Written: White Rocks Dorm, NMSU, Las Cruces NM, 1965
This was inspired by an obscure Bob Dylan song called If You Gotta Go, Go Now. It wasn’t about anyone Knees knew – in 1965 he hadn’t had any experience with living with anyone but his family. He had forgotten all about it until the early 90s when he found a copy of the lyrics.
She didn’t try to see me through,
She thought I oughta change my view
It wasn’t simple livin with her.
She didn’t try to connect at all
She kept the bed away from the wall
No it wasn’t simple livin with her.
But my days with her were good for me,
Not only fun but reality
Now fun is cheap but not as real,
Only she can change the way I feel.
She had a way of holdin back
She said our minds were on different tracks
It wasn’t simple livin with her.
She blew her mind when things got rough
She held me down but not enough
No it wasn’t simple livin with her.
But my days with her were right for me,
Better than they had a right to be
Her leavin me I took in stride,
Now all I got is my pride.