We are still reeling from the loss of JJ Cale last Friday (Clapton!  Dear God, between the two, if you needed to take somebody….).  Related to this, we’ve had Cale’s under-appreciated 1981 Shades album on repeat at Chez Lefort, and the song that keeps creeping up on us is Wish I Had Not Said That.  As is true generally, the songs we loved the most of JJ Cale’s were not the blues-forward songs, but those that kept some distance.  Along those lines, Wish I Had Not Said That is a straight pop song featuring a lilting, languid melody accented by some synth whistling, along with Cale’s understated, remorseful lyrics.  RIP JJ. The song’s lyrics are at bottom.

Wish I Had Not Said That:

“You don’t come here too often
You make my day when you come around
You know I love you something awful
You’re a diamond I have found
Wish I had not said that, baby
If I could only close you out of my mind
Sunset passes oh so sweetly
Gives a man just time to think
Frees the image of your body
Fantasy is just a blink
Wish I had not said that, baby
If I could only close you out of my mind
It don’t matter what you’re into
If I could taste you once again
Feel the pain and the pleasure
We could make it to the end
Wish I had not said that, baby
If I could only close you out of my mind”