I'VE NEVER BEEN TO ME
(Ken Hirsh / Ron Miller)

Charlene = 1976
Randy Crawford - 1976
Walter Jackson - 1977
Mary MacGregor - 1978
The Temptations - 1982

Also recorded by: Nancy Wilson; Howard Keel; Lori Donato;
Loretta Holloway; Rachelle Spring; Paola; Rainbow Nation;
Vivian Chow; S.H.E.; Teresa Teng; Kikki Danielsson; As One;
Primero; Yuki Koyanagi; Tracy Huang Ying Ying.




Hey lady, you lady, cursin' at your life
You're a discontented mother and a regimented wife
I've no doubt you dream about the things you never do
But I wish someone had'a talked to me like I wanna talk to you

Ooooh, I've been to Georgia and California
And anywhere I could run
Took the hand of a preacher man
And we made love in the sun
But I ran out of places and friendly faces
Because I had to be free
I've been to paradise, but I've never been to me

Please lady, please lady, don't just walk away
'Cause I have this need to tell you why I'm all alone today
I can see so much of me still living in your eyes
Won't you share a part of a weary heart that has lived a million lies

Ooh, I've been to Nice and the isle of Greece
While I sipped champagne on a yacht
I moved like Harlow in Monte Carlo
And showed 'em what I've got
I've been undressed by kings
And I've seen some things
That a woman ain't s'pose to see
I've been to paradise, but I've never been to me

SPOKEN:
Hey, you know what paradise is? It's a lie
A fantasy we create about people and places as we'd like them to be
But you know what truth is? It's that little baby you're holding
And it's that man you fought with this morning
The same one you're going to make love with tonight
That's truth, that's love

Sometimes I've been to crying for unborn children
That might have made me complete
But I, I took the sweet life
I never knew I'd be bitter from the sweet
I spent my life exploring the subtle whoreing
That cost too much to be free
Hey lady, I've been to paradise
But I've never been to meeeeeeeeeeeeee....
I've been to paradise, never been to me
Been to Georgia and California and anywhere I could run
I've been to paradise, never been to me
Been to Nice and the isle of Greece
While I sipped champagne on a yacht
I've been to paradise.........FADE


******


As recorded by HOWARD KEEL:


Hey mister, hey mister, I just want a dime
'Cause I need a cup of coffee
And a moment of your time
I can see you're raisin' hell the way I used to do
But I wish someone had'a talked to me
Like I wanna talk to you

Ooooh, been to Georgia, California
Any place I could run
Stole a woman in Tennessee
And we made love in the sun
But I ran out of places with friendly faces
Because I had to be free
I've been to paradise, but I've never been to me

Thank you mister, thank you kindly
Please don't walk away
'Cause I have this need to tell you
Why I'm all alone today
I can see so much of me
Still livin' in your eyes
Won't you share a part of an old man's heart
On the day before he dies

Oooh, I've been to China and Asia Minor
On any ship that could sail
Made some noise with some good old boys
And we wrecked the county jail
I've seen the best men crawl and some teardrops fall
There ain't nothing I didn't see
I've been to paradise, but I've never been to me

(Orchestral Break)

I've even been to marriage
Had children cryin' for someone they couldn't find
Never knowin' that I was searchin'
For things I left behind
I thought my heart could wait
But I learned too late
Only love can make people free
I've been to paradise
But I've never been to me

I've been to paradise
But I've never been to me

I've been to paradise
But I've never been to me

I've been to paradise
But I've never been........FADE


(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - November 2008)