DT Corr: What You Do With What You've Got (Kahn)

Subject: Lyr Add: It's What You Do
From: John Hardly
Date: 01 Nov 08 - 12:17 PM

I stumbled upon this very powerful song the other day. After an internet lyrics search netted me a goose egg, I thought I'd post my transcription here. If you wish to hear the song, there's a youTube link below.

It's What You Do With What You've Got
(Si Kahn)

You must know someone like him
He was tall and strong and lean
With a body like a greyhound
And a mind so sharp and keen
But his heart, just like a laurel
Grew twisted 'round itself
'Til almost everything he did
Brought pain to someone else

Well, it's not just what you're born with
It's what you choose to bear
It's not how big your share is
It's how much you can share
It's not the fights you dreamed of
It's those you've really fought
It's not what you've been given
It's what you do with what you've got

Oh, what's the use of two strong legs
If you only run away?
And what's the use of the finest voice
If you've nothing good to say?
What's the use in strength of muscle
If you only push and shove?
And what's the use in two good ears
If you can't hear those you love?

Between those who use their neighbors
And those who use the cane?
Between those in constant power
And those in constant pain?
Between those who run to glory
And those who cannot run?
Tell me which ones are the cripples
And which ones touch the sun?

Which ones touch the sun?


It's What You Do With What You've Got

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: It's What You Do
From: quokka
Date: 01 Nov 08 - 12:31 PM

A friend of mine has just recorded this brilliant song...I love it. Very powerful.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: It's What You Do
From: Willa
Date: 01 Nov 08 - 12:41 PM

A Si Kahn song - I love it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: It's What You Do
From: John Hardly
Date: 01 Nov 08 - 01:47 PM

Thanks for the tip. Knowing that it's a Si Kahn song, I was able to find his lyrics. Subtly different but maybe they fill in some blanks I wondered about.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: It's What You Do
From: peregrina
Date: 01 Nov 08 - 03:28 PM

Often sung by Dick Gaughan and on three of his CDs (here).
And Roy Bailey does it too.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: It's What You Do
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 01 Nov 08 - 03:47 PM

Roy Bailey's been opening his set with it for the past 20 years, and the way Dick Gaughan performs it is magnificent. Eddi Reader is very . . . histrionic.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: It's What You Do
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 01 Nov 08 - 03:56 PM

Oh, and maybe someone could change the title of the thread to It's Not Just What You're Born With.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: It's What You Do
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 01 Nov 08 - 04:05 PM

That posted itself, omitting a wodge.

What I wrote was change the thread title to What You Do With What You've Got which is the title as Si Kahn wrote it.

And I continued with:

And while they're about it they should change the Digitrad where it is listed as It's Not Just What You're Born With.

Subject: DT Corr: What You Do With What You've Got (Kahn)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 01 Nov 08 - 09:01 PM

John Hardly's lyrics and the lyrics in the Digital Tradition are close to the original, but here's what's in the CD booklet for the Si Kahn retrospective album, In My Heart

WHAT YOU DO WITH WHAT YOU'VE GOT
(Si Kahn)

You must know someone like him,
He was tall and strong and lean,
Body like a greyhound,
Mind so sharp and keen
But his heart, just like a laurel,
Grew twisted on itself,
'Til almost everything he did
Brought pain to someone else.

CHORUS:
It's not just what you're born with,
It's what you choose to bear;
It's not how large your share is,
But how much you can share;
It's not the fights you dream of,
But those you really fought;
It's not just what you're given,
But what you do with what you've got.


For what's the use of two strong legs,
If you only run away?
What good is the finest voice,
If you've nothing good to say?
What good are strength and muscle,
If you only push and shove?
What's the use of two good ears,
If you can't hear those you love?
CHORUS

Between those who use their neighbor
And those who use a cane,
Between those in constant power
And those in constant pain,
Between those who run to evil
And those who cannot run,
Tell me, which ones are the cripples,
And which ones touch the sun?
CHORUS

Copyright Joe Hill Music
filename[ BORNWITH
DC

---

The Eddi Reader recording uses an interesting tune that is completely unrelated to Si Kahn's tune. I like the Si Kahn version better, but it's the one I've known for years.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: DT Corr: What You Do With What You've Got (Kah
From: Charley Noble
Date: 01 Nov 08 - 10:44 PM

They don't come much better than Si Kahn for living out what he is writing about.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: DT Corr: What You Do With What You've Got (Kah
From: RTim
Date: 01 Nov 08 - 11:14 PM

It was hearing this song that made me stop singing for a number of years - I did not seem to have enough to say. Tim Radford

Subject: RE: DT Corr: What You Do With What You've Got (Kah
From: Musket
Date: 02 Nov 08 - 06:30 PM

Dates me, really does.

Many years ago, heard Roy Bailey sing it and went away and learned it.

Says something of the time that I changed a line to be topical;

"Botha runs to evil, Mandela cannot run"

If I were to do it again, there would be a danger I sang that line instead of the normal one. Leave it to others then. (Especially Dick Gaughan..)

Subject: RE: DT Corr: What You Do With What You've Got (Kahn)
From: Joe_F
Date: 02 Nov 08 - 08:18 PM

Very sensible. Rubs in my shame: I am always (day)dreaming of fights. Doesn't make me behave any better, tho.

Subject: RE: DT Corr: What You Do With What You've Got (Kahn)
From: GUEST,Rob
Date: 26 Mar 14 - 12:25 PM

Anyone know the guitar chords to this song?? I'd love to learn it!

Subject: RE: DT Corr: What You Do With What You've Got (Kahn)
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Mar 14 - 08:53 AM

https://www.google.ca/?gws_rd=cr

Subject: What You Do With What You've Got
From: GUEST,Me
Date: 31 Oct 16 - 03:22 PM

Eddi Reader's version of this wonderful song is exquisite

Subject: RE: DT Corr: What You Do With What You've Got (Kahn)
From: GUEST,Some bloke
Date: 01 Nov 16 - 03:38 AM

Coincidence that this thread has come back. The Musket version hadn't been sung for donkeys years so I sat down only the other day and worked out a totally different arrangement. It'll get an airing tonight at a local folk club.

Subject: RE: DT Corr: What You Do With What You've Got (Kahn)
From: GUEST,Pregoid
Date: 07 Dec 18 - 12:40 PM

Anyone got a copy of the Gas Mark V version of What You Do With What You've Got?

Subject: RE: DT Corr: What You Do With What You've Got (Kahn)
From: open mike
Date: 11 Sep 19 - 05:41 PM

I want to learn this.....got the lyrics printed out and when i went to work out the tune I kept doing "the yellow rose of Texas" and it fits in well to the meter!   I need to substitute another plant for "laurel" as, that being my actual name, i feel funny singing about laurels twisting around themselves...I may insert "bindweed" or some such!