Lean on Me

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As one of the covers found on Free at Last, dc Talk borrows from Bill Withers with his Billboard-charting hit “Lean on Me.” Fitting perfectly with the trio’s outstanding… Read More

Nov. 18, 19921 viewer

Lean on Me Lyrics

[Intro]
[Dwight Schultz] Oldie but a goodie
[Michael Tait] Mmm-mmm
[Michael Tait] Mmm-mmm hmm-mmm
[Michael Tait & Choir] Hoo-ooh
[Choir] Hoo-ooh ooh-ooh
[Michael Tait] Oh-oh-oh
[Choir] Hoo-ooh hoo-ooh ooh-ooh
[Michael Tait] Hmm
[James Brown] One, two, three, funky
[TobyMac] True MC, True MC
[TobyMac] Everybody listens to the True MC
[TobyMac & The True MC] True MC, no slack on the track
[TobyMac & The True MC] Here to tell the people that love's what we lack
[TobyMac & The True MC] In this family, we gotta love like Christ
[TobyMac & The True MC] So precise in your life, so take this advice
[TobyMac & The True MC] Brother to brother, we need to learn to love each other
[TobyMac & The True MC] So lean on me when you're in trouble
[TobyMac & The True MC] I cast my cares on Christ 'cause He cares for me
[TobyMac & The True MC] So when you need a shoulder to cry on, just lean
[TobyMac & TobyMac] Props to my man Speedy (Speed)
[James Brown] Funky, one, two, three

[Chorus: Michael Tait & Kevin Max, Joe Hogue]
Lean on me when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend (I'll be your friend), I'll help you carry on (Lean on me)
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need somebody to lean on

[Verse 1: Michael Tait & TobyMac]
Sometimes in our lives
We all have pain
We all have sorrows (Yeah, we do now)
But if we are wise
We know that there's
Always tomorrow

[Chorus: Michael Tait & Kevin Max, TobyMac, Joe Hogue]
Lean on me (Sing it to me, sing it to me) when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend (I'll be your friend), I'll help you carry on (Lean on me)
For it won't be long (It won't be long)
'Til I'm gonna need somebody to lean on

[Verse 2: Kevin Max]
Please, swallow your pride
If I have things
You need to borrow
For no one can fill
Those of your needs, yeah
And if you won't a-let them—let them—a-let them show

[Chorus: Michael Tait & Kevin Max, TobyMac, Joe Hogue]
Lean on me (Sing it to me, sing it to me) when you're not strong (Sing it to me, sing it to me)
And I'll be your friend (I'll be your friend), I'll help you carry on (Lean on me)
For it won't be long (It won't be long)
'Til I'm gonna need somebody to lean on

[Break 1: Michael Tait, Kevin Max, Michael Tait, Kevin Max & Joe Hogue, TobyMac]
You just call on your brother when you need a hand
(Call on your brother)
We all need somebody to lean on
I just might have some problems that you'd understand, yeah, yeah (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
(Might have problems that you'd understand)
We all need somebody to lean on

[Chorus: Michael Tait & Kevin Max, TobyMac, Joe Hogue]
Lean on me (Hey!) when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend (I'll be your friend), I'll help you carry on, oh (Lean on me)
For it won't be long (It won't be long)
'Til I'm gonna need somebody to lean on

[Breakdown: Choir, TobyMac, Kevin Max, Michael Tait]
Make it funky, make it funky
(Whoa-oh!) (Oh-oh-oh! Yeah, yeah, yeah!)
Make it funky, make it funky
(Uh! Uh!)
Make it funky, make it funky
(Whoa-oh! Yeah, yeah) (Ayy, yeah, yeah, yeah!) (Break up!)

[Bridge: TobyMac]
'Cause I'm housin' this joint like a brother with an attitude (Uh!)
And comin' straight so you best give me latitude (Uh!)
Leanin' on my boys from the Word, get go (Uh-uh!)
And bein' there for them 'cause the Lord said so (Uh-uh!)
Many of us just don't know what to do (To do) (Uh-uh!)
Well, take it here and now from the boy named true (True) (Uh-uh!)
Don't dog a brother out when he stumbles and falls (Falls) (Uh-uh!)
Just be there to lean on y'all (Uh-uh!)

[Break 2: Choir, Kevin Max, Michael Tait, TobyMac]
Call me (You gotta call me) (Oh, baby, now)
Call me (You gotta call me) (Oh, won't you call me?)
Just call me (You gotta call me) (Yeah) (*scats*)
Call me (You gotta call me) (Yeah)
Call me (You gotta call me) (Ye-yeah)
Just call me (You gotta call me) (Hoo hoo hoo!) (*scats* Lord, lean on me)

[Outro: Michael Tait, Kevin Max & TobyMac]
Don't you know that I'll be there? (I will be there)
You can lean on me (That you gotta lean on a-me)
Don't you know that I'll be there? (I will be there)
You can lean on me (So, if I can lean on you…?)
Don't you know that I'll be there? (I will be there)
You can lean on me (Sing it to me, sing it to me)
Don't you know that I'll be there? (I will be there)
You can lean on me

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About

As one of the covers found on Free at Last, dc Talk borrows from Bill Withers with his Billboard-charting hit “Lean on Me.” Fitting perfectly with the trio’s outstanding activism in racial equality movements, even before their founding of E.R.A.C.E. (Eliminating Racism and Creating Equality), the song acts as an encouragement to not only help others in need but to ask for help from those people if you need it. This concept is also inferred to apply to members of the Christian church as well.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

Notable Performances

DC Talk performed their version of “Lean on Me” a few times while on the Free at Last tour in 1994. A portion of the May 7 performance at the Timberwolf Amphitheater in Mason, OH, is included in the Free at Last documentary.