Cover art for The Shape I’m In by The Band

The Shape I’m In

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Aug. 17, 19701 viewer12.4K views

The Shape I’m In Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Go out yonder, peace in the valley
Come downtown, have to rumble in the alley

Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in

[Verse 2]
Has anybody seen my lady?
This livin' alone would drive me crazy
Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in

[Bridge]
I'm gonna go down by the water
But I ain't gonna jump in, no, no
I'll just be lookin' for my maker
And I hear that that's where she's been


[Verse 3]
Oh, out of nine lives, I spent seven
Now how in the world do you get to Heaven?
Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in

[Bridge]
I've just spent sixty days in the jail house
For the crime of having no dough, no, no
Now here I am back out on the street
For the crime of having nowhere to go

[Verse 4]
Save your neck or save your brother
Looks like it's one or the other

Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in

[Verse 5]
Now two young kids might start a ruckus
You know, they feel you're tryin' to shuck us
Oh, you don't know the shape I'm in

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About

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Genius Annotation

Written by primary songwriter and guitarist Robbie Robertston, who made it no secret that it was a worried number about pianist Richard Manuel, who had self-destructive tendencies and struggles with alcoholism and drug addiction, and who sings the lead vocal here.

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