I Can't Write Left Handed
Bill Withers Lyrics

We recorded this song on October the 6th
Bill Withers is providing the context of this song and when it was recorded.

Since then the war's been declared over
The war that Bill Withers is referring to has ended.

If you're like me you'll remember it like anybody remembers any war
Bill Withers assumes that his listeners will remember the war in the same way people remember any other war.

One big drag
Bill Withers is expressing his negative opinion towards the war.

Lot of people write songs about wars and government
Bill Withers is acknowledging that many people write songs about topics related to wars and the government.

Very social things
Bill Withers is describing wars and government as topics that have a social impact and are often addressed through art.

But I think about young guys who were like I was when I was young
Bill Withers thinks about his own experiences as a young man and connects it to the experiences of other young men who are thrust into war.

I had no more idea about any government, or political things or anything
When Bill Withers was young, he had no understanding of government or politics, just like many of the young men sent to fight.

And I think about those kind of young guys now
Bill Withers thinks about the young men currently at war and their experiences.

Who all of a sudden somebody comes up
Bill Withers alludes to the sudden and unexpected nature of being drafted into a war.

And they're very law-abiding
These young men comply with the draft and do not question the authorities.

So if somebody says go they don't ask any questions they just go
The young men do not hesitate to follow orders when given.

And I can remember not too long ago seeing a young guy
Bill Withers is recalling a memory of seeing a young soldier.

With his right arm gone, just got back
The soldier Bill Withers saw had recently returned and had lost his right arm in the war.

And I asked him how he was doing
Bill Withers inquired about the soldier's well-being.

He said he was doing all right now
The soldier reassured Bill Withers that he was coping well.

But he had thought he was gonna die
At some point during the war, the soldier had feared for his life.

He said getting shot at didn't bother him
The soldier had become desensitized to being shot at.

It was getting shot that shook him up
Getting hit by enemy fire was still a traumatizing experience for the soldier.

And I tried to put myself in his position
Bill Withers attempted to empathize with the soldier's experiences.

Maybe he cried, maybe he said
Bill Withers is unsure of how the soldier felt in that moment, whether he cried or said something else.

I can't write left handed
The soldier is unable to write with his left hand, which may be a result of his injury.

Would you please write a letter, write a letter to my mother?
The soldier is asking someone to write a letter to his mother, most likely because he is unable to do so himself.

Tell her, tell her to tell
The soldier is requesting someone to pass on a message to his mother.

Tell her to tell the family lawyer
The soldier wants his family's lawyer to be informed about something.

Try to get a deferment for my younger brother
The soldier wants his family's lawyer to try to get a deferment for his younger brother, possibly in regards to being drafted into the war.

Tell the Reverend Harris to pray for me, Lord, Lord, Lord
The soldier is asking for someone to inform Reverend Harris to pray for him.

I ain't gonna live, I don't believe I'm going to live to get much older
The soldier expresses a belief that he will not live much longer.

Strange little man over here in Vietnam, I ain't, I ain't never seen
The soldier is referring to the enemy as a strange little man he has never seen before.

Bless his heart I ain't never done nothin' to
The soldier acknowledges that he has not personally done anything wrong to the enemy.

He done shot me in my shoulder
Despite the soldier not harboring any ill will towards the enemy, he has been hit by enemy fire in the shoulder.

Boot camp we had classes
Bill Withers is referring to the training received prior to being sent to war.

You know we talked about fightin', fightin' everyday
Bill Withers recalls that at boot camp, there was a lot of talk about fighting, something that would occur every day.

And lookin' through rosy, rosy colored glasses
Bill Withers admits to having had an idealistic and overly optimistic view of fighting prior to experiencing it firsthand.

I must admit it seemed exciting anyway
Despite the potentially dangerous situation, Bill Withers found the idea of fighting to be exciting in some way.

But something that they overlooked to tell me
Bill Withers had not been prepared for an important aspect of war.

Bullets look better I must say
Bill Withers is being ironic--he finds bullets more aesthetically pleasing than being on the receiving end of them.

Rather when they comin' at you
Bill Withers clarifies that bullets are only more attractive when they are not being directed at you.

But go without the other way
Bill Withers recognizes that there is no alternative to being in a high-pressure situation where you are being fired upon.

And please call up the Reverend
Bill Withers implores someone to call up Reverend Harris.

call up, call up the Reverend Harris
Bill Withers wants to make sure that someone will reach out to Reverend Harris.

And tell him to ask the lord to do some good things for me
Bill Withers is asking for Reverend Harris to pray for his well-being.

Tell him, I ain't gonna live, I ain't gonna live
Bill Withers is emphasizing again that he is not sure if he will survive the war.

I ain't gonna live to get much older
Bill Withers repeats that he does not think he will live much longer.

Oh Lord
Bill Withers addresses the deity he wishes Reverend Harris to pray to.