Talking Back to the Night
Joe Cocker Lyrics

High above the heat of a summer New York street
Amidst the scorching summer heat of a bustling New York street, somebody can be seen standing high above the rest.

An out-of-work musician plays a solo saxophone
This person who stands out is actually an unemployed musician who is playing a saxophone unaccompanied.

He's a preacher and a teacher
This musician is not just any musician but somebody who acts as a guide and mentor to others.

And he stands up all alone
Despite his status as a guiding figure, he is standing by himself above the crowd.

Stranded in the dark of a vision in the park
In a dark and lonely part of a park, somebody is struggling with a confusing image in their mind.

A poet in his madness tries to find another line
This person in the park is actually a poet suffering from mental struggles who is attempting to come up with new words and lines.

And he's losing and he's using
Despite his efforts, the poet is struggling and becoming more dependent.

And he says he's doing fine
Despite his clear struggles, this poet is trying to put on a face of positivity and claiming everything is alright.

And they look from such a height
These figures who stand out from the crowd have an elevated perspective.

That somehow it's all right
Despite everything around them, they believe they have some kind of control and things are tolerable.

They're talking back to the night
These figures are speaking up and expressing their doubts and fears.

It's all that they can do
Speaking up is their only sense of control and means of expression.

Talking back to the night
Speaking up is their only means of trying to confront and overcome the darkness they experience.

It's how they make it through
Their persistence and willpower, as expressed through the act of speaking up, is how they manage to persevere.

If you listen you can hear them
Their voices are distinct, and if one listens closely, they can be heard.

Their voices draw you near them
The tone of their voices is strong and can compel one to take notice and approach them.

They're talking back to the night for you
These individuals are speaking on behalf of something larger and more important, speaking up for all who suffer in their own darkness.

Something seems to take every dime the man can make
Something is seemingly sapping all the money this man makes from him.

His dream is getting smaller and he wonders where to turn
The man's aspirations and hopes are slowly slipping away, and he has no idea what direction to turn.

And he's trying hard to make it
Despite the obstacles, he is exerting all his effort to overcome them.

And he's trying not to burn
While exerting a lot of effort, this man is also trying to avoid damaging himself in the process.

Woman never minds, pulls the shade and draws the blinds
A woman is not at all bothered by the darkness and instead seems to thrive in it.

She takes him in the darkness where the loneliest can feed
She leads him deeper into the darkness where she can share in the negative energy and loneliness.

She gives him all she has to
This woman is willing to give everything she has to offer.

And it's no more than he needs
Despite everything being given to him, this man only really requires a small amount to satisfy his needs.