Lyrics A Natural Man - Live at The Newport Jazz Festival 1981 - Lou Rawls

You know, there was a time when, if someone told you to do something,
You did it. Bam. Right on. No questions asked. It was "yes,
Sir" and "yes, ma′am." You never said no, you know? Huh,
But you know things are changing nowadays. It's a new day, babies.
Folks want to take their own lives into their hands and make their
Own choices. No longer do they want to go along with the program
′Cause everybody say it's right. You know what I mean?
Let me tell you what I'm talkin′ about, you see, ′cause

I don't want no gold watch for working fifty years from nine to five
While the boss is guzzling champagne and I′m belting beer in some dive

'Cause I want to be
Happy and free
Living and loving for me

I want to be
Happy and free
Living and loving for me

Like a natural man (like a natural man)
A natural man (like a natural man)

Well now
I refuse to listen to people′s thinking that I live too high
I'm gonna taste it now, before my one life streaks on by

′Cause I want to be
Happy and free
Living and loving for me

I want to be
Happy and free
Living and loving for me

Just like a natural man (like a natural man)
I said a natural man (just like a natural man)

Well now, I tried to do what others said that I should do
They said that I should fit in, fool 'em, fake it, well
Those kinda dues just make me crazy and blue
Man, I just can't take it

So when you see me walking,
Won′t you notice that proud look in my eyes
My feet are on the ground and my soul is searching for the sky

′Cause I want to be
Happy and free
Living and loving for me

I want to be
Happy and free
Living and loving for me

Just like a natural man (just like a natural man)
A natural man (just like a natural man)
Just like a natural man (just like a natural man)

My feet are on the ground (just like a natural man)
My soul is searching for the sky (just like a natural man)

Like a natural man (just like a natural man)
No more "yes, sir" (just like a natural man)
No more "yes, ma'am" (just like a natural man)
Huh, ′cause I'm a natural man (just like a natural man)
I′m a natural man (just like a natural man)