Lyr Req: A Friend of Mine Is Going Blind (J D Read

Subject: Song Search
From: GUEST,Renata
Date: 31 Jul 02 - 06:15 PM

I'm looking for an old 70's song, no idea who sang it. It had the line: "A friend of mine is going blind, but he sees so much better than I." I've never been able to find it, but you guys seem to know EVERYTHING!. Thanks, Love, Renata.

Subject: RE: Song Search
From: SeanM
Date: 31 Jul 02 - 06:45 PM

A quick search of Yahoo for "a friend of mine is going blind" (in quotes) brings up that it was John Dawson, and that the song hit 72 on the Billboard top 100, and debuted 8/30/75, under the song name of "A Friend of Mine is Going Blind".

Can't find the lyrics, but that was off a VERY cursory initial search. This information should get you happily on the way to finding them.

M

Subject: RE: Song Search
From: GUEST,rafflesbear
Date: 31 Jul 02 - 06:47 PM

same theme but I don't think it's the same song - cortelia clark by mickey newbury

Subject: RE: Song Search
From: GUEST,Ruth Shull
Date: 11 Apr 04 - 11:16 AM

I am interested in finding the lyrics to the song discussed above and/or the link to download/burn it off the internet: "A friend of mine is going blind" by John Dawson Reed.........Thank you for any help!   Ruth

Subject: RE: Song Search
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 11 Apr 04 - 11:30 AM

Similar thoughts in Elton John's "Daniel"


"Daniel my brother you are older than me
Do you still feel the pain of the scars that won't heal
Your eyes have died but you see more than I
Daniel you're a star in the face of the sky"


Nigel

Subject: Lyr Add: DANIEL (Elton John)
From:
Date: 11 Apr 04 - 12:38 PM

DANIEL
(ELTON JOHN)

  C                                 Dm
Daniel is travelling tonight on a plane
G                             E             Am
I can see the red tail lights heading for Spain
       F         G                 Am
Oh and I can see Daniel waving goodbye
       F                 G            F            C
God it looks like Daniel, must be the clouds in my eyes
 
  F                        C
Daniel my brother you are older than me
             F                    C
Do you still feel the pain of the scars that won't heal
               Am                         F
Your eyes have died but you see more than I
G#              C   Am                  F  G  
Daniel you're a star in the face of the sky
 
  They say Spain is pretty though I've never been
Well Daniel says it's the best place that he's ever seen
Oh and he should know, he's been there enough
Lord I miss Daniel, oh I miss him so much
 
  Daniel my brother you are older than me
Do you still feel the pain of the scars that won't heel
Your eyes have died but you see more than I
Daniel you're a star in the face of the sky
 
Guitar solo
 
  Daniel my brother you are older than me
Do you still feel the pain of the scars that won't heel
Your eyes have died but you see more than I
Daniel you're a star in the face of the sky
 
  Daniel is travelling tonight on a plane
I can see the red tail lights heading for Spain
Oh and I can see Daniel waving goodbye
God it looks like Daniel, must be the clouds in my eyes
Oh God it looks like Daniel, must be the clouds in my eyes

Subject: RE: Song Search
From:
Date: 11 Apr 04 - 12:42 PM

Ruth, no luck on your lyrics.

Nigel, it is usually easier to find later, if you had started a new thread with your lyric request rather than add to this one.

Subject: RE: Song Search
From: Amos
Date: 11 Apr 04 - 12:43 PM

That's not the song she asked for. She is asking for a place where she can find "A Friend of Mine Is Going Blind" which was a pop hit in 1975.

I have not been able to find tabs, lyrics, or a downloadable file. There are several record vendors on the Internet who claim to have copies for sale.

A

Subject: RE: Song Search
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 11 Apr 04 - 01:14 PM

Subject: RE: Song Search
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 11 Apr 04 - 01:17 PM

The guy who wrote it also sang it on "Old Grey Whistle Test" sorry I can't remember his name but maybe this will help.

Subject: Lyr Add: FRIEND OF MINE IS GOING BLIND (J D Read)
From: delphinium
Date: 11 Apr 04 - 02:17 PM

The requested song is "A FRIEND OF MINE IS GOING BLIND", written and performed by John Dawson Read (English) in the mid 1970s, released as a single and also on his album of that name on the Chrysalis label.

This info and the lyrics are on the Michael Johnson message board at http://www.mjblue.com/board/index.cgi?noframes;read=1479 and copied here:

Lyrics from the back of the album cover:

A friend of mine is going blind
But through the dimness
He sees so much better than me
And how he cherishes each new thing that he sees
They are locked in his head he will save them for when
He's in darkness again

He can't read books
And he can't paint pretty pictures
But he understands so much clearer than I
For he knows that all he's missing with his eyes
Is more vivid in the mind of the man who's going blind
And that's why he doesn't mind

Won't you sing Tommy Davidson of things that you have seen
Sing of winter's bite and summer nights and places you have been
Of dew drops and forget-me-nots and silver silky sheen
Lain across the morning meadow on the hillside

And this friend of mine, he plays guitar
And sings his songs so well
And he sings so much better than I
He can sing you any pictures in your mind
He will sketch them out in rhyme, draw the details in the lines
And he'll colour it in time

And oh how he loves his guitar -
And it loves him
And they play so much sweeter than me
As if to say, that come the day that he can't see
He will have at his command so much beauty in his hands
That the loss won't come so hard

Won't you sing Tommy Davidson of things that you have done
Sing of silver seagulls sailing into evening's golden sun
Sing of city streets and villages and people on the run
Tell the people how you know it Tommy Davidson

===

An mp3 of the song as sung by Michael Johnson is at http://mjblue.com/mjclips.html.

Subject: RE: Song Search
From: Amos
Date: 11 Apr 04 - 02:19 PM

Wow!! Good job!


A

Subject: RE: Song Search
From: Megan L
Date: 11 Apr 04 - 03:33 PM

Mary Ohara sings this on one of her cds

Subject: RE: Song Search: Friend of mine is going blind
From:
Date: 25 Apr 04 - 05:12 PM

Can't express my appreciation enough for the link to the song. It's always been one of my favorites!

Many thanks, again.

Subject: RE: Song Search: Friend of mine is going blind
From: Rasener
Date: 25 Apr 04 - 05:30 PM

Sadly a friend of mine is literally blind. His eyesight has deteriated badly over the last year.

He and his wife have always supported folk festivals and have always been stewards as they do not sing or play music.
We were going to meet them up at the Moor and Coast Festival at Whitby. But they pulled out because his wife can't drive far enough because of acute arthritus to get him up there.
Their daughter normally drives them up with her friend and they all steward, but she can't make it. We live to far away to be able to get them up to Whitby.
They are Directors of the Warwick Festival.

So although they are unlikely to see this post as they are not members of the Mudcat Forum, I would still like to wish them the best and will miss them up at Whitby. And I suppose a big thank you for what they have put into the folk world.

Their names incidentally are Mike and Barbara Guise and live in Redditch.

Subject: RE: Song Search: Friend of mine is going blind
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Jun 04 - 12:14 AM

Subject: RE: Song Search: Friend of mine is going blind
From: GUEST,Bill, from California
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 11:03 PM

I have had this song haunt me since I first heard it in the mid-70's, when FM radio was in transition to popular music. The lyrics made me cry when I first heard them, so long ago, and the song made a HUGE impression on me. Over the years, I have been able only to recall stray fragments of the words, and I had not heard the song itself in at least two and a half decades. Thank you all for sharing this song. It's nice to know that there were others besides myself, who were deeply moved by its words, and its message. God bless!

Subject: RE: Song Search: Friend of mine is going blind
From: GUEST,Seaking
Date: 08 Jun 04 - 08:54 PM

Guest Renata,

I have tape and vinyl copies of the John Dawson Read album, bought in the mid 70's on the strength of 'A Friend of mine'. If you want the tape I'll send it if you pm me with your address. (not sure if you can do this while I'm here as 'guest', I'll post to this thread again once I'm back on my own PC and with cookie)

Chris

Subject: RE: Song Search: Friend of mine is going blind
From:
Date: 14 Jun 04 - 12:05 AM

I would like to get the whole album in CD or MP3 format if it is available. John Dawson Read is/was a fantastic musician song writer. Does anyone know what became of him..?

Subject: RE: Song Search: Friend of mine is going blind
From: GUEST,Lynn
Date: 17 Jun 04 - 11:22 AM

Check this out.www.cd-choice.com/cds/B77/B77784.htm

Subject: RE: Song Search: Friend of mine is going blind
From:
Date: 24 Sep 04 - 08:28 PM

I loved that song. I was in junior high when it came out and it could bring tears to my eyes. I haven't heard it since then but it just came to my mind this morning and I did a search and ened up at this place. I just remember "A friend of mine is going blind, but through the dimness, he sees so muich clearer than I...."

Robert Beach

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Friend of Mine Is Going Blind
From: GUEST,Psiglo
Date: 05 Dec 04 - 11:04 PM

I have the vinyl LP of John Dawson Read but I have the idea it is broken.
I had search this song on the net using the most known tools (WinMx, eMule, Soulseek) but couldn't find it.
If anyone has this track and wants to share it or knows where to find it, please let me know
Write to: [e-mail]
Thanks a lot

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Friend of Mine Is Going Blind
From:
Date: 22 Dec 04 - 09:09 PM

Hi everybody!!

After a long long search I could get an MP3 file of this song that I always had in my mind. It was one of my favourites songs in the 70's
The file I got is 128Kb MONO and it has a lot of noise and clicks.
I ripped another MP3 with reduced noise and clicks.
I made this MP3 in 320Kb just in order to loose the less from the original and is not really Stero.
I will go on searching for a better audio file, but meanwhile is what I have to offer to anyone who is interested. No fees!! It's free.
I know I'm braaking some rules but ... it's worth!!!
This file can be downloaded from my PC using eMule. My user name is: Psiglo. You will also find a RAR file which includes both files (128kb and 320Kb) and the lyrics in a TXT file.
If you have WinMx or SoulSeek let me know by e-mail.
If you want me to send this MP3 to your mail box, write to me just asking but be sure your e-mail account supports big files.
Best regards and Marry Christmas to everyone
José Luis

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Friend of Mine Is Going Blind
From: GUEST,cesar canomanuel
Date: 16 Jun 05 - 08:05 PM

Hey everybody interested in this song....

Mr John Dawson Read has opened his own website:
www.johndawsonread.com
All the lyrics are there... and even some mp3...
Go and visit it.
regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Friend of Mine Is Going Blind
From: GUEST,Anthony Sansone
Date: 06 Jul 09 - 06:06 AM

A Friend of Mine is going Blind
    by John Dawson Reed
A Friend of mine is going blind, but through the dimness
He sees so much better than me
And how he cherishes each new thing that he sees
They are locked in his head, he will save them for when
He's in darkness again
He can't read books and he can't paint pretty pictures
But he understands so much clearer than I
For he knows that all he's missing with his eyes
Is more vivid in the mind of the man who's going blind
And that's why he doesn't mind
Won't you sing Tommy Davidson of things that you have seen
Sing of winter's bite and summer nights
And places you have been
Of dew drops and forget-me-nots and silver silky sheen
Lain across the morning meadow on the hillside
And this friend of mine, he plays guitar and sings his song so well
And he sings so much better than I
He can sing you any pictures in your mind
He will sketch them out in rhyme, draw the details in the lines
And he'll color it in time
And Oh how he loves his guitar, and it loves him
And they play so much sweeter than me
As if to say that come the day that he can't see
He will have at his command so much beauty in his hands
That the loss won't come so hard
Won't you sing Tommy Davidson of things that you have done
Sing of silver seagulls sailing into evening's golden sun
Sing of city streets and villages and people on the run
Tell the people how you know it Tommy Davidson
A Friend of mine is going blind but through the dimness
He sees so much better than me
And how he cherishes each new thing that he sees
They are locked in his head, he will save them for when
He's in darkness again.