Lypophrenia

I huddled in the cold, rainy wind and watched everything across the sad vineyards of October in the valley. My mind was filled with that great song “Lover Man” as Billie Holiday sings it; I had my own concert in the bushes. “Someday we’ll meet, and you’ll dry all my tears, and whisper sweet, little things in my ear, hugging and a-kissing, oh what we’ve been missing, Lover Man, oh where can you be …” It’s not the words so much as the great harmonic tune and the way Billie sings it, like a woman stroking her man’s hair in soft lamp-light. The winds howled. I got cold.

On the Road by Jack Kerouac

~~~

I don’t know why but I’m feeling so sad
I long to try something I’ve never had
Never had no kissin’
Oh, what I’ve been missin’
Lover man, oh, where can you be?

The night is cold and I’m so all alone
I’d give my soul just to call you my own
Got a moon above me
But no one to love me
Lover man, oh, where can you be?

I’ve heard it said
That the thrill of romance
Can be like a heavenly dream
I go to bed with a prayer
That you’ll make love to me
Strange as it seems

Someday we’ll meet
And you’ll dry all my tears
Then whisper sweet
Little things in my ears
Hugging and a-kissing
Oh, what we’ve been missing
Lover man, oh, where can you be?

I’ve heard it said
That the thrill of romance
Can be like a heavenly dream
I go to bed with a prayer
That you’ll make love to me
Strange as it seems

Someday we’ll meet
And you’ll dry all my tears
Then whisper sweet
Little things in my ears
A-hugging and a-kissing
Oh, what we’ve been missing
Lover man, where can you be?

“Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)”, 1941 written by Jimmy Davis, Roger (“Ram”) Ramirez, and James Sherman