By: Jimmy Buffett, Buzz Cason

1971

Evil, it's been here all along

Good things, they just seem to have come and gone

In my life I have seen so much go wrong

And there's only one way left for us to get along



Chorus:

You got to bend a little one way or the other

You got to leave your mind open to discover

Seems I've been fightin' it all along

You got to bend a little no matter which side you're on

Or soon you'll be gone



Papers, they print it every day

Housewife, wraps the garbage then throws it away

I don't guess she thinks they have that much to say

But when the time is right she'll be the lady with so much to pay



Chorus:

You got to bend a little one way or the other

You got to leave your mind open to discover

Seems I've been fightin' it all along

You got to bend a little no matter which side you're on

Or soon you'll be gone



History, it teaches much too well

Nations, had to rise up before they fell

And my eyes see the story they're tryin' to tell

And tonight I think I heard the final toll of the bell



Chorus:

We better bend a little one way or the other

You got to leave your mind open to discover

Seems I've been fightin' it all along

You've got to bend a little no matter which side you're on

Or soon you'll be gone



Seems I've been fightin' it all along

I've been a fightin' and a fightin'

Got to bend a little no matter which side you're on

It's a long and and dirty battle

It seems I've been fightin' it all along

I've been a tearin' and a pullin'

Got a bend a little no matter which side you're on

Yes I know cause

It seems I've been fightin' it all along

I've been a punchin' and a gougin'

And it seems it don't matter which side you're on

I've been a tearin' and a rippin' and

It seems I've been fightin' it all along