Modern Song Reaction: "If It Ain't One Thing, It's Another" - Richard "Dimples" Fields (1982)

This is a new thing I'm trying. I'm taking songs I've heard and going through them line by line, sharing my reaction to them using the effective, concise, and eminently professional tool: emoji. Some songs will be newer, some older, but hopefully all of them will be entertaining in some way.

Something I call "Emotional Momentum" is indicated by the emojis. So for example, a song begins with what I feel is the appropriate place on the spectrum of emotion, (good/bad/neutral) and rises and falls accordingly based on the lyrics and/or music. The good or bad feelings can build up and be carried along, increasing or decreasing in intensity as indicated by the emojis. Unless there's a dramatic shift in tone, there generally shouldn't be drastic changes in emotion. It will generally be a slower, more subtle, change over time.

OK, enough about that, Let's begin.

Year: 1982
Performer: Richard "Dimples" Fields
Title: "If it ain't one thing, it's another..."

I first heard this song as a kid. My parents, my dad in particular, had a pretty keen ear for music. Back then (late 70's, early to mid 80's), he primarily listened to funk, disco, R&B, and a sprinkling of pop. I'm not sure how he came across this song, but I can see why he liked it. It's got a catchy tune and the singer (preacher?!) has a fairly soothing voice. I heard it as a kid and didn't think much of it. I did think parts of it were a little odd, but at the time, I chalked that up to me being a kid (what do kids know about anything? AMIRITE!?) It wasn't until I heard this song as an adult that I was able to see the fairly blatent agenda.

A notable thing in my mind about this artist: Despite his friendly sermon at the end where he shares his views on life from his perspective as a Jehovah's Witness (the 144,000 reference is the key), his other most prominent songs seem to resolve around problems with mistresses and other types of infidelity. Interesting...

"If it ain't one thing, it's another..."

I'm making this song for all the people who at times in their lives feel bad 🙂
You know when you feel like even your blues have blues 😊

If it ain't one thing it's another 😊
If it ain't one thing it's another 😊

It's a crazy mixed up world, it's a dog eat dog world 🙂
Life is full strife, people just aren't nice 🙂
Everybody's talking smack, Running games on this and that 🙂
Racial resentment adds to this contentment 🙂
Talk to any guy he'll tell you taxes are too high 🙂
Books movies are corrupt, suicide is way up 🤨
Kids are a sorry lot, some folks say it's 'cuz of pot 🤨
Phoney ego trips, wow! Everyone has flipped 🤨

If it ain't one thing it's another 🙂
If it ain't one thing it's another 🙂

Everybody's shacking up, married folks are packing up 🤨
Country's going up in smoke, Where is Noah with his boat 🤨
Blacks marching on dc, 400 years still not free 🤨
Martin paid all a man can pay, still he's not a holiday 🤨
Folks messing with my mind, make me Frankenstein 🤨
This woman by my side, she's Dr. Jeckyl Mr. Hyde 🤨
Can't get my head on right, problems day and night 🤨
Try to calm my nerves I've tried smoke, Doctors give me dope to cope 🤨

If it ain't one thing it's another 🤨
If it ain't one thing it's another 🤨
If it ain't one thing it's another 🤨

My funky two bit job went on strike 🤨
I've put up with a lot of crap I don't like 🤨
And to add to my woes, this ugly woman named Sadie called and said she's having my baby 🤨
Lord have mercy 🤨

From my day of birth I've called hell on earth 🤨
A number is all I am, ain't got no frills don't give a... 🤨
If you don't got no pull, you've got to put up with a lot of bull 🤨
This funky world is cold, I oughta flush myself down the... 🤨

If it ain't one thing it's another 🤨
If it ain't one thing it's another 🤨
If it ain't one thing it's another 🤨
If it ain't one thing it's another 🤨

My friends, I wonder if it's OK if I talk to you this evening 🤨
A long time ago my old grandmother, bless her heart 🤨
Used to sit me on her knee and pull out her Good Book, 🤨
And she said my son, my child, don't you ever get to grown, to famous, to rich to forget the man upstairs 🤨
And she used to turn to Matthew chapter 24, and there the disciples would talking to the master 😒
And they said Lord tell us what will be the sign of your coming 😑
And the end to all this confusion on Earth 😞
And the Good Lord said, my children watch out that nobody deceive you 😞
For the last days, there'll be lots of tribulation, wars, and famines 😞
And earthquakes in different places on the Earth 😞
And there will be no understanding among people of the Earth 😑
He said but as you see these things occur, 😞
Don't become too discouraged, just lift yours head up high 😞
Because your deliverance is getting nearer 😞
And he spoke about the proclamation about coming kingdom or government of god 😞
That will eventually take over this Earth and rule over the whole Earth 😞
And I turn to Daniel chapter two, 😢
And there Daniel describes that this kingdom won't be an earthly kingdom 😢
But it will be ruled by God 😢
Note in the book of Revelations it talks 😢
About how there will be a man who'll be Jesus 😢
And whose faithful 144, 000 who would bring all of mankind back to perfection 😳
Aw, some of ya'll out there knows exactly what I'm talking about 😞
Issiah, Isaiah, a long time ago said I see old people growing young again 😞
I see lame people running and leaping just like a gazelle 😞
And blind people will see again 😞
And we won't have to worry about our children going outside to play at night 😞
They'll be able to play with a snake, brotherhood 😞
There'll be brotherhood and peace and tranquility on the earth 😞
Aw it makes me feel good when I read over in Revelations 😞
That it say God would wipe out every tear from my eyes 😞
Yeah that's in Revelations chapter 21, 😞
Why don't you pick up a Good Book and read all about it for yourselves 😖
And my friends I don't know if I'll ever see you again 😑
Life is certainly uncertain these days 😑
I'm sure you'll agree to that 😑
But keep dreaming the big dreams 😑
Get down on your knees and ask the big guy in the sky for his spirit to sustain you 😑
And pray for me, I'll be praying for you. 😑

Goodnight 🤨