You can be a righteous rocker

Or a holy roller

You can be most anything

You can be a Leon Russell

Or a super muscle

You can be a corporate king

You can be a wealthy man from Texas

Or a witch with heavy hexes

But without love

You ain't nothing without love

Without love

You ain't nothing without love

You can be a brilliant surgeon

Or a sweet young virgin

Or a harlot out to sell

You can learn to play the blues

Or be Howard Hughes

Or the Scarlet Pimpernel

Or you can be a French provincial midwife

Or go from door to door with a death knife

But without love you ain't nothing

You ain't nothing without love

Without love you ain't nothing

Without love

(Without love you ain't nothing)

(You ain't nothing without love)

Without love you ain't nothing

Without love

Ooh ooh ooh ooh

An' you can be a woman feeler

Or a baby stealer

You can drink your life away

Or you can be a holy prophet

Get a blessing off it

You can fast for fifty days

You can shake hands with the devil

Or give your life to God on the level

But without love

You ain't nothing without love

Without love

You ain't nothing without love, love

Without love you ain't nothing

(You ain't nothing without love)

Without love you ain't nothing

Without love

Now you could be a righteous rocker (Without love)