"You Can't Win" is a song by American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson, released as a single on January 11, 1979 to promote The Wiz movie. It is the first solo release by Jackson under Epic Records. The song was seperated into two parts: The first half featured proper verses and choruses, while the second part consisted of ad-libs and backing vocals. When "You Can't Win" was re-released in 2004 as the tenth track from The Ultimate Collection, the two parts were put into one, seven-minute long track.
The full version isn't currently available on streaming services, but can be purchased on iTunes.
Background[]
The Crows Bully the Scarecrow - 1978
"You Can't Win" was written by Charlie Smalls, produced by Quincy Jones, and debuted during the original 1974 run of The Wiz stage musical in Baltimore. The track was cut from the official Broadway opening and wasn't performed until the works on the movie began. During the making of the movie, "You Can't Win" was resurrected and recorded by Jackson between November 1977-January 1978, replacing "I Was Born on the Day Before Yesterday" as Scarecrow's solo.
After recording the original soundtrack version, Jackson went back to Allen Zentz Studios with Jones and re-recorded the track in the summer of 1978 with a more Off the Wall-like production.
Re-recording[]
On October 18, 1982, a re-recording of "You Can't Win" (Part 2) was released, titled "Can't Get Outta the Rain", which was recorded at Westlake Studios and put out as the B-side to "The Girl Is Mine" single, which the former was also recorded that day. This release features basically what the second part of the original song was. However, the lyric "you can't get outta the game" is now replaced with "you can't get outta the rain" and some extra overdubs.
Interestingly enough, this version's writing credits don't include Charlie Smalls, but rather Jones and Jackson only.
Audio[]
- "You Can't Win" - (
listen)
Lyrics[]
[Verse 1]
You can't win, you can't break even
And you can't get out of the game
People keep saying things are going to change
But they look just like they're staying the same
You can't win, way over your head
And you only got yourself to blame
[Chorus]
You can't win, child
You can’t break even
And you can't get out of the game
[Verse 2]
You can't win, the world keeps moving
And you're standing far behind
People keep saying, things will get better
(Just to ease your state of mind)
(So you lean back)(And you smoke that smoke)
(And you drink your glass of wine)
[Chorus]
Sayin' you can't win, child
You can't break even
And you can't get out of the game
[Bridge]
You can't win, you can't win, no way
If your story stays the same
(You ain’t winning) No, no
(But it's nice to see you, I'm awfully glad you came)
(Better cool it, 'cause it ain't about losin')
Then the world has got no shame
[Chorus]
You can't win, child
You can't break even
And you can't get out of the game
[Verse 3]
You can't win, you can't break even
Ain’t the way it's supposed to be
(You'll be spending) No, no, oh
(Your little bit of money)
While someone else rides for free
(Learn your lesson) Hoo-hoo!
(Refuel your mind before some turkey blows out your flame)
[Outro]
You can't win, child
(No, you can't win)
You can't win, child
(No, you can't win)
You can't win, child
(No, you can't win)
You can't win, child
(No, you can't win)
You can't win, child
You can't break even
And you can't get out of the game
You can't get out of the game
You can't get out, a-hoooooo!
You can't get out of the game now, hah!
No, no, ah, d'ah
[Intro]
A-Hoooooo!
You can't get out of the rain now, hah!
No, no, ah, d'ah
You can't get out of the rain
Alright, you can't get out of the rain
You know, you can't get out, you can't
Get out of the rain
Get out of the rain
I can't, alright
[Chorus]
(Doo-doo-doo-doo, doo)
Get out of the rain
(Doo-doo-doo)
(Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo)
(Doo-doo, oh)
(Doo-doo-doo-dah, hah!)
(Doo-doo doo-doo-doo-dah, dee-dah, dee-dah)
Yeah!
(Doo-doo-doo-dah, dee-dah)
Get out of the rain
[Verse]
It's alright, alright (Doo-doo-doo-doo doo, get out of the rain)
Alright now
Yeah, yeah, no, oh, yeah, you know that I can't (Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo doo-doo-doo-doo)
Hoo-hoo! Hoo-hoo! (Doo-doo-doo-dah, hah! Doo-doo doo-doo-doo-dah, dee-dah, dee-dah)
Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!
I can't (Doo-doo-doo-dah, dee-dah, get out of the rain)
But it's, but it's, but it's, it's alright (Hoo!)
Alright, alright, alright (Doo-doo-doo-doo, doo, get out of the rain)
Get out of the rain! (Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo doo-doo-doo-doo)
Yeah!
(Doo-doo-doo-dah, hah! Doo-doo doo-doo-doo-dah, dee-dah, dee-dah)
(Doo-doo-doo-dah, dee-dah, get out of the rain) Hoo!
No, yeah! (Doo-doo-doo-doo doo, get out of the rain)
I can't, get out of the rain (Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo doo-doo-doo-doo)
Hah! Hoo!
Hoo-hoo! Hoo!
(Doo-doo-doo-doo doo, get out of the rain)
Help me sing
Alright
(Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo doo-doo-doo-doo)
(Doo-doo oh)
(Doo-doo-doo-dah, hah!)
(Doo-doo doo-doo-doo-dah, dee-dah, dee-dah) Ha! Ha, ha, ha, ha!
(Doo-doo-doo-dah, dee-dah) Ha, ha, ha!
Get out of the rain
It's alright, alright (Doo-doo-doo-doo doo, get out of the rain)
Alright now
Yeah, yeah, no, oh, yeah, you know that I can't (Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo doo-doo-doo-doo)
Hoo-hoo! Hoo-hoo! (Doo-doo-doo-dah, hah! Doo-doo doo-doo-doo-dah, dee-dah, dee-dah)
Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!
I can't (Doo-doo-doo-dah, dee-dah, get out of the rain)
But it's, but it's, but it's, it's alright (Hoo!)
Alright, alright, alright (Doo-doo-doo-doo doo, get out of the rain)
Get out of the rain, yeah (Doo-doo-doo-doo doo, get out of the rain)
(Doo-doo-doo-dah, hah!)
(Doo-doo doo-doo-doo-dah, dee-dah, dee-dah) Get out of the rain
(Doo-doo-doo-dah, dee-dah)
Get out of the rain
No, yeah! (Doo-doo-doo-doo doo, get out of the rain)
I can't, get out of the rain (Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo doo-doo-doo-doo)
Trivia[]
* An exclusive picture disc of "You Can't Win" was bundled with some exclusive Off the Wall vinyls.