Lyr Req: Natural Man (Shane, of New Zealand)

Subject: Didn't he wear
From: cdholbie
Date: 30 Jul 99 - 11:18 AM

Sad to say that this is just another song lyric inquiry. I remember these lyrics while delivering Sunday morning newspapers, Circa very late 60's/very earlier 70's. Unfortunately I can give no clues as to song title or artist and would appreciate knowing either. Here goes: ...didn't he wear dirty brown hair and a beard all matted down (I think) handsome and tan but a natural man and his sandals scraping the ground.

I have searched many databases without luck so I am relying on ears old enough to recall the time.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'didn't he wear dirty brown hair and ...'
From: GUEST,Gray
Date: 03 Dec 11 - 04:33 PM

In NZ Shane had a hit with this song. It is called Natural Man.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'didn't he wear dirty brown hair and ...'
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 03 Dec 11 - 04:58 PM

Natural Man sung by Shane on youtube.

Mick

Subject: Lyr Add: NATURAL MAN (Shane, of New Zealand)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 05 Dec 11 - 10:14 PM

Here's my transcription from the recording at YouTube. I had never heard of this Shane before. Here's his web site. I'd like to know who wrote the song, and whether anyone else recorded it. The trouble is, there are lots of other songs with the same title—and lots of other performers with the same name—so it's rather hard to research.


NATURAL MAN
As recorded by Shane (of New Zealand), 1969

Didn't he wear some dirty brown hair
And a beard all matted down?
Oh, handsome and tan but a natural man,
And his sandals scraping the ground.

I remember the time and I still call it mine
When he walked the streets with a view,
Cracking the seams of conformity's beams
With a message so old it was new.

Folks came to town when the word got around
To see just the love on his face.
Police saw the crowds; they called them a mob
And sprayed them with a chemical mist.

They drove him away to the courthouse today.
He's charged with unspeakable crimes:
Inciting to riot, sedition, and treason,
And it's all on page one of the Times.

At the top of the hill he surveyed all at will
As they stood and pretended to cry,
Oh, not humble and sad in a world that was bad,
Made the tears smart and fall from the sky.

Didn't he wear some dirty brown hair
And a beard all matted down?
Handsome and tan but a natural man,
And his sandals scraping the ground.