- Genre: Soul ballad with Blues and early R&B character
- Music & Lyric Adaptation: Tony Zohari
- Language: English
- Poet: Paul Wareing
Lyric: The Nearly Man
I am the nearly man…
I am the nearly man,
I have almost made the top,
You can see I’ve failed a lot,
I keep going, I don’t stop.
There were meetings with the famous,
I have worked with well-known folk,
Gone to iconic places,
Always feeling like a joke.
But I thought that I would make it,
And I’ve gone beyond my reach,
Learning lots of painful lessons,
If such hurting might just teach.
I am the nearly man,
I have almost made the top,
You can see I’ve failed a lot…
But I keep going,
I keep going,
I don’t stop.
Don’t stop…
Don’t stop…
I had seasons getting warmer,
I had winters going cold,
Making hay when I was younger,
Getting grey and growing old.
Now it seems the game is over,
As I near retirement age,
But I want to keep on going,
Driven with my joy and rage.
While I breathe I’m pressing forward,
I still blink, my pulse is good,
I am looking for my next gig…
If I can…
I think I should.
I am the nearly man,
I have almost made the top,
You can see I’ve failed a lot…
But I keep going,
I keep going,
I don’t stop.
Keep going…
Keep going…
I keep going!
Don’t stop…
I don’t stop.
I am looking for my next gig…
If I can,
I think I should.
Keep going…
I am the nearly man…
But I don’t stop.
—-
About Paul Wareing
Paul Wareing is a British poet and creative professional based in the Stratford-upon-Avon area. Working across digital media, app production and filmmaking, Paul also writes poetry prolifically, often producing a new poem each day, alongside a substantial collection of song lyrics. His creative experience extends into film and documentary production, as well as music-related projects and work in Nashville.
His professional background reflects a longstanding connection between technology and the creative industries; his LinkedIn profile, for example, includes work connected with mobile apps and classical music.
“The Nearly Man” is a characteristically personal and self-reflective poem about ambition, disappointment, ageing and persistence. Rather than surrendering to the opportunities that almost happened, its narrator continues looking forward—captured in the simple determination of its closing thought: “If I can, I think I should.”
For this digitPro adaptation, the poem has been reimagined as a cinematic 1950s-inspired soul song, allowing its mixture of humour, regret, resilience and hope to take on a new musical life.
The song is available through major digital music platforms, including Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music and other streaming services.
