“As we are human, we can't do what we can't do; as we're neurotic, we can't do what we can.”
The Complete Neurotic's Notebook (1981), Neurotics and neurosis
"Alone Again (Naturally)" (song)
Gilbert O'Sullivan, "Alone Again (Naturally)" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2ZjRO4s9IA (song on YouTube)
Gilbert O'Sullivan, Live performance with orchestra, February 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_s7EsSY3Lw (on YouTube)
Gilbert O'Sullivan, Live street performance outside Rough Trade West, April 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZWDnbkQmI8 (on YouTube)
(+ Cover version by Brush Arbor on YouTube) (banjo) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5H-reXHkhg
(+ Cover version by Shirley Bassey on YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9BFD-fpeUA
(+ Cover version by David Bayu, Vega Antares, Erikson Jayanto on YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFlLQGPSQKw
(+ Acoustic cover version by Sammy Copley on YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPPEb7SX7rk
(+ Cover version by Neil Diamond on YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soS7NmkzXns
(+ Jazz cover version by Gautier Geoffroy, Khalil Chahine and others on YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLpXePYe9EI
(+ Cover version by Fujii Kaze on YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7Gcoto1wWI
(+ Cover version by Ryan Lerman, Larry Goldings, Aaron Sterling on YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9SbVcxtZyo
(+ Cover version by Laura Oakes on YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34ml6ot1RaM
(+ Cover version by the Pet Shop Boys (feat. Elton John) on YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pasSfvAjbn8 / (Alternative version (longer)) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zppTcVbC_sk
(+ Cover version by Esther Phillips on YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPHdKP1Q7es
(+ Cover version by Ardhito Pramono on YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsqKZmmA56U
(+ Cover version by Vonda Shepard on YouTube (with pictures and lyrics)) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sH4zYVQyyCI
(+ Cover version by Soffee on YouTube (includes lyrics)) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwu668d-6yk
(+ Cover version by Suthipongse Thatphithakkul on YouTube (includes lyrics and guitar chords)) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMxdjJUfeDM
(+ Cover version by Trang Tooc, Duy Khang, Khoa Le on YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4QYST0lDDk
(+ Cover version by Diane Trask on YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zatx-iJUdXI
(+ Cover version by Joe Turone on YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWnCIZCW9bo
(+ Cover version by Sarah Vaughan on YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlqV0oo9Wqw
(+ Cover version by Andy Williams on YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7xNgnk66kE
(+ A substituted version by Nina Simone on YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMRGH0SzF64
(+ Piano instrumental by Ed Baum (on State Street, Oct. 2017) on YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7i561paKbM / (Oct. 2018) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfgjQVRM5nk
(+ Trumpet instrumental by Don Ellis on YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU3MW8yKmmk
(+ Guitar instrumental by Daniel Estrem on YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzPlmpjrm0A
(+ Guitar instrumental by Sungha Jung on YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFo3NI9re00
(+ Orchestral instrumental, David Rose & Orchestra on YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytgJzgsuhEU
Song lyrics
“As we are human, we can't do what we can't do; as we're neurotic, we can't do what we can.”
The Complete Neurotic's Notebook (1981), Neurotics and neurosis
“It is only with true love and compassion that we can begin to mend what is broken in the world.”
Source: Life, the Truth, and Being Free (2010), p. 74
Context: It is only with true love and compassion that we can begin to mend what is broken in the world. It is only these two blessed things that can begin to heal all the broken hearts.
“Our dignity is not in what we do, but in what we understand. The whole world is doing things.”
Source: Winds of Doctrine: Studies in Contemporary Opinion (1913), p. 199
"1860. In Lodge of Sorrow at Washington: March 30.", p. 11 <!-- [books.google.com/books?id=PTpRwZ1yEWwC&pg=PA11&dq=What+we+have+done+for+ourselves+Albert+Pike&hl=en&sa=X&ei=akWkT_3QCqLA6AHG_7G6CQ&ved=0CDcQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=remains immortal&f=false page 11] -->
In sentiment this is similar to the expression made much earlier by Giordano Bruno in On the Infinite Universe and Worlds (1584) : "What you receive from others is a testimony to their virtue; but all that you do for others is the sign and clear indication of your own."
Ex Corde Locutiones: Words from the Heart Spoken of His Dead Brethren
Variant: What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.
Earliest instance of this quote found on google books is the 1989 book Forest primeval: the natural history of an ancient forest by Chris Maser, but there it appears to be Maser's own thought (see p. 230 http://books.google.com/books?id=8EAHQM54E5gC&q=%a+mirror% followed by a different supposed Gandhi quote http://books.google.com/books?id=8EAHQM54E5gC&q=gandhi).
Disputed
“We do what we can do means what exactly means, that we do what we can do.”
26 June, 2017
As President, 2017
Source: Vozópuli http://www.vozpopuli.com/espana/Rajoy-Conteste-senor-Barcenas-telefono_2_1048115186.html
Do It to Me.
Song lyrics, Back to Front (1992)