Compared to What

Annotation

The protest song "Compared to What" (Atlantic # 2694), written by soul vocalist Gene McDaniels, became a hit with this jazz version, recorded live at the 1969 Montreux Jazz Festival. Inspired by the civil rights and Vietnam War protest movement, McDaniels' angry lyrics first appeared on the opening track of Roberta Flack's debut album First Take (see the single Compared to What). McCann and Harris took Flack's delicate soul version and added strength to the beat, which took their album Swiss Movement to the top of the jazz charts. The song went on to be covered by over 250 artists, such Mr. Flood's Party (Compared to What) and Ray Charles (Compared to What).12 The narrator noted "the President, he’s got his war, folks don’t know just what it’s for". Sources1YouTube↩2YouTube↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: I love the lie and lie the love / A-Hangin' on, with push and shove / Possession is the motivation that is hangin' up the God-damn nation / Looks like we always end up in a rut (everybody now!) / Tryin' to make it real, compared to what? C'mon baby! / Slaughterhouse is killin' hogs / Twisted children killin' frogs / Poor dumb rednecks rollin' logs / Tired old lady kissin' dogs / I hate the human love of that stinking mutt (I can't use it!) / Try to make it real, compared to what? C'mon baby now! / The President, he's got his war / Folks don't know just what it's for / Nobody gives us rhyme or reason / Have one doubt, they call it treason / We're chicken-feathers, all without one nut / God damn it! / Tryin' to make it real, compared to what? (Sock it to me) / Church on Sunday, sleep and nod / Tryin' to duck the wrath of God / Preacher's fillin' us with fright / They all tryin' to teach us what they think is right / They really got to be some kind of nut (I can't use it!) / Tryin' to make it real, compared to what? / Where's that bee and where's that honey? / Where's my God and where's my money? / Unreal values, crass distortion / Unwed mothers need abortion / Kind of brings to mind ol' young King Tut (He did it now) / Tried to make it real, compared to what?! / Tryin' to make it real, compared to what?

About the artist

Les McCann - Born 23 September 1935, Lexington, Kentucky, USA, Died 29 December 2023, California, USA. Eddie Harris - Born 20 October 1934, Chicago, Illinois, USA, Died 5 November 1996, Los Angeles, California, USA

Themes

Anti-War · Civil Rights

In collections

Civil Rights Songs · Jazz Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years]