Up To Me
Roger McGuinn Lyrics

Everythin' went from bad to worse
The singer's life has taken a significant turn for the worse.

Money never changed a thing
The singer's financial situation did not improve their circumstances.

Death kept followin', trackin' us down
The threat of death was always present in the singer's life.

At least I heard your bluebird sing
Despite the difficulties the artist faced, the presence of their loved one brought some solace.

Now somebody's got to show their hand
Someone must take responsibility for their actions and be honest.

Time is an enemy
Time is working against the singer in accomplishing their goals.

I know you're long gone
The singer's loved one is no longer with them.

I guess it must be up to me
The artist must take action to make things right.

If I'd thought about it
The artist made a mistake due to a lack of careful consideration.

I never would've done it
Had the artist thought things through, they would have made a different decision.

I guess I would've let it slide
The singer might have ignored the situation entirely.

If I'd lived my life
The artist has lived their life in their own way, rather than following others.

By what others were thinkin'
The singer has not let others' opinions guide their actions.

The heart inside me would've died
If the singer had lived according to others' opinions, they would have lost their sense of self.

I was just too stubborn
The singer's determination may have hindered them at times.

To ever be governed
The artist refuses to be controlled by others.

By enforced insanity
Those with authority may be acting irrationally or in a way that does not make sense to the artist.

Someone had to reach
Someone had to take action to achieve something.

For the risin' star
The singer was aiming for something big and important.

I guess it was up to me
The artist was the one who needed to take that action.

Oh, the Union Central is pullin' out
A significant event is occurring in the artist's life.

And the orchids are in bloom
Despite everything, there are some positive things happening.

I've only got me
The singer is alone in the world.

One good shirt left
The artist has very little left to their name.

And it smells of stale perfume
The singer's remaining possessions might not be in the best condition.

In fourteen months
A specific amount of time has passed since a significant event.

I've only smiled once
The singer has not experienced much happiness in the past year and a half.

And I didn't do it consciously
The artist did not intend to smile, it happened naturally.

Somebody's got to find your trail
Someone must search for the artist's loved one.

It was like a revelation
The discovery of their loved one's betrayal was a surprise to the singer.

When you betrayed me with your touch
The singer's loved one hurt them deeply.

I'd just about convinced myself
The artist had almost convinced themselves that nothing had changed between them and their loved one.

That nothin' had changed that much
The artist believed their relationship with their loved one was unchanged despite the betrayal.

The old Rounder in the iron mask
A mysterious, masked figure aided the artist in some way.

Slipped me the master key
This figure provided the means for the singer to access something important.

Somebody had to unlock your heart
The artist needed to understand and connect with their loved one again.

He said it was up to me
The masked figure told the singer that they needed to be the one to reconnect with their loved one.

Well, I watched you slowly disappear
The singer's loved one has been gradually moving away from them.

Down into the officer’s club
This disappearance coincides with the loved one's social life changing.

I would've followed you in the door
The artist would have wanted to go to this club with their loved one.

But I didn't have a ticket stub
The artist was not allowed to enter the club because they did not have the proper proof of entry.

So I waited all night
The singer hoped their loved one would leave the club and reunite with them.

Til the break of day
The singer waited and waited till morning.

Hopin' one of us could get free
The artist hoped they could be reunited with their loved one.

When the dawn came over the river bridge
The morning brought new opportunities and possibilities.

I knew it was up to me
The artist knew they would need to take action to reconnect with their loved one.

Oh, the only decent thing I did
The singer did one good thing in their life.

When I worked as a postal clerk
This good deed occurred when the artist had a specific job.

Was to haul your picture down off the wall
The singer removed their loved one's picture from a place of prominence.

Near the cage where I used to work
This picture was located close to the area that the singer used to work in.

Was I a fool or not
The singer is questioning whether what they did was right or wrong.

To try to protect your identity?
The artist wanted to hide their loved one's identity for some reason.

You looked a little burned out, my friend
The artist noticed that their loved one was looking and feeling rundown.

I thought it might be up to me
The singer thought they could help their loved one if they took action.

Well, I met somebody face to face
The singer has met a new person in their life.

And I had to remove my hat
The artist felt they needed to show respect or deference to this person.

She's everything I need and love
The artist has strong feelings for this new person they have met.

But I can't be swayed by that
Despite their feelings, the artist has other priorities and concerns that must be addressed.

It frightens me
The singer is scared by the change this new person brings.

The awful truth of
This change brings an uncomfortable realization to the artist.

How sweet life can be
Being with this new person could bring a lot of happiness to the singer, which scares them.

But she ain't a-gonna make me move
The singer will not change their plans or trajectory for this new person, no matter how much they care for them.

We heard the Sermon on the Mount
The singer and their loved one have encountered significant religious or spiritual teachings.

And I knew it was too complex
The teachings are difficult to understand and follow.

It didn't amount to anything more
Despite their apparent significance, these teachings do not hold much weight in the artist's life.

Than what the broken glass reflects
The teachings ultimately reflect back the singer's own broken state of being.

When you bite off more
Taking on more than one can handle leads to negative consequences.

Than you can chew
The artist may have taken on more than they could handle, leading to trouble.

You pay the penalty
There are consequences when one overextends themselves.

Somebody's got to tell the tale
Someone needs to tell the story of the events that have occurred.

Well, Dupree came in pimpin' tonight
Someone with a questionable profession or past has come into the picture.

To the Thunderbird Cafe
This person has come to a specific place the artist is familiar with.

Crystal wanted to talk to him
Another person is interested in communicating with the new individual who has arrived.

I had to look the other way
The singer did not want to be involved in the new drama unfolding in their life.

Well, I just can't rest
The singer is restless and cannot find solace in their current situation.

Without you, love
The artist needs their loved one to feel at peace.

I need your company
The artist is lonely and seeks the companionship of their loved one.

There's a note left in the bottle
The singer has received a message from someone in an unusual manner.

You can give it to Estelle
The message is intended for someone specific.

She's the one you been wond'rin' about
The message is for the person the artist's loved one has been curious about.

But there's really nothin' much to tell
The message does not contain anything groundbreaking or significant.

We both heard voices for a while
The artist and their loved one have both had unusual experiences recently.

Now the rest is history
These experiences have occurred and cannot be changed,

Somebody's got to cry some tears
Someone must express their grief or sadness over what has happened.

So go on, boys, and play your hands
Others can continue with their normal lives and activities.

Life is a pantomime
Life can feel like a performance, with people pretending to be someone they are not.

The ringleaders from the county seat
Those in positions of power are involved in the singer's life in some way.

Say you don't have all that much time
The artist's time is limited, and they need to act quickly if they want to achieve something.

And the girl with me
The artist has a new female companion with them.

Behind the shades
This female companion has a mystery to her, as she is wearing sunglasses even though it is dark.

She ain't my property
The singer does not view this companion as an object to be owned or possessed.

One of us has got to hit the road
Either the artist or their new companion must leave.

And if we never meet again
The artist is not sure if they will ever reunite with this companion again.

Baby, remember me
The artist wants to be remembered fondly by this companion if they part ways.

How my lone guitar
The singer has a guitar with them, and it is the only possession they have to offer.

Played sweet for you
The artist played music for their companion, which was meaningful to them.

That old-time melody
The music that the singer played had a traditional, classic sound to it.

And the harmonica around my neck
The singer also has a harmonica with them, and has played it for their companion.

I blew it for you, free
The singer played the harmonica for their companion out of love and affection, without expecting anything in return.

No one else could play that tune
The music that the artist played for their companion was unique and special to them.

You know it was up to me
The artist took it upon themselves to provide music and comfort to their companion.