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