Genius Annotation .

Written by primary songwriter and guitarist Robbie Robertston, who made it no secret that it was a worried number about pianist Richard Manuel, who had self-destructive tendencies and struggles with alcoholism and drug addiction, and who sings the lead vocal here.

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Note adattate da : Something Else !

JANUARY 9, 2014 BY NICK DERISO

“The Shape I’m In,” despite its galloping cadence, finds the Band’s Robbie Robertson desperately attempting to reach out to the badly faltering Richard Manuel.

Manuel had, by this point, gone into an addiction spiral that would rob him of his creative position in the Band, and ultimately his life.

What I think I hear is Robertson giving voice to his own worst fears about a treasured friend, and hoping — hoping perhaps against hope — that a nightly reading of these devastatingly un-redemptive lyrics would someday... (continuer)