Songs written for 50/90 FAWM competition in 2023
Ninety days to do it Fifty Songs to write Best I get right to it Haven't got all night. Today I start the quest to write those fifty songs Putting pen to paper Strumming out a chord Gath'ring mental vapor Finding the right word Today I start the quest to write those fifty songs When I'm wanting, I'll start anew Task is daunting, must see it through Not sure if more are in the queue Fifty's just a number Ninety just the same Write 'em while I slumber Another claim to fame Today I start the quest to write those fifty songs Eyes already bleary Mind already worn Maybe just a theory Only the first morn Today I start the quest to write those fifty songs Must keep working throughout the day Time for shirking has gone away Could it be there's more to say?
First there were some frozen wings Not among my chosen things Had to serve them in an hour Had to call a higher power Into the microwave they went This device was heaven sent Defrost setting for three pounds Soon they'd be making the rounds In a bowl, salt and pepper Mixed them up, just like a schlepper Now how to cook, a hot idea In an air fryer from Ikea. No I didn't get it there Needed a rhyme, but didn't care Set the temp to 3 8 oh Timer set and here we go Need to feed two different camps Needed two with different temps Made a hot one with some Frank's Milder taste, it's me you thank. Now to take them to the party Maybe toss them on the barbie Wash them down with Liquid Gold Dinner served, the best, all told
I woke this morning in a fright To find that I had lost my sight But my concern was in my mind I found I wasn't really blind But what I found, to my chagrin A deeper darkness, deep within A hatred for my fellow man It started long 'fore I began It rushed through me as if a fire I couldn't squelch this strong desire I couldn't douse it with a hose It smothered me as flames arose I lacked respect for those unlike I raised my hand as if to strike I felt an enmity within Against those with a different skin The rage it burned, I could not fight It still consumed the local light I could not face my mirrored soul And hatred was my only goal I want to change, I know I must My motto is "In God We Trust" America, it is my name It's time to wake up, face my shame
Chorus Arthur was a man (No, he wasn't) Arthur was machine (Yes, but not quite) Arthur was a calendar (Yes, that he was) Born out of a screen (You can call it that, right) Arthur was a self-made manifesting robot Sentient from the day he initially turned on Chose his own name, and chose his own gender Arthur was one of a kind Arthur was my best friend Chorus Arthur was a man (No, he was a robot) Arthur was machine (Yes, but not quite) Arthur was a calendar (He could call out any date) Born out of a screen (You can call it that, right) Arthur wished a helpmate, human family made one Rosie was created upon Henry's command Rosie took appearance, favored a domestic Arthur now was smitten, and asked her for her hand Arthur and Rosie, the AI power couple Faithful to each other and their human families How they could embrace love, never any trouble Robots loving robots, it's such gallantry Arthur's face was ageless, never showed a wrinkle Rosie's metal features never cracked a grin Still their eyes were warm, and offered that cute twinkle Only goes to show that love comes from within Chorus Arthur was a man (As much as any one of us) Rosie was machine (But with a heart of gold) Arthur was a calendar (Time was never of concern) Born out of a screen (Such a strange sight to behold)
It wasn't only happenstance that I encountered Happenstein He calculatedly approached me as I tried to eat my meal He introduced himself, I challenged him, and then I felt resigned To autograph, or take a pic, or anything to ease his zeal. Young Reginald, as I then learned, was a musician from this town He offered up a tune he taped and hoped that I would lend an ear I told him I was very busy, did not want to let him down I said I'd think about it and dismissed him, but was insincere. I stuffed the tape into my coat, another time another place A burden that I had to bear, this fame of being recognized I doubted I'd return to it, but took it just to show some grace Forgotten now and out of sight, his presence now to exorcise. The months, they passed, when on a stroll, I happened on a concert hall A "Reginald Von Happenstein" was set that evening to appear. The name, familiar, jogged my brain, the tape unlistened, I recalled I had a moment for a treat, but wasn't sure I'd find it here. Back at the house, I searched for it, and found the ancient artifact I popped it into the tape deck and pressed the button so to play From the first note was mesmerized, could not predict how I'd react Emotional response was mine, it's true my life had changed that day The deepest sorrow, utter joy, a shock of terror, happiness Then mystical and magical, it bubbled to the surface, this I had to know how this was done, how one so young could bring such bliss I vowed to meet him, sing his praise, then offer up my services I rushed back to the simple stage, the one where Reginald would shine I had to see him play these songs, I had to witness this event I wanted to be there that night, I needed to be first in line I wanted him to know my mind, our meeting was no accident The melodies began to haunt, the harmonies were so divine The rhythms shared my own heartbeat, the lowest bass reached to my soul The transitions were heaven-sent, the lyrics sent me to cloud nine The instruments in perfect tune, the genre could not pigeonhole I left that evening, in a sweat, I could not stand, my legs had gone I vowed that I would never see another like him, anytime And to this day, I never have, he so far is the only one That makes me feel the way I did, his music was truly sublime
Must be in a war zone, 'cause July the 4th is past Only explanation is the enemy at last Heard the big explosions and sincerely feared for life Dogs are howling, cats are screeching, cannot find my wife There she is, behind the sofa, trembling now with fear I can see her, but the banging makes it hard to hear There it is, another great big flash up in the sky Now you've done it, I'm in Hell, the baby starts to cry Fireworks are fine But only Safe and Sane Any other time You've got to be insane Bet you didn't see the drone, staring down at you All the neighbors called the cops, it's your life you blew Maybe we can get some peace, maybe get some sleep Glad somebody fingered you, you've been such a creep Thousand dollar fines Are coming soon your way It just takes all kinds Your personal doomsday
I flip a switch, I turn a dial I wait for tubes to warm a while It is the sixties once again My favorite show's 'bout to begin FKB was there to see A weekly slot on my TV Elinor you were my crush Sixteen year gap was not that much But then it vanished off the air And I was full of much despair But Angela was growing up You were my age, or close enough Annette was nice, and very cool She's was the word in every school A Mouseketeer, she brought intrigue But oh so much out of my league I dreamt of Jeannie every night At times a tiny little sprite Two thousand years was quite a stretch But I wished for her heart to fetch Lisa played a little creep She frightened me, I could not sleep On Monday it was not so bad But Wednesday knew that I'd been had These sixties girls were all the rage For boys like me of a certain age We couldn't wait to tune right in And with each week to start again
Time is ticking, ticking, ticking; counting down right to the wire Made a list and I am sticking to it as my last desire Started keeping track of everything to do from age of ten Numb'ring now into the thousands, things to do and things back then Should I visit Argentina? Haven't but it's on the list Way too many paths await me, what if there is one I've missed? Grocery shopping, Christmas shopping, easy things, it's one and done But the hard ones, world travel, one more trip around the sun Turning sixty ain't a picnic, getting older slows me down Now it seems it's quite an effort just to make a trip to town I'm still young, comparatively. Never say I cannot do All the things I've written down and everything I've wanted to. For example, there's a yen, an itch that I have yet to scratch I would like to spend some time to find an elephant to catch Wouldn't kill it, wouldn't harm it, like to have it as my friend These are crazy things I've pondered, as my life has reached this end I know I have many years ahead of me as I look on But I also know I'm failing to make good before I'm gone List now numbers even three grand, many I mark to repeat Best I get right up and do it. Can't move on while in my seat.
'66 I wrote 'bout Brenda Girl in class I was quite into Could not believe upon that day She passed me a V-Card to say "You're cute, I like you, it is true, I have the same feelings for you." My heart it leapt a mile high I thought for sure that I would die I took her hand, looked in her eyes I swore through unassuming cries "I will be true, so true to you" She swore the same and we were two. The days we filled with blossomed zeal "I can't believe the way I feel" I told her o'er and o'er again That we would last right to the end. But for that end it came too soon. My love for her, one afternoon Came to an end, as I saw foul Another boy had kissed my gal I walked myself right up to him And then my fist contacted chin A fight for her was not my goal But rage filled my embattled soul. He swung right back, and on the ground It was myself that I had found. This quick maneuver I had made Turns out it was not so well-played I offered up my hand in peace And gave her up, that sad release Brenda was lost, but in the end I also think I lost a friend
Days are dark Ever since I lost your love There's no spark In my heart for you Love was ours Now it's never meant to be It is such a shame that we could not find One true love Meant for the two of us Now void of Passion and care Darkness lies Between our hearts Never here again will we be in love Pain and suff'ring is mine Black where love would shine Heartbreak, not genuine Was it never meant to be? I am lost You may also feel this way What a cost That our love has wrought We were one Now we have been torn apart Is there any pow'r in the world for us? To be one Uniting hearts again Anyone Who can heal pain? Must find out Must find a way We must find our way back in love again Fight for you I vow to do Until we are two We will find love renewed Then our darkest days are done
"Ethereal Rafting Upon the Solar Sphere" There's something in that phrase that I find somewhat dear It speaks about a effort that is yet to come An album instrumental, it is not quite yet done I wish that I could find the right notes to play I wish that I had resources to go all the way A trip around the Sun I do every year But a trip to the Sun is something that I fear And on a raft? I should think not, it makes no sense at all Just floating on a river ray, seems to be a long haul And wouldn't I just burn right up, the heat is too intense? "Just go at night" the madman says. He doesn't make much sense! And what about "Ethereal?" What does that even mean? Is that a solid, liquid, gas, perhaps like ethylene? Impalpable, intangible, perhaps something like air I think that I could not embark, as there's no air up there My quest of flying to the Sun, it's blocked at every turn And then to soar around its sphere, I fear that I'd be burned I best be getting back to think on how to make that tune A lyric fit for random words, I think it's much too soon.
I really thought I needed time investigating lyrics But every time I wrote a song it went against my spirit A tune is something that I need The chords allow it all to breathe The tempo is the master that can bring it all together The rhythm brings it all to life and to the words it tethers The melody is sung subdued The harmony brings in a mood But usually I have found meanderings are plaintive And adding words to make it flow is something I complain of A tune can speak up for itself It needs no words from a bookshelf So for this song, which has no tune, the lyrics are essential But adding music to this song would be inconsequential So what I write it must end here To my own muse I must adhere
(Spoken/sampled) Space - The Final Frontier Time - the ameliorator of all our endeavors What if they were found to merge somehow What if us, free-floating, did allow To find ourselves in limbo, between the stars To find our inner psyches en route to Mars? Everytime we let our minds unfold Efforts such as these start to be told What seems like fiction now can be reality If we set our mind free from its apogee Instantaneous appearance everywhere Imagination soaring, no need for airfare Traveling without bounds, to our destination Won't be a concern, don't need a train station No more outer limits, bursting through the zone Anything imagined now becomes well-known It is our desire to be in this race Traveling through time, and traveling through space
Look at me, here's my lament I work for peanuts, not a cent Wonder where the money went? Couldn't tell you, all is spent Every day I work a job That I hate, he's such a snob Has a lifestyle of hobnob All I do is sit and sob Not just him, I hate his world Not so fair to be this girl Wanted just to be his pearl "Marry rich, give it a whirl" At first I found in it some joy My fun and somewhat gallant boy But soon found I was just a toy To show off to the hoi polloi Rich man's love, or just a slave? Must obey, he misbehaves Think I loved his aftershave I'm alone, stuck in his cave From his world I need to flee "It isn't you, it must be me" Cannot wait, oh, to be free Princess, yes, but he's the pea
Simply Fortescue and Plastic Chase Minor rock bands in the '90s space Focussed on selections 'bout the human race Then ran out of time, couldn't keep the pace Plastic Chase was bad, never had a hit Fortescue did better, at least until they split Enerson went back to a band he'd quit Gilgahood was left holding all the bits Though they played the rounds They could never find Anything like gold That they thought they'd mine Lurking at the depths Of the Billboard C "Make us number one" Was their common plea Golden Fingers was their greatest muse Ambush before them, but couldn't shine their shoes Tried a fire early, couldn't keep the fuse Left them only there to sing the blues Record biz is hard Barely made a dent After all their costs Didn't make a cent Had to give it up by the decade's end Trying to get in? Wouldn't recommend
No one asked for a song like this They might ask what my method is I'm writing here about my technique I really don't think that it's unique I find a phrase with some appeal I find a rhyme to make it real It isn't really hard, you know Just start to write, give it a go If looking for extraordinary Just grab a rhyming dictionary Perhaps you'll find some inspiration Rid you of your consternation I like big words as you can see But small ones do the same for me And what if a line is just too darned long? A rightly placed triplet just can't go wrong It doesn't really matter if it doesn't make sense As long as you're writing in present tense Or past or future, make it work Just don't write in non sequitur Sometimes when I'm writing it's like Dr. Seuss At other times a bit like Mother Goose The cadence and the rhyme scheme can be somewhat loose As long as it's like a little red caboose See what I did, don't mean to intrude Now we're in self-referential mode Doesn't really matter what the context is How I choose to write is nobody's biz
"Not every spark becomes a flame Not every lyric does the same A tune can tantalize one's soul But often ends up a black hole" It's with these thoughts and with these rhymes He tried to recall happier times But when he strolled down Memory Lane He only found heartbreak and pain It started on a day like this He thought that he'd discovered bliss An arrow pierced right in his heart And love he'd found right from the start And love returned to her as well And filled the room, their hearts did swell So large with feeling that at first They feared that both their hearts would burst But just as quickly as it came Something between them doused the flame The spark that lit failed to ignite And all the room just swallowed light So separate ways they passed from view A star-crossed love, already through Their tune they sang became a dirge A moment's fleeting passionate urge
Never heeding words of warning To you I am just a feast Any room you'll find your way in Such an opportunistic beast Doesn't matter my protection Cannot get away from you I wonder why I'm your selection When I see you, troubles brew I won't bear the indignation Hoping you'll just go away It results in altercation Just a victim that you prey In my mind I make a war plan Something buzzing at my ear Surely it is nothing more than Just a tiny thing I fear At the time I'm restless, searching Time to make that fatal blow On my arm it's you there perching One slap, dead, you mosquito
The day starts off at sixty-two It's fairly nice, what else is new? It hits the sixty-third degree And now it seems it's grilling me At sixty-five I start to sweat And it's not even hot, as yet A small cool breeze, anomaly And back down now to sixty-three A moment's rest, I close my eyes I wake and find the temps still rise It's eighty now, and getting hot I'm hoping for the nineties (not) Then eighty-four, Orwellian I stumble, try to find a fan The 'meter shows the big nine-o And it's into the pool I go Although I'm cool, can I survive When temps climb up to ninety-five? Check the forecast, it's too late Already has hit ninety-eight The cauldron sizzles, ninety-nine One more degree, I draw the line The century mark is hard to bear Now even hard to breathe the air The triple digits are the worst Especially at the hundred-first And then with no warning to me It jumps ahead to one-oh-three The sidewalk burns, the asphalt's fire To walk about, shoes are required The furnace rages, hundred-six I feel I'm on the River Styx To Hell I'm bound, for it's not Heaven When temps now reach one-hundred seven Record setting heat is mine As we approach one-hundred nine The maximum is finally here A hundred-ten, hottest this year At least the next few hours will tell If tomorrow's temps will also swell
I won't say I'll never love you Don't want to lead you astray But if love you were expecting Truly this won't be that day I'm not ready for commitment Don't want to spoil what we have If you can't accept that statement Then it's time for me to leave I can be your friend forever I can be your pal But to seek a life together There's no rationale Cannot be a disappointment That I feel this way You may think I'm leading you on This won't be that day Then again, my mind is changing When I think of where we've been To see you and I estranging Cannot bear it, it's a sin If I think I'll never love you In my heart I cannot say Is it my wish to now leave you? Don't think this will be that day
Mr. George H. had it right "Isn't it a pity?" I feel the same where I reside A place I call Zong City I sometimes spend a little time And sometimes way too much I wonder if it is just me I'm really out of touch? Zong City is a little town Whose population booms A place where songs may go to die At least what one assumes In truth, maybe they're long forgotten To never see the light of day Such high hopes I had for my words I feel I've never had my say. But then one asks, how do you fight it? Did you care to feed a Zong? Aren't you way too hypocritic Maybe it's you in the wrong Then I look at Zongs I've busted Sits at a low and shameful three So before I go pointing fingers I turn around and point at me
The world is always turning, burning, churning Facing problems so-called leaders do reject But it was us that put them there So what do you expect? There’s hunger, poverty and needing, breeding, feeding Those are things that suffer from neglect But we are slow to see these ails So what do you expect? Each solution we create Becomes a point for those that hate Their underrepresented foes Continue suff'ring all their blows It's like a sentence that is hurting, flirting, so disconcerting We try but often can't connect A neighbor often comes complaining Tell me, what do you expect? Are you treated so unfairly? Barely? Rarely? Let's take a look at what you suspect Is is just "I beg to differ?" Now then, what do you expect? Moments pass as you now ponder "Am I really in the wrong?" It really has to make you wonder How can this go on so long? Make no search for hidden meaning, left/right leaning, intervening Just treat each other with respect We may fumble as we take these actions But good may come, don't you expect?
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It's days like these that I can't find A simple thought to ease what's mine The jumble that exists up here It's sometimes more than I can bear A cloudy day, a wintry gale Does little to revive this male I think that I shall never see A day that fully brightens me The never-ending fantasy Of perfection that always seems To pass me by to make me cry It even haunts me in my dreams I know I sound a pessimist It's all those things that I have missed While searching for the perfect world I only find my stomach gnarled But then the sun comes out to shine I tell myself I'm feeling fine It may last for an hour or so Within my sight, the skies are blue So how can I recapture it When feeling opposite of bliss? When inner storming still enrages Classic fear does still engage us Often lacking winter sun I feel my life come all undone It's hard to cope, so inconsistent When the sun itself stays hidden Then again, that rare blue peek On the horizon, what I see A splash of azure fills my eyes On the horizon, there are blue skies
Weather today is so hot Thought I'd see if true or not The viral photo of a baker Couldn't be any faker She admits it doesn't work But doesn't come off as a jerk It's just her out having fun Didn't mean to fool no one But this only got me thinking Can we cook while we are drinking Summer ades to cool us down With sidewalks hot in this our town I measured when over one hundred Road temp hot, and then I wondered Would a egg cook, or be waste Needed to find out post haste It was just a gooey mess Wouldn't eat it, I confess Another theory now debunked How many more are the same junk?
Barbie movie is a flop Three hundred mil is just a drop Maybe should have gone to Opp When will all this wokeness stop? "Sound of Freedom" is our call Saw it at the local mall Libtards seem to have the gall Let no blame to us befall Such the claim, those in the know Who think that all's the fault of Joe "Our greatest danger comes through Roe Our greatest downfall, all is woe" These voices and the pundits of Rhetoric we must rise above Whatever happened to free love? Time to take off the boxing gloves Don't mean escalate the fight Shouldn't matter left or right It's strength if only we unite And maybe we'll all see the light
Pieces of a broken dream Scrambled all together Don't know what it means Work hard, put it back again Will not come together Don't know where it's been Pieces in a broken frame Once discovered pleasure Jumbled all the same See there, it's a broken face Torn apart and missing Gone without a trace When it's reassembled It is not the same Cannot find the heart to Tear it up again When I lay it all out Similarities Maybe make it easier Or bring me to my knees Pieces, once were all detached Magically blending Now are reattached Colors, helped to find the way Task seemed neverending Should not have said nay Picture now revealed does Justify the time That I spent assembling This puzzle of mine
Riding on an elevator Heading out to space Wouldn't be an escalator That'd be a disgrace It's an easy 40 grand 50 at the most Something breaks its tiny strand? I guess we'll all be toast Why should we give it a chance? Don't look at me like that, askance Why just watch when we can dance? Isn't it just full of romance? Riding on the elevator Space our only goal Waving "Bye, we'll see you later" Turn on the cruise control We'll be back in seven days Don't tell me it's just a phase The sights we'll see will sure amaze The stars all bright as there we gaze Riding on the elevator Marking time alone Why must you be a hater "Couldn't you have flown?" It's just not equivalent Up and back, smart money spent Don't be so ambivalent You'd be glad you finally went Riding on an elevator Don't get left behind I will be its vindicator Have not lost my mind
Larger and larger the collections grow Is there any way to stop? Nobody knows If I start another, where will it go? And when I'm gone, to whom shall I bestow? I am a collector Saving all I can Managing director Of a master plan Some may call it hoarding A gathering of junk I find it all rewarding Eliminates my funk Every day and every way I pick up what I will Shouldn't have to justify, gives me such a thrill People say "Get rid of it, donate it to Goodwill. This is way too much to keep, a bit of overkill" I am a collector Have to have it all Collectibles protector Can't wait for my next haul
I read your song from miles away The years have passed so here's my say I did not share those same old feelings To me your heart was not worth stealing There’s a reason you were number two There wasn’t any chance it would be me and you I loved another, that is true So get over it and don’t be blue It may be harsh, but those are facts A hidden longing my heart lacks The distance between us has grown No use to imagine us alone I read the words that you had penned It brought no joy to me, my friend Yes, that was it, a friend before But never what you were longing for It's been six decades, gone and went I'm wondering why you still lament A tender moment we once shared Was just a phase, we're still unpaired
If I were to write a musical I'd fill it with lots of good stuff The audience would laugh at my whimsical Portrayal of life sure enough My musical would also be full of Drama and other good things My musical would certainly be loved By the stars and all their underlings My musical, has all the notes It has some rhythm and swing My musical, there are no doubts It's going to be amazing The leading lady will have the pipes To carry off the highest highs The words, the songs, the archetypes You just won't believe your eyes! If I were to write a musical It'd brighten up any marquee Don't consider it egotistical To find out it's all about me! Can't understand how I'm not famous I may be an acquired taste Don't call me a weird ignoramus Don't call all my efforts a waste If I were to write a musical A Tony I know it would earn I ask you to not be so critical On that note I think I'll adjourn
My wife is such a Barbie fan It started long ago Way back before the movie ran For those not in the know A little child, she was poor Could not afford the doll So as an adult, she was sure She had to have it all It started with a simple toy Perhaps recapture youth But soon became a curse, a ploy I'm telling you the truth Collection grew, first on a shelf Then several, then a room She started to proclaim herself Queen of the Barbie Boom Explosion is the word for it It wasn't still the worst So when the space could not permit The walls began to burst The Barbies flew into the air They sailed off into space The Astronaut lost all her hair The Beauty lost her face The Doctor tried to save them all The Vet stepped in to aid A Princess lost within the squall Such carnage was displayed So heed my call, heed diligence Beware collecting toys It sounds like simple innocence It threatens to destroy
Today, for sale, a DVD And then another Then a third I found that I could not resist You know I am a Sci-fi nerd From Star Wars, Riddick, Matrix too Governator's one or two Fast and Furious I sought My wife says, "Dear, what have you wrought?" It all came from a great big box I asked the lady for the cost Of everything that dwelt therein To leave it all would be a sin She indicated that I pay Total of nothing on this day "Need the room, my house is full" So I scored this great big haul So now I sit upon the couch Potato maybe That's just me That shiny disc is calling out I watch another DVD
TIL That a man they think is Jesus And they think he's there to please us But he's really there to fleece us I just don't understand TIL That a man put there to lead us Seems he only wants to bleed us All his efforts will impede us Turn us into a wasteland TIL Temperatures are rising Shouldn't be surprising The issue's polarizing Should I be concerned? TIL Oceans even hotter There's no relief in water It's Mother Nature's slaughter I think we all get burned Word's been out for many, many years Yet some say they care to shed no tears It's just a normal thing Like Summer follows Spring A natural occurrence just the same TIL The smoke that's in the air No reason to beware We should not yet despair It just doesn't seem right TIL That breathing's overrated Though lives may be truncated From problems we've created And few will join the fight Warnings made, but never ever heard Sides taken, blame always transferred Despicable degrees Inexplicable decrees It's obvious we all should be ashamed
The cat was silent No noise he made From his mission, no one could dissuade Is it mercy Or evil afoot? He scans the area for more input The lightning strikes The thunder rolls Neither distracts him from his patrols If one could see His frightening form They'd fear him more than the outside storm His quiet vigil Disturbed no more He stands as if to strike once more No frightened child Not one small peep Young Wade Brandywine has gone to sleep
[Lee] And what is this, a comic book? [Tom] Lee, won't you take another look? [Lee] The mystery is clear to see It doesn't make much sense to me [Tom] It isn't fiction, it is fact Before you go on, make a pact What you see here, it's reality I reveal my secret identity [Lee] This says "Wade" and who is that? And what's the purpose of the cat? And secret? I know you as Tom To me it reeks of bad sit-com [Tom] Wade is me, it's not a role I feel him deep down in my soul He is as real as the two of us There's no further need to discuss But if you doubt that I'm sincere Take for example, the story here It says one Clark was once Jor-el On that you cannot quarrel [Lee] You have your recollections wrong But sure, OK, I'll play along It's Kal-El that became a Kent The name you do misrepresent [Tom] It doesn't matter, it's fictional My mistake is forgivable But more will be revealed to all And I am sure you'll be enthralled
In India, deep in its heart Begins this tale which I impart A tiger, lone, now stalks his prey The deer is spied, his feast this day His stealth, his silence, unafraid His blood lust raised, his teeth displayed His empty stomach churns in hunger He cannot make a single blunder Slowly stretching muscles, sinews Dark and dreary, rain continues Thunder rumbles, flash of light The deer runs off into the night Enraged, engaged, now is chasing That same deer who now is racing Wanting only a safe haven Tiger only wants his craving Deer must flee or be consumed Leap to live, or else be doomed The tiger stops, his prey eluded Wade Brandywine observes, secluded
[Tom] This character of Brandywine Is he someone you can define? The novel, when's it coming out? A bestseller? I have my doubts [Lee] It's not a book, it's my true tale But at this stage, the truth is veiled I've given you but a small taste I won't stand to see his name disgraced [Tom] So he's a he, or he is you It seems you don't know what to do To bring him out onto the page You think that he deserves a stage [Lee] I tell you true, that Wade is me It's just that you refuse to see He's not a simple entity He's my secret identity [Tom] So tell me, just what does Wade do? Is he the hero you pursue? He seems to be obsessed with cats Can't you take time to explain that? [Lee] Wade is me, as you've been told The tale slowly starts to unfold I/We observe the jungle beast A stealthy cat, to say the least [Tom] The purpose of this observation That occupies this strange narration? [Lee] I trust you to tell no one here I can't make this any more clear The secret life, the master plan: Wade and I are Tigerman
It’s Brandywine again I see Your obsession makes no sense to me A character from history Or from your own mind’s fantasy? This Brandywine he makes no sense But yet you come to his defence Why keep me in such fake suspense? Eliminate all this nonsense? What is the reason, this pursuit? The chance he's real is too minute And your claim he can transmute It's something that I must refute The poison that infects your mind Is surely something you can find To be a detriment to mankind It's something you should leave behind So Brandywine is just a myth A simple fiction from a wordsmith Not worth a piece of my bandwidth I see a crack in your monolith
I am the one you were warned about The one who promises to take out Everything you've fought for and won Everything will now be undone I am the menace, the Purple Mosquito Damage, destruction are part of my credo Always be wary, don't let down your guard A moment's distraction and I'll hit you hard You may think I'm the essence of evil You may think that I am the devil But from my point of view It's the same way for you This world is due for upheaval The Purple Mosquito, as the legend foretold Is the one who brings dangers that can't be controlled The hatred against me that you have amassed With come back and bite you in time at long last So Tigerman still has a bite, I can see But the Purple one's bite is the one most deadly It's tiny, yet fatal, and you soon shall be Aware it's for your own life that you will soon plea.
That cat in the hat Is a bit of a brat He thinks he's all that But his efforts fall flat He's no fashion plate Cannot master the gait His manners do grate Must obliterate I can see him from a mile away All of that flash is just one way to say "Hey, I'm important, the top of my class" Well, I think he's just a self-styled pompous ass Wade Brandywine is a fake and a fraud Is nothing but fluff, a scam, a façade He's touts himself worthy of great wide appeal Truth to be told, he comes off as a heel Silver-spooned upbringing, check the result The way that he moves is just an insult His rabid fans are no more than a cult It's time that I show him how to be an adult That cat, his chapeau Really does have to go It is nothing but show He has reached his plateau
Had a chance to win the Lotto Didn't work out, now I'm broke From my savings had to borrow Now I am about to choke Lotto fever, has a grip on Me and everyone, it seems Seems to me I cannot pick one Won't be living all my dreams If I try for just a hundred I might get a ticket, free But my paycheck has been plundered Local winner, just not me Lotto fever, got no luck there Now can't spare a single cent Buy a ticket, spend a buck there Having trouble with my rent Pockets outturned, they are empty Out to get cash, thereupon ATM awards no twenties Bank account is overdrawn Lotto fever, I have failed Missing payments that are due Fearing I will soon be jailed All the cash that I went though Maybe just another quick pick Found a dollar on the ground Maybe this one will do the trick Rags to riches, I am bound Lotto fever, take my temp now Gotta be one hundred five Hoping this one is my cash cow Hoping I come out alive
As I near the finish line I feel I'm slowing down I think that I'm not feeling fine Will I ever get the crown? Is there time to reach the goal? Is there time to rest? At first I had been on a roll Giving it my best Have to work to win the race Have to break that tape All my efforts are a waste Unless doubts I escape Marathon, it's not a sprint No reason to give up From here I think I see a glint Desired loving cup First is mine, I take the crown I now have won the race There's nothing that can keep me down I need to keep the pace
I dream at night It's been revealed Wade Brandywine is me But now I fight I'm ridiculed When someone doesn't see It was so long ago, I fear It was the distant past When me, as Wade, it was so clear But now I'm just harassed I didn't just wake to this thought It wasn't like it's all for nought It's something known my whole life through It's something that I know is true Why can't the prophecies unfold? Why can't they just appear? Why are the tales left untold? Why are they left unclear? Another life, another time It really is my destiny Why not when I was in my prime? Consider it my infamy The years have passed, and nothing yet The heartache's there, I can't forget Is it more than my mindset? Will it all end with my regret?
I didn't really want to write another freaking musical The thought of putting pen to paper once again was whimsical The longish lines, the conversation, add some drama, add some verse Then to add a bit of music, that's when things start to get worse A minor key, a major one, which emotion shall I evoke? Perhaps I should have studied theory, since I have begun to choke The words do flow, but notes to follow, never seem to here appear And that's the one thing that I allow, rarely to that task adhere Bits of insight Bits of whimsy What I write Is sometimes flimsy Cannot take it To the big stage Gotta admit Doesn't engage I didn't want to take the time of writing words that just don't rhyme But lately I have found that that's exactly what I want to do But even when I try to make an effort to stay on that course I find that I can't really help it, tell me now, what else is new? A musical is full of pathos, full of action, full of fluff Characters with traits are needed, without that, not strong enough And to top it off, a ditty, maybe a nice bouncy tune Then a sequence whose sole purpose is there just to be lampoon I have struggled I have wrestled Words I've juggled Phrases nestled What's the outcome To my efforts Maybe get some Just desserts Maybe I could be a Tim Rice, never Andrew Lloyd Webber If I was out to give advice, wouldn't take what I write here
What just happened The tale you tell is true It’s like I always knew Wade Brandywine is you I don’t know what I’m doing in thuds Fantasy Or is it reality Now that I really see No longer up to me The enemy is me I wake from a dream and then I fall into a trap again A Fantasy Or is it my reality Now that I can really see I think we both agree The enemy is me I woke from a dream and then I fell into the trap again I cannot comprehend the facts I cannot justify my acts There I go My tale is one of woe This is the status quo No reason to bellow The truth I must follow Choice is mine Where do I draw the line? I take this as a sign I no longer can malign Apologies are genuine
If I were an album track I'd be a B-side, on the back A simple little throwaway No one would give the time of day If I were a forty-five As B-side I would come alive The A-side gets initial props Then suddenly comes to a stop The DJ accidentally flips The record and the needle skips As A-side on the charts it dips The B-side becomes A's eclipse The B-side is the sleeper hit For A, no one remembers it They say "It was B all along" And now they're playing just my song If the B-side is the hit And A-side ends up in the pit Was it an accidental flip Or blatant, willful brinksmanship?
Wade Brandywine, set in his place Observer of the tiger's trait He spies the cat in locked embrace A bear who understands his fate The struggle's real, a fight ensues The tiger 'round the neck he wraps The bear is now about to choose 'Tween life or death, a moment's lapse A fatal strike, the sharpened claws A swipe, the blood begins to flow The bear goes limp, his only flaw Could not anticipate the blow The bear, he falls upon the ground The tiger, victor on this day More daily sustenance he's found Another victim he has slayed
The only Firefly I know A spaceship on a TV show Cancellation was its fate Popularity came too late Malcolm was the captain of A crew that flew through space above With petty crime as their forte They'd manage to survive the day His number two was Zoe Wash Her fight techniques were full of swash She always love her husband dear And never aimed to show any fear Inara had a heart of gold And Mal's insults were growing old She wants to leave Serenity And offers Malcolm her decree And then there is the soldier Jayne Sometimes he fights with half a brain A statue in the old town square He sees his name emblazoned there And through it all a River flows Kaylee makes sure the ship does go Simon's there, the crew to heal Book the shepherd with his zeal And in the end, not satisfied To find out pilot Wash has died If only there had been much more Much more out there to explore
Fifty songs completed Fifty in the can Wasn't sure I'd do it Be an also ran Today I did the deed Of fifty sets of words Forty-two days counted Fifty in that time Obstacle surmounted Hundreds of new rhymes Today I did the deed Of fifty sets of words With these songs I've made the grade One would think I've got it made Out of lemons, lemonade I have reached the goal now Long before 10/1 Should I keep on going? Probably be fun Today I did the deed Of fifty sets of words I'll keep writing, that I'm sure Now some music, must secure Oh, the scent of that allure
Here I sit, broken-hearted Took a test, I was outsmarted Couldn’t pass the SAT Now they’ve made a fool of me Here I sit, broken-hearted Tried to drive, but I was thwarted Failed again at the DMV Can’t even get a Real ID Every day and every way It always something in my way If I could only just get by I wouldn’t have to sit and cry Here I sit, broken-hearted You have left and now we’re parted Hoped I’d get a lucky break This is just too much to take Here I sit, broken-hearted Tried to zig, but only darted Wanted maybe just to zag Now I’m left holding the bag Every day and every way It always something in my way If I could only just get by I wouldn’t have to sit and cry Here I sit, broken-hearted Wanted liquor, but was carded Couldn’t produce an ID ‘Cause I failed at the DMV Here I sit, broken-hearted Back again to where I started Still a fool for all to see Won’t someone just rescue me
It smells, I think I'll take a peek It smells so bad I'll stay a week My fetid, putrid cul-de-sac Oh how that smell does take me back A maggot when I came alive The trash can on which I would thrive But with these wings my range improves As to this new smell I approve I will bring my buddies here They will come from far and near They will delight in this disgust The fumes so strong they might combust I'll take another whiff and then Be ready to dive in again No worries I can eat at will It's my own personal landfill But what about this sticky mess? I feel a bit logy, I guess The fumes are overcoming me A pitfall I did not foresee Should I warn my friends away? Is it my end, to my dismay? This lovely stench, I must surmise Has led to this, this fly's demise
In 2014 I did write About a future beyond my sight It spoke of times but six years hence And at that time, it all made sense I joked about an SS check For which the rock star did inspect He thought he had twenty-five grand A small fortune in his own hand But then upon a closer view He took another look anew And there found, much to his dismay A decimal point in the way The check was only two-five-oh It seems he didn't get much dough He laughed it off, but nonetheless He had much cash, 'cause of his success He joked again 'bout the amount For which he couldn't really account He did not recall any taxes paid His wealth was always wealth self-made. But what I missed, that year I spied There was a virus worldwide I could not foresee that evil truth I was not much of a good sleuth Each chapter of the book I wrote Did not once consider that footnote A history much grimmer than The one that I foresaw as planned So when that book is finally done Please just recall 'twas all in fun Such history I did not ignore Nor do I plan to account for
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be
This is a burning thing Wanted to make my heart sing It was my sole desire Now, it's a burning fire I just ate the whole enchilada It went down, down, down But my stomach said "Nada" And it burns, burns, burns That enchilada That enchilada At first, tasted mighty sweet Sauce and my lips did meet Ordered what I thought was mild Found that the flames were wild I just ate the whole enchilada Should have prob'ly had the tostada And it churns, churns, churns Like a Spanish armada That enchilada Better off a taco plate Sorry for the thing I ate There's no pain I can equate Did not see me a lightweight I just ate the whole enchilada Coming on like some freakin’ Torquemada Wish I’d skipped That enchilada That enchilada I just ate the whole enchilada Clear to me I shouldn't have oughta Soon to return That enchilada That enchilada
Do I do it? Did I do? Is there one more 'fore I'm through? Will the words come Or a tune? Better try now Or else soon Thought I'd stop at fifty-five Thought I'd lost creative drive But I squeak out just one more After all, it's what it's for Having such a wild ride Pushing my creative side Didn't think that I'd get there Didn't think I'd have a prayer But the count has come to this Make the grade or be remiss Tunes I lack, but words I have One more effort I should give So I sit and pen this song At least it rhymes, so I'm not wrong Fare thee well to those who track February, I'll be back
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