Vic Chesnutt--Flirted With You All My Life

[aboyabeard]

chills and tears..

[cigggg]

i can't help but feel the power in this song. brings tears to my eyes every time i listen to it. RIP Vic.

[mrshiggs1]

Wow. I love this performance, especially Chesnutt's haunting song: a profound eulogy about death. Fantastic lament: very powerful. Wonderful post! Thank you! :-)

[cocoadelete]

 Vic was freat opened for Jonathon Richman

[btrockey]

just rspect

[thebailey67]

I hope Death is proud..now

[cotsie123]

No other words could describe this perfoamce better than simple just beautiful

[peblogar]

get some guitar lessons fuck head :) this comments for darian or however the fuck you spell his name the freshmen faggot at st anthonys :)

[samesamething]

id bet my money that he talked to the lord and the lord forgave him before he passed out of this fiction state

[samesamething]

ill meet you one day no matter what others say

[VachVonE]

Vic, your music is amazing. I know you are in heaven watching us. I love you man.

[ShhhBANG]

@VachVonE

No he's not. He's dead.

[Bruinsma1987]

@ShhhBANG Well said.

[mrdrprofessorsteph]

So much emotion. This song moves me to tears

[jesouthw]

Who's the dick who gave this video a thumbs down?

[tsungvarsky]

@jesouthw

Mark Linkous

[mjrusselljr]

What can I say other than I miss him so much. In a world of mediocrity, the loss of Vic Chesnutt is devastating. Damn you Death!

[matteolodi]

may your guitar be with you wherever you are. with love

[amfmdreamsband]

brilliant...there are very few songs that can bring a tear to my eye...but this is one makes me break down....rest easy brother...

[firepoop100]

This man was a true visionary. he didnt sing to sing, or to be famous, or to grab anyones attention. This man VIC CHESNUTT was a sad man. he sang to us to explain his feelings. and in the end even though he took his life, im happy he's with peace and now sleeps forever. i have never met you VIC CHESNUTT but you have truly changed my life. I LOVE YOU MAN SLEEP WELL.

we will always remember you.

[drumgold23]

Incidental to all the beauty we see above, where does someone turn to if they feel suicidal but don't want someone to talk them out of it lke the Samaritans or a priest or a friend? What if they just need a little reassurance before taking the final step? Someone to ease the way. There is very likely to be no-one. This is a journey most people make alone. Vic sang of the courage of the coward at the end. I think I knew what he meant. RIP lad.

[kurtbrighton23]

but no matter what specifically he was talking about, the notion of the pain and mental and emotional misery he faced, in order to attempt suicide several times, and to finally succeed at it--that is a pain that most of us can't even get anywhere close to. i think that is why his music affects us so much: he was able to skim so close to the surface of a planet way way out of the reach of mere mortals. we know those feelings exist, but we can't access them. he could. RIP, vic.

[man2read]

I heard the fresh air interview , the music blew my mind , what a talent!! in peace may he rest.

[hal9000lovesdaisy]

There is something besides Vic's personal pain which comes out in this song, and especially in this solo performance. As he beseeches death in the choruses, and alternates between being 'not ready' and 'ready', he echoes an old tradition in folk music, more recently expressed in the work of Ralph Stanley and the popular film "Brother, Where Art Thou?" There is something universal in this type of deep and painful reflection. Vic seems to have stared down his lover all his life. That's courageous!

[colberrrt]

@hal9000lovesdaisy

I agree that there is a universality that makes this song wonderful. I'd just like to point out one thing: when he says "I'm ready," I believe he is paraphrasing his mother, not stating his own words. I don't think he actually says that he is ready in this song.

[hal9000lovesdaisy]

Good point; that makes sense in the context of that verse,and in light of his own apparent atheism. Vic certainly called this a 'break-up song with death'. Still, the juxtaposition of the alternating banter with the grim reaper in his verses and choruses is certainly reminiscent of many traditional folk songs.

[YaoiHuntressEarth]

I definitely can see what you mean and that's how I felt about the song as well. All of us feel both ready at one time and then not later on.

[YaoiHuntressEarth]

At least to me, the song seems to be about Vic's own flirtation and acceptance and fear of death. Almost as if he was predicting his own end.

[blightlv]

He did predict his own end...

My Last Act - "My Last Act on this earth will be to chug a lug a mixture and hope for the worst." R.I.P. Vic Chesnutt

[blightlv]

I'm pretty sure this was about him and his previous suicide attempts and a little bit of michael houser and how it affected him. this song is deep. and extremely personal to vic. what he meant is mostly up to him, but this is how I see it.

[YaoiHuntressEarth]

A good song has more than one way of seeing it.

[hal9000lovesdaisy]

I heard that interview, too, and the rebroadcast/tribute a week after his passing. What a sad and beautiful world;what a sad and beautiful song, what a sad and beautiful life; and some of us just discovered it.

[Mariekesone]

Deeply Beautiful...:-(

[pavlos999]

RIP Vic

[codyhill06]

Flirted with you all my life, and now we're wed.

[sigmund5]

Terry gross on NPR's Fresh Air did an amazing Memorial to Vic. It has Michael Stipe and the Fugazi guys

[zferis]

Couldn't find the lyrics anywhere online, so I just transcribed these:

I am a man.

I am self-aware.

And everywhere I go.

Youre always right there with me.

I flirted with you all my life.

Even kissed you once or twice.

And to this day, I swear it was nice,

But clearly I was not ready.

[zferis]

When you touched a friend of mine,

I thought I would lose my mind.

But I found out with time that really, I was not ready.

Oh death. Oh death. Oh death. Really Im not ready.

Oh death, you hector me,

And decimate those dear to me.

You tease me with your sweet relief.

Youre cruel and you are constant.

[zferis]

When my mom was cancer-sick.

She fought but didnt succumb to it.

But you made her beg for it.

Lord Jesus please, Im ready.

Oh death. Oh death. Oh death.

Really Im not ready.

Oh death. Oh death. Oh death.

Now, clearly Im not ready.

[hal9000lovesdaisy]

"She fought so hard but then succumbed to it"

[brandenTB]

wow..amazing...RIP

[cubostonian]

I was just driving home from work listening to NPR and it had a memorial show about this man.  I never heard of him before but as soon as I got home went straight to my computer to look him up and here I am totally captivated. Man, did you really know what you were doing?

[packingone]

so long Victor. Now your whole again.

[worksupermodel]

intense.

[TheCacpin]

just discovered him a few days ago. i'm sad.

[whatitis99]

RIP Vic Chesnutt 1964-2009.

[hiersand]

rest in peace vic

[panicyat]

sad...sad to see someone who has used has pain and talents to inspire ....couldn't overcome his own dispair. If Vic could have felt the joy his mucic brought to many....he'd still be here today. RIP vic

[VoidyNumbness]

What a great thing to say. His music gave me so much pleasure. I'd love him to have felt that pleasure.

Peace.

[potlong27]

@panicyat - but then we wouldn't have these songs! I like to say: Everyone feels happy once in awhile but everyone feels like shit more than often. It may be sad but it`s fucking true! I miss it all. I need a job where I can help people to smile. and I fucking hate most people ! sorry I`m drunk. take care

[kirky67]

He was an exceptional artist and I'll miss him greatly.

[dephot]

What a spirit. God Bless Vic Chesnutt

[guilhermebaldin]

sends shivers down the spine. damn. RIP vic

[stuntcat666]

peace, Vic.

[pendragon6341]

Well Vic, may you finally find your peace.

So sad that you weren't for this world.

[nekedemus]

"I don't worship anything, not gods that don't exist.

I love my ancestors, but not ritually.

I don't need stone altars to hedge my bet against the looming blackness.

that is what it is."

RIP. Vic.

[Scottford1124]

I can't stand it. I wasn't ready.

[ChristinaLouise27]

Me neither.

[musicloveraustria2]

I am very sad. RIP Vic

[tieber1]

R.I.P.

[betterdays105]

I was at this show. Vic opened for Jonathan Richman. A great evening of music.

[saravlinder]

tears in my eyes...

but unbroken.

rest in peace

[ceejcoins]

god dammit it! I never got to see him. RIP brave soul...

[xcaryx]

you finally kissed it for the last time... rest in peace

[BlowMeVeryMuch]

Peace and Love.

[thatgirlinnewyork]

thank you for leaving us a wealth of wonderful work, vic. bless your soul.

[Woodpipemaker]

Can't believe he's dead. RIP

[Eivrel]

Could someone write a lyrics to this song? I can't hear clearly enough.

[MizzCrankyPants]

Will miss you dearly, Vic. Rest in Peace.

[kjmg65]

Rest in peace Vic

[john2000cash]

So beautiful, yet so sad.

I'm sorry to hear about your early demise, Vic. Hope there's a heaven up there for those like you that suffered so much in life.

Play on...

R.I.P.

[jonturecki]

Rest In Peace, Mr. Chesnutt...

[hectified]

I don't think Vic ever realized how much he helped others heal in the wake of describing his pain.

Sing on, bright soul.

[peyoteugly]

@hectified  completely agreed. RIP.

[MeggieCook]

soooo sadddd :(

[pigeonkill]

So sorry. This video was absolutely heart wrenching as it was and now it's.. yeah. Sucks, sucks, sucks.

[Dihnekis]

great song. hang in there vic!

[ancientwhale]

He is still with us. Hold on Mr Chesnutt.

[solidturd666]

oh man... that was beautiful. 

sleep well, friend.

[mofish20]

RIP Vic:( Thanks for the great music.

[efrenrock]

RIP vic.

[unclebobunclebob]

Unbelievably powerful. But why are these people standing?

[khancobantheband]

Awesome. He played a great version of this in Melbourne recently too. Would love to see footage if anyone has it.

[IAmKrow]

I've just finished listening to the song. I'm totally crushed. That last part about his mom dying from cancer was harrowing.

[IAmKrow]

He's a strong man. Think how painful can it get to sing such a song with just an acoustic guitar while all these people stare at you.

[kingofthecastle7]

Thanks for furnishing the actual title to this very powerful and moving song.

[instorm1]

The name of this song is: Flirted With You All My Life.

Thanks for the video.