In 1979, Bob Dylan released his Slow Train Coming studio album. It won a Gammy Award the next year, One of the songs was “Gotta Serve Somebody” later released as a single. The song was brilliantly covered in 2018 by Jamey Johnson along with Willie Nelson, Chris Stapleton, and Lee Ann Womack. it’s got a unique bluesy, western gospel vibe that just gets you clapping and singing along. Well worth a listen.
My wife heard their version recently, and the lyrics struck her as being just as relevant today as when Dylan first composed it. With apologies to The Crown Prince of Folk, I channelled my inner “Weird Al” Yankovic and updated the lyrics.
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GOTTA SERVE SOMEBODY, 2025
You may be the President of some mighty state,
You may like to drop bombs, you may like to hate,
You may be the smartest person in your online class,
You may be a hockey player just prayin’ for a pass,
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re gonna have to serve somebody.
Well, it may be the Devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.
You might be a billionaire handing out your bribes
You might post crazy conspiracy diatribes
You may be a CAO or some white-collar crook
They may call you Boss, or they may call you Schnook,
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.
Well, it may be the People or it may be the Gold
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.
You may be a city councillor with real civic pride
You may be a mayor taking money on the side
You may be a big developer with some dirt to spill
You may be someone’s mistress, just feeling the chill,
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody,
You’re gonna have to serve somebody.
Well, it may be the People or it may be the Gold
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.
You may be a farmer, the guardian of your lands
You may be a baker with our next meal in your hands
You may be one of the homeless just looking for a bed
You may live in a mansion with empty rooms instead,
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody,
You’re gonna have to serve somebody.
Well, it may be the Devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.
You may call me Mario, You may call me Annie
You may call me Tonio, you may call me Benny
You may call me D.F., you may call me Sam
You may call me anything, but no matter who I am …
(enter the full gospel choir dancers)
I’m gonna have to serve somebody, (serve somebody)
We’re all gonna have to serve somebody. (serve somebody)
Well, it may be the People or it may be the Gold
But we’re gonna have to serve somebody, oh yeah!
Yeah, you’re gonna have to serve somebody, (serve somebody)
You’re gonna have to serve somebody. (serve somebody)
Well, it may be the Devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, oh yeah!
The way I see it. 