You Just Gotta Be
Gordon Lightfoot · East of Midnight [1986]
If you satisfy me
Once the course has been set
Gonna need all the help I can get but
You just gotta be you
I just gotta be me
I can't classify you
You can't pacify me
We can't make it at all
You won't even take my calls
I just wanna be loved
You just gotta be free
I'll smile and tell it to the world
You just gotta be
Pardon me for sayin'
What a price you've been payin'
What more can I say
You might feel different some day
If it matter to you
It still matters to me
You'll find me by the bayou
Thinkin' wicked thoughts of you
I just wanna be strong
You just gotta be wrong
I can't clarify you
You can't verify me
I can't make it by stealth
You won't even share the wealth so
You just gotta be you
I just gotta be me
And I will tell that to the world
You just gotta be
With a gratified mind
I'll be on the highway
Just as soon as I can
Where there's a will
There's a way so until then
I just wanna be me
And you just gotta be
You Just Gotta Be
Gordon Lightfoot's "You Just Gotta Be" serves as a poignant companion to his celebrated 1974 hit "Sundown," appearing on the 1986 compilation "East of Midnight." While the original track defined a generation with its acoustic storytelling, this recording reflects Lightfoot's enduring commitment to the folk-rock tradition he pioneered. The song captures the same introspective mood and lyrical depth characteristic of his broader discography, from the epic "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" to the melancholic "She's Not The Same." Released decades after its initial conception, the track remains a testament to Lightfoot's ability to distill complex human emotions into accessible, resonant melodies that continue to define the Canadian folk canon.