Donny Hathaway

Released: June 18, 1973

Songwriter: Joe Greene (Singer) Billy Preston

Producer: Jerry Wexler

(Lord help me)
(Lord help me)
(Lord help me)
Hmmm
(Lord help me)
(Lord help me)
Once more again, your humble servant is calling on your name
(Lord help me)
I've got something I want you to do for me
Help me to inspire those that need inspiration
Let my life be a sign of a coming generation
(Lord help me)
And I'm also asking you to help my brother
(Lord help him)
He needs help too Lord
Help him to realize all that God has given
Help him to know that there's a purpose for living
(Lord help me)
And Lord, Lord
Hey, Hey Lord
(Lord help me)
I want you to help me this evening
Help Me
(Help Me)
Help Me, (Help Me) Help Me
(Lord help me)
Lord, Lord, Lordy
(Lord help me)
I need you to help me this evening
And after you do that for me
(Lord help me)
Would you take time to look at my sister?
(Lord help her)
Lordy, I want you to help her this evening
Help her not to worry about fashion and style
Lord, Lord let her spend her time just raising her child, Lordy
(Lord help me)
Oh out there Lord, oh Lordy
(Lord help me)
Help us as a nation to understand each other
Lord help us as a race to live and love one another
(Lord help me)
(Lord help me)
Please Lordy
(Lord help me)
(Lord help me)
I'm asking you from my heart this evening
(Lord help me)
You know I need you
I need you by my side
(Lord help me)
You know I wanna do the thing that's right
(Lord help me)
You know my mind is willing
(Lord help me)
But sometimes I've let it weigh down
(Lord help me)
You told me all I have to do is call your name

Donny Edward Hathaway (October 1, 1945 – January 13, 1979) was an American soul singer and songwriter. Born in Chicago, he was raised in St. Louis by his grandmother. He attended Howard University and studied music after received a fine arts scholarship.

He found work as a songwriter, session musician and producer for Curtis Mayfield’s Curtom Records in Chicago in 1968. The following year he signed with Atco Records and released his first single of note, “The Ghetto, Pt.1”, which appeared on his critically acclaimed debut LP, Everything Is Everything. However, it was his third album, Duets with Donny Hathaway & Roberta Flack, that really established him. Hathaway also wrote the now popular Christmas song, “This Christmas”, which has been performed by Chris Brown, Stevie Wonder, and Diana Ross.

At the peak of his career, Hathaway started suffering from severe bouts of depression which sometimes interfered with his life and often required hospitalization. It was discovered that he was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and was prescribed medication. The effects of his illness affected the friendship between he and Roberta Flack and the pair did not release additional music until the successful release of “The Closer I Get To You” in 1978.

From the album

Extension of a Man (1973)

Donny Hathaway popular songs

Lord Help MeDonny Hathaway

Donny Hathaway