and I never turned it down
I had a tendency to indulge in alcohol even when I shouldn't have
There were loved ones but I turned them all away
I distanced myself from people who cared about me
Now I'm living and dying with the choices I've made
The choices I made led me to where I am now, both good and bad
I guess I'm payin' for all the things I've done
I am suffering the consequences of my past decisions
If I could just go back, oh, Lord knows I'd run
If I had the chance, I would choose differently
But I'm still here losin' this game of life I play
I am struggling with the course my life has taken
Losing and dying with the choices I've made
The decisions I made contributed to my losses and eventual demise
I've had choices ever since the day I was born
From the beginning, my life has been full of choices
I have my own voices that told me right from wrong
My own conscience guided me along the way
If I had listened, no I wouldn't be sitting here today
Had I followed my conscience more closely, I may have avoided my current situation
Living and dying with the choices I've made
Ultimately, all of my choices led me to where I am today
Contributed by Alice V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@lesliewarnell5172
Look up the phrase, “no sell-out” and the term, “perseverance.” You’ll find a photo of Bettye Lavette.
@lindac2491
She sings her truth! Fantastic song!
@josielopez2713
Writren by the wonderful Billy Yates !
@Jane-ju5fj
Same.. that show has some great songs! #thelword xxx
@JB-sb2uw
If I'd only listened
@Livmylifelivi
L word <3
@damianestrada4692
but this is not the song at the end of chapter 511. i cannot find the ending song :(
@robotocho
I'm sorry, but I don't know nothing about "L Word" ... I only know that Bettye Lavete has a precious voice and an impeccable musical taste. This is a version of a country ballad by Mike Curtis & Billy Yates, by George Jones:
https://youtu.be/AP0oQCh_teg
As usual say: the comparisons are odious.
@chantalpaul5029
The L word brought me here.
@dannythomas417
I would've bawled my eyes out if Angie pulled that trigger. 'Cause Kit would be responsible for the death of her own niece.