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 ๐Ÿ™‚
You know when you feel like even your blues have blues ๐Ÿ˜Š

If it ain't one thing it's another ๐Ÿ˜Š
If it ain't one thing it's another ๐Ÿ˜Š

It's a crazy mixed up world, it's a dog eat dog world ๐Ÿ™‚
Life is full strife, people just aren't nice ๐Ÿ™‚
Everybody's talking smack, Running games on this and that ๐Ÿ™‚
Racial resentment adds to this contentment ๐Ÿ™‚
Talk to any guy he'll tell you taxes are too high ๐Ÿ™‚
Books movies are corrupt, suicide is way up ๐Ÿคจ
Kids are a sorry lot, some folks say it's 'cuz of pot ๐Ÿคจ
Phoney ego trips, wow! Everyone has flipped ๐Ÿคจ

If it ain't one thing it's another ๐Ÿ™‚
If it ain't one thing it's another ๐Ÿ™‚

Everybody's shacking up, married folks are packing up ๐Ÿคจ
Country's going up in smoke, Where is Noah with his boat ๐Ÿคจ
Blacks marching on dc, 400 years still not free ๐Ÿคจ
Martin paid all a man can pay, still he's not a holiday ๐Ÿคจ
Folks messing with my mind, make me Frankenstein ๐Ÿคจ
This woman by my side, she's Dr. Jeckyl Mr. Hyde ๐Ÿคจ
Can't get my head on right, problems day and night ๐Ÿคจ
Try to calm my nerves I've tried smoke, Doctors give me dope to cope ๐Ÿคจ

If it ain't one thing it's another ๐Ÿคจ
If it ain't one thing it's another ๐Ÿคจ
If it ain't one thing it's another ๐Ÿคจ

My funky two bit job went on strike ๐Ÿคจ
I've put up with a lot of crap I don't like ๐Ÿคจ
And to add to my woes, this ugly woman named Sadie called and said she's having my baby ๐Ÿคจ
Lord have mercy ๐Ÿคจ

From my day of birth I've called hell on earth ๐Ÿคจ
A number is all I am, ain't got no frills don't give a... ๐Ÿคจ
If you don't got no pull, you've got to put up with a lot of bull ๐Ÿคจ
This funky world is cold, I oughta flush myself down the... ๐Ÿคจ

If it ain't one thing it's another ๐Ÿคจ
If it ain't one thing it's another ๐Ÿคจ
If it ain't one thing it's another ๐Ÿคจ
If it ain't one thing it's another ๐Ÿคจ

My friends, I wonder if it's OK if I talk to you this evening ๐Ÿคจ
A long time ago my old grandmother, bless her heart ๐Ÿคจ
Used to sit me on her knee and pull out her Good Book, ๐Ÿคจ
And she said my son, my child, don't you ever get to grown, to famous, to rich to forget the man upstairs ๐Ÿคจ
And she used to turn to Matthew chapter 24, and there the disciples would talking to the master ๐Ÿ˜’
And they said Lord tell us what will be the sign of your coming ๐Ÿ˜‘
And the end to all this confusion on Earth ๐Ÿ˜ž
And the Good Lord said, my children watch out that nobody deceive you ๐Ÿ˜ž
For the last days, there'll be lots of tribulation, wars, and famines ๐Ÿ˜ž
And earthquakes in different places on the Earth ๐Ÿ˜ž
And there will be no understanding among people of the Earth ๐Ÿ˜‘
He said but as you see these things occur, ๐Ÿ˜ž
Don't become too discouraged, just lift yours head up high ๐Ÿ˜ž
Because your deliverance is getting nearer ๐Ÿ˜ž
And he spoke about the proclamation about coming kingdom or government of god ๐Ÿ˜ž
That will eventually take over this Earth and rule over the whole Earth ๐Ÿ˜ž
And I turn to Daniel chapter two, ๐Ÿ˜ข
And there Daniel describes that this kingdom won't be an earthly kingdom ๐Ÿ˜ข
But it will be ruled by God ๐Ÿ˜ข
Note in the book of Revelations it talks ๐Ÿ˜ข
About how there will be a man who'll be Jesus ๐Ÿ˜ข
And whose faithful 144, 000 who would bring all of mankind back to perfection ๐Ÿ˜ณ
Aw, some of ya'll out there knows exactly what I'm talking about ๐Ÿ˜ž
Issiah, Isaiah, a long time ago said I see old people growing young again ๐Ÿ˜ž
I see lame people running and leaping just like a gazelle ๐Ÿ˜ž
And blind people will see again ๐Ÿ˜ž
And we won't have to worry about our children going outside to play at night ๐Ÿ˜ž
They'll be able to play with a snake, brotherhood ๐Ÿ˜ž
There'll be brotherhood and peace and tranquility on the earth ๐Ÿ˜ž
Aw it makes me feel good when I read over in Revelations ๐Ÿ˜ž
That it say God would wipe out every tear from my eyes ๐Ÿ˜ž
Yeah that's in Revelations chapter 21, ๐Ÿ˜ž
Why don't you pick up a Good Book and read all about it for yourselves ๐Ÿ˜–
And my friends I don't know if I'll ever see you again ๐Ÿ˜‘
Life is certainly uncertain these days ๐Ÿ˜‘
I'm sure you'll agree to that ๐Ÿ˜‘
But keep dreaming the big dreams ๐Ÿ˜‘
Get down on your knees and ask the big guy in the sky for his spirit to sustain you ๐Ÿ˜‘
And pray for me, I'll be praying for you. ๐Ÿ˜‘

Goodnight ๐Ÿคจ