In the nearly 52 years of my life I had to learn a load of rather hard lessons. The hardest one has been to learn that I'm no good. There are two sides to that coin: the one is my individual image of myself as a person. I can live with that. The other side is the image that other people hold of me. I cannot live with that. Not that I would not be able to cope with the fact that some people think I was no good. They are right. But why are they offended or even hurt by that simple fact? Just take me as I am, no good, that's all. The trouble starts with not accepting that simple fact: I am no good. Accusations begin. In that vein, we can point to a classic soul song about a man that is no good. It was written by Clint Ballard, first recorded by Dee Dee Warwick and was a hit for Betty Everett in the first place. Here is her version:
Later on, it has been recorded by many artists, among them a merseyside-version by the Swinging Blue Jeans, a cover done by Van Halen and a rendering of the song by Elvis Costello. The longlasting impact stems from Linda Ronstadt's re-make in the early 70ies - nice (probably best) version, but look at the clothes they wear, their hairdo, simply: all - and the excitement shown, f.e., by the drummer..., the whole performance being introduced by José Feliciano (!!):
I could indulge into Nietzsche's critique of morality here and talk about being beyond good and evil. On reading his "Ecce Homo", it turns out, that he simply admitted, like Amy Winehouse did - both with a small but important change of perspective - "I told you I was trouble, you know that I'm no good". What a song, may she rest in peace, among those intellectually honest souls that are capable of admitting: "I'm no good"
Later on, it has been recorded by many artists, among them a merseyside-version by the Swinging Blue Jeans, a cover done by Van Halen and a rendering of the song by Elvis Costello. The longlasting impact stems from Linda Ronstadt's re-make in the early 70ies - nice (probably best) version, but look at the clothes they wear, their hairdo, simply: all - and the excitement shown, f.e., by the drummer..., the whole performance being introduced by José Feliciano (!!):
I could indulge into Nietzsche's critique of morality here and talk about being beyond good and evil. On reading his "Ecce Homo", it turns out, that he simply admitted, like Amy Winehouse did - both with a small but important change of perspective - "I told you I was trouble, you know that I'm no good". What a song, may she rest in peace, among those intellectually honest souls that are capable of admitting: "I'm no good"
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