Lyr Req/ADD: Nectar of Life (Bob Franke)

Subject: forever young?
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Aug 00 - 09:24 PM

(Wanted to post this with proper title, excuse repetition)

Does any one know who sung this song- I'm not certain that it is actually called Forever Young:

(And this is a loose rendition of the lyrics)

Do they know I was a (?bastard?) I was a saint in the church
I fought for my children and I did good work
I fought for my lover and my self-respect
And the nectar of life never left my tongue...
Forever young.

This is all I can remember. The singer has a very deep voice... sings this song almost like L. Cohen...

Subject: Pastor
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Aug 00 - 09:42 PM

Pastor- I believe it's do they know I was a "pastor". Just figured that out. I realized Bastard didn't make much sense in this context, but couldn't figure out what rhymed with bastard- the closest thing I could come up with mustard. But, yeah- I think it must be Pastor.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: forever young?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Aug 00 - 10:38 PM

Well, this is certainly not Bob Dylan's "Forever Young." It sounds vaguely familiar. Anybody?
-Joe Offer-

Subject:
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Aug 00 - 12:48 AM

Someone must know this- had to bring it to the top again.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: forever young?
From: Mountain Dog
Date: 26 Aug 00 - 01:01 AM

This sounds vaguely like a semi-recent Rod Stewart (of Small Faces and "Maggie Mae" fame) that still gets airplay on the radio from time to time. Is that any help?

Subject: The nectar of life
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Aug 00 - 01:15 AM

No- this is definately not Rod Stewart, as I said- it's sort of sung-spoken in a Leonard Cohen fashion, and the singer's name isn't as well known, I don't think, as R. Stewart. He is in the over-forty yrs. old range... I really don't know anything more about him. Any information would help- as I would then have a point of reference. Right now all I've got is a couple lines and the melody.

Thanks for trying.

(No, it is definately not the dylan song)

Do they know pastor? I was a saint in the church. I fought for my children and I did good work. I fought for my lover and my self respect, and the nectar of life never left my tongue. (pause) Forever young...

(and so forth)

Thanks for reading.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: forever young?
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 26 Aug 00 - 10:14 AM

Cat Stevens sang a version of a song called Forever Young, but the lyrics sound different to the ones posted. Aye. Dave

Subject: Lyr Add: NECTAR OF LIFE (Bob Franke)
From: GUEST,Adam Lang
Date: 11 Jul 13 - 03:48 PM

Well, lookee here. I can answer this one, and I'm only THIRTEEN YEARS too late for anyone to care!

The song in question is one of Bob Franke's lesser-known pieces (but still gorgeous, as are more or less all of Bob Franke's songs.) It's actually called 'Nectar of Life'.

-----------------

NECTAR OF LIFE
(Bob Franke)
As recorded on 'Bob Franke: Brief Histories', 1989
(Also present in 'The Bob Franke Songbook' (1992) but that's next to impossible to find.)

This place ain't the worst, but I've heard of better
The few mistakes I made gave them the law and the letter
So they put me here
What do judges know
But their fear of death?

CHORUS:
Do they know I was a bastard I was a saint of the church
I did for my lover and I did good work
I worked for my children and my self-respect
And the nectar of life never left my tongue
Forever young

My children think me no more a human, they're afraid of my shit
They seem to forget that I put up with theirs
I was a saint of God until He left me to this
Buried alive and betrayed by a kiss
What do children know
But their fear of death?

(CHORUS)

My last long lover is ten years gone, the fears of my friends are not fantasies
They die in no particular order
I cry out for justice but the orderlies prefer not to hear
They call me crazy
But they fear death.

(CHORUS)

I remember well but I do not reminisce,
    I remember the shame that brought me down to this
They run from my anger and leave me to hate
It's too late for them to hear
But I do not fear death

(CHORUS)

-----------------

Now, if you want to know what it's about, well, there I can't help you so much.

Subject: RE: req/ADD: Nectar of Life (Bob Franke)
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 12 Jul 13 - 02:22 AM

looks to me it is about the aids epidemic

Subject: RE: req/ADD: Nectar of Life (Bob Franke)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 Jul 13 - 03:30 AM

This song was on Bob Franke's 1989 Brief Histories album, which mostly told stories from the history of Salem, Massachusetts. I ripped the CD to MP3 and put away the CD, and can't find it.
Does anybody have the CD, and can you post the notes about this song?

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/ADD: Nectar of Life (Bob Franke)
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Dec 13 - 05:08 PM

I have the CD--Bob's note regarding Nectar of Life just says "This song is about a resident of a nursing home."