Philosophy in song (Part 1)

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161

What do philosophers really have to fight this? The truth?

HELP ME SOMEBODY
Brian Eno and David Byrne

Talkin’ funny and lookin’ funny and talkin’ 'bout ‘Nobody loves me’ you make yourself look bad.
Help me somebody.
You need to take a good look at yourself and see if you’re the kind of person that God wants you to be.
It’s no big thing, it’s a small thing, what… people… think.
Help me somebody.
There’s no escape from Him. He’s so high you can’t get over Him. He’s so low you can’t get under Him. He’s so wide you can’t get around Him. If you make your bed in Heaven He’s there. If you make your bed in Hell He’s there. He’s everywhere.
Woo! Help me somebody. Woo! Help me somebody

youtube.com/watch?v=DxeO0LBR6GY

162

TARANTULA
Colourbox

“I wear a mask so falsely numb, and I don’t know who I am”

“My world’s under a sentence of death, I was born underground
But when the pressure gets too much for me, I bite”

[b]I’m living but I’m feeling numb, can see it in my stare
I wear a mask so falsely numb, and I don’t know who I am
Despite the worlds inside of me, thwarting me away
I’ve noticed in other eyes, time’s closing in

But when the thunder breaks, it breaks for you and me
Tarantula, tarantula, tarantula, tarantula

The future’s looking rather grim, strange black tide
Decisions lie with stupid men, alone with my life
That choking and the hype in me, expecting me to fall
But only if I’m threatened will the tables turn

But when the thunder breaks, it breaks for you and me
Tarantula, tarantula, tarantula, tarantula

My world’s under a sentence of death, I was born underground
But when the pressure gets too much for me, I bite[/b]

youtube.com/watch?v=anURS4cIrl8

163

I like this cover almost as much as I like Lennon’s

I AM THE WALRUS
Spooky Tooth

[b]I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together.
See how they run like pigs from a gun, see how they fly.
I’m crying.

Sitting on a cornflake, waiting for the van to come.
Corporation tee-shirt, stupid bloody tuesday.
Man, you been a naughty boy, you let your face grow long.
I am the eggman, they are the eggmen.
I am the walrus, goo goo g’joob.

Mister city policeman sitting
Pretty little policemen in a row.
See how they fly like Lucy in the Sky, see how they run.
I’m crying, I’m crying.
I’m crying, I’m crying.
Yellow mother custard, dripping from a dead dog’s eye.
Crabalocker fishwife, pornographic priestess,
Boy, you been a naughty girl you let your knickers down.
I am the eggman, they are the eggmen.
I am the walrus, goo goo g’joob.

Sitting in an english garden waiting for the sun.
If the sun don’t come, you get a tan
From standing in the english rain.
I am the eggman, they are the eggmen.
I am the walrus, goo goo g’joob goo goo g’joob.

Expert textpert choking smokers,
Don’t you think the joker laughs at you?
See how they smile like pigs in a sty,
See how they snied.
I’m crying.

Semolina pilchard, climbing up the eiffel tower.
Elementary penguin singing Hari Krishna.
Man, you should have seen them kicking edgar allan poe.
I am the eggman, They are the eggmen.
I am the walrus, goo goo g’joob goo goo g’joob goo goo g’joob.
Goo goo g’joob goo[/b]

youtube.com/watch?v=gbOIOaWsveM

164

PRETTY BALLERINA
The Left Banke

“Was I surprised? Yeah
Was I surprised? No not at all”

[b]I had a date with a pretty ballerina
Her hair so brilliant that it hurt my eyes
I asked her for this dance and then she obliged me
Was I surprised? Yeah
Was I surprised? No not at all

I called her yesterday it should have been tomorrow
I could not keep the joy that was inside
I begged for her to tell me if she really loved me
Somewhere a mountain is moving
Afraid it’s moving without me

I had a date with a pretty ballerina
Her hair so brilliant that it hurt my eyes
I asked her for this dance and then she obliged me
Was I surprised? Yeah
Was I surprised? No not at all

And when I wake on a dreary Sunday morning
I open up my eyes to find there’s rain
And something strange within says
“Go ahead and find her, just close your eyes, yeah
Just close your eyes and she’ll be there”

She’ll be there, she’ll be there[/b]

youtube.com/watch?v=vvOSGIqY3vQ

165

GLOOMY SUNDAY
Sarah Mclachman

[b]Sunday is Gloomy,
My hours are slumberless,
Dearest, the shadows I live with are numberless
Little white flowers will never awaken you

Not where the black coach of sorrow has taken you
Angels have no thought of ever returning you
Would they be angry if I thought of joining you
Gloomy Sunday

Sunday is gloomy
with shadows I spend it all
My heart and I have decided to end it all
Soon there’ll be flowers and prayers that are sad,
I know, let them not weep,
Let them know that I’m glad to go

Death is no dream,
For in death I’m caressing you
With the last breath of my soul I’ll be blessing you
Gloomy Sunday

Dreaming
I was only dreaming
I wake and I find you
Asleep in the deep of
My heart
Dear

Darling I hope that my dream never haunted you
My heart is telling you how much I wanted you
Gloomy Sunday[/b]

youtube.com/watch?v=sjWMtQcNJXI

166

SMOKE RINGS
Laurie Anderson

“Que es mas macho iceberg or volcano?”

[b]Standby. You’re on the air.
Buenos noches Senores y Senoras. Bienvenidos.
La primero pregunta es: Que es mas macho.
Pineapple o knife ?
Well
Let’s Iee. My guess is that a pineapple is more
Macho than a knife Si! Correcto!
Pineapple es mas macho que knife.
La segunda pregunta: Que es mas macho

Lightbulb o schoolbus?
Uh
Lightbulb?
No! Lo siento. Schoolbus es mas macho que lightbulb
Gracias. And we’ll be back in un momento.

Well I had a dream and in it
I went to a little town
And all the girls in town were nomed
Betty.
And they were singing:
Doo doo doo doo doo.
Doo doo doo doo doo.

Ah desire! It’s
Cold as ice
And then it’s hot as fire.
Ah desire! First it’s red
And then it’s
Blue.
And everytime I see an iceberg
It reminds me of you.
Doo doo doo doo doo
Doo doo doo doo doo
Que es mas mocho iceberg or volcano ?
Get the blanket from the bedroom
We can go walking once again.
Down in the bayou
Where our sweet love first began.

I’m thinking back to when I was a child-
Way back fo when I was a tot.
When I was on embryo-
A tiny speck. Just o dot.
When I was a Hershey bar-
In my father’s back pocket.

Hey look! Over there! It’s Frank Sinatra
Sitting in o chair. And he’s blowing
Perfect smoke rings
Up into the air. And he’s singing:
Smoke makes a staircase for you
To descend. So rare.

Ah desire!
Ah desire!
Ah desire! So random So rare
And everytime I see those smoke rings
I think you’re there.
Que es mas macho staircase or smoke rings?

Get the blanket from the bedroom
We can go walking once again.
Down in the boondocks
Where our sweet love first began.

Ooo I’m gonna follow you.
Out in the swamps and into town.
Down under the boardwalk
Track you down.

Doo doo doo doo doo
Doo doo doo doo doo
Doo doo doo doo doo
Doo doo doo doo doo[/b]

youtube.com/watch?v=1n1YjN6z-7Q

167

PARADISE
The Stranglers

“I don’t think anyone ever found paradise
'Cos paradise is based on lies”

[b]I went in search of paradise
They said it would be good for my head
So I went in search of paradise
But she took me by the head instead

Paris - London
Glamour and despair
Ruins - We were ruined over there
Ruins - We ruined over there-er-er.

And when you think you’re in paradise
But then you find your arms are tied
Caprive in the name of paradise
The chains are all her lies

Paris - London
Glamour and despair
Ruins - We were ruined over there
Ruins - We ruined over there-er-er.

The picture on the screen is moving still
It’s moving all the time
If only you could freeze frame a moment there
You could have paradise all the time

Paris - London
Glamour and despair
Ruins - We were ruined over there
Ruins - We ruined over there-er-er.

I don’t think anyone ever found paradise
'Cos paradise is based on lies[/b]

youtube.com/watch?v=d7recSoG8xA

168

GUESS i MUST HAVE BEEN IN LOVE WITH MYSELF
Pete Shelley

“Anything can happen given time”

[b]Right from the start
I played my part
In this show
What if today
Was yesterday?
Who would know?
Take your time don’t worry
There’s no need to hurry
Anything can happen given time

Out of the blue
It came to me
What to do
Funny to say
It was that way
Now it’s you
Take your time don’t worry
There’s no need to hurry
Everything can happen given time

You look at me while I’m looking at you
There’s nothing in this world that we two couldn’t do
I speak of love in a passionate way
Love is emotion what more can I say?
The rate of change is a sign of the times
I have no need to read between the lines
I had no time for anyone else
Guess I must have been in love with myself

Everything’s changed
Nothing’s the same
As before
Thinking of you
Things that you do
Make me so sure

At the moment I feel like walking through the pouring rain
Once I get my head together nothing will ever be quite the same

You look at me while I’m looking at you
There’s nothing in this world that we two couldn’t do
I speak of love in a passionate way
Love is emotion what more can I say?
The rate of change is a sign of the times
I have no need to read between the lines
I had no time for anyone else
Guess I must have been in love with myself
Guess I must have been in love with myself
Guess I must have been in love with myself[/b]

youtube.com/watch?v=TzvOVt0TTgs

169

Irony drips from every word…and every chord.

I’M NOT IN LOVE
10cc

[b]I’m not in love
So don’t forget it
It’s just a silly phase I’m going through
And just because
I call you up
Don’t get me wrong, don’t think you’ve got it made
I’m not in love, no no, it’s because…

I like to see you
But then again
That doesn’t mean you mean that much to me
So if I call you
Don’t make a fuss
Don’t tell your friends about the two of us
I’m not in love, no no, it’s because…

I keep your picture
Upon the wall
It hides a nasty stain that’s lying there
So don’t you ask me
To give it back
I know you know it doesn’t mean that much to me
I’m not in love, no no, it’s because…

Ooh you’ll wait a long time for me
Ooh you’ll wait a long time
Ooh you’ll wait a long time for me
Ooh you’ll wait a long time

I’m not in love
So don’t forget it
It’s just a silly phase I’m going through
And just because I call you up
Don’t get me wrong, don’t think you’ve got it made
I’m not in love
I’m not in love[/b]

youtube.com/watch?v=2rgepWg4rzw

170

MECHANICAL WORLD
Spirit

“Once in my younger days…”

[b]Death falls so heavy on my soul
Death falls so heavy, makes me moan
Somebody tell my father that I died
Somebody tell my mother that I cried

Death falls so heavy on my soul
Death falls so heavy, makes me moan
Somebody tell my father that I died
Somebody tell my mother that I cried

Once in my younger days
Once in my younger days I had a girl to love

Death falls so heavy on my soul
Death falls so heavy, makes me moan
Somebody tell my father that I died
Somebody tell my mother that I cried

Once in my younger days
Once in my younger days I had a girl to love[/b]

youtube.com/watch?v=QfmZfPwCXbg

171

The occasional thread I look at and wonder if the OP knows nobody’s reading their posts. Usually those threads belong to Nameta. Usually.

172

SAVAGE
Annie Lennox

[b]Words of power are killing me
While the sun displays its teeth
All mockery is laughing
All violence is cheap
She said,
“These are my guns
These are my furs
This is my living room
You can play with me there sometimes
If you catch me in the mood”
Savage
Savage
Savage
You savage

She said,
“I have this unhappiness
To wear around my neck
It’s a pretty piece of jewellery
To show what I protect”
She said,
“Everything is fiction
All cynic to the bone
So don’t ask me to stay with you
Don’t ask to see me home”
Savage
Savage
Savage
You savage…[/b]

youtube.com/watch?v=LuLH6aNIWUw

173

This narative has dasein written all over it.

BLACK SUN
Dead Can Dance

“Like prometheus we are bound,
Chained to this rock of a brave new world,
Our godforsaken lot”

[b]Murderer!
Man of fire.

Murderer!
Ive seen the eyes of living dead.
Its the same game - survival.
The great mass play a waiting game.
Embalmed, crippled, dying in fear of pain.
All sense of freedom gone.

Black sun in a white world.
Like having a black sun in a white world.

I have a son,
His name is eden.
Its his birthright,
Beyond estranged time.
Give me 69 years,
Another season in this hell.
Its all sex and death as far as I can tell.

Like prometheus we are bound,
Chained to this rock of a brave new world,
Our godforsaken lot.
And I feel thats all weve ever needed to know,
til worlds end and the seas run cold.

Give me 69 years,
Another season in this hell.
There is sex and death
In mother natures plans.

Like prometheus we are bound,
Chained to this rock of a brave new world,
Our godforsaken lot.[/b]

youtube.com/watch?v=NbRgoLl1s6Y

174

Truly, one of the strangest pop songs.

SOME VELVET MORNING
Lee Hazelwood and Nancy Sinatra

[b]
Some velvet mornin’ when I’m straight
I’m gonna open up your gate
And maybe tell you ‘bout Phaedra
And how she gave me life
And how she made it end
Some velvet mornin’ when I’m straight

Flowers growing on a hill, dragonflies and daffodils Learn from us very much, look at us but do not touch Phaedra is my name Some velvet mornin' when I'm straight I'm gonna open up your gate And maybe tell you 'bout Phaedra And how she gave me life And how she made it end Some velvet mornin' when I'm straight Flowers are the things we know, secrets are the things we grow Learn from us very much, look at us but do not touch Phaedra is my name

Some velvet mornin’ when I’m straight
Flowers growing on a hill
I’m gonna open up your gate
dragonflies and daffodils
And maybe tell you 'bout Phaedra
Learn from us very much
And how she gave me life
look at us but do not touch
FADE
And how she made it end[/b]

youtube.com/watch?v=C2PbG6KQKsE

175

In a loop, over and again, the end.

THE MUSICAL BOX
Genesis

[Banks/Collins/Gabriel/Hackett/Rutherford/Phillips/Barnard)

While Henry Hamilton-Smythe minor (8) was playing croquet
with Cynthia Jane De Blaise-William (9), sweet-smiling Cynthia
raised her mallet high and gracefully removed Henry’s head.
Two weeks later, in Henry’s nursery, she discovered his treasured
musical box. Eagerly she opened it and as “Old King Cole”
began to play, a small spirit- figure appeared. Henry had returned -
but not for long, for as he stood in the room his
body began ageing rapidly, leaving a child’s mind inside. A lifetime’s desires
surged through him. Unfortunately the attempt
to persuade Cynthia Jane to fulfill his romantic desire led his nurse to the nursery
to investigate the noise. Instinctively Nanny hurled
the musical box at the bearded child, destroying both.

[b]Play me Old King Cole
That I may join with you,
All your hearts now seem so far from me
It hardly seems to matter now.

And the nurse will tell you lies
Of a kingdom beyond the skies.
But I am lost within this half-world,
It hardly seems to matter now.

Play me my song.
Here it comes again.
Play me my song.
Here it comes again.

Just a little bit,
Just a little bit more time,
Time left to live out my life.

Play me my song.
Here it comes again.
Play me my song.
Here it comes again.

Old King Cole was a merry old soul,
And a merry old soul was he.
So he called for his pipe,
And he called for his bowl,
And he called for his fiddlers three.

But the clock, tick-tock,
On the mantlepiece -
And I want, and I feel, and I know, and I touch,
Her warmth…

She’s a lady, she’s got time,
Brush back your hair, and let me get to know your face.
She’s a lady, she is mine.
Brush back your hair, and let me get to know your flesh.

I’ve been waiting here for so long
And all this time has passed me by
It doesn’t seem to matter now
You stand there with your fixed expression
Casting doubt on all I have to say.
Why don’t you touch me, touch me,
Why don’t you touch me, touch me,
Touch me now, now, now, now, now…[/b]

youtube.com/watch?v=wbniFGANrac

176

Not to worry. My friends do.

177

WALKING IN THE RAIN
Flash and the Pan

[b]Walking down the street
Kicking cans
Looking at the billboard
Also ran
Summing up the people
Checking out the race
Doing what I’m doing
Feeling out of place

Walking, walking in the rain

Feeling like a woman
Looking like a man
Sounding like a no-no
Make it when I can
Whistling in the darkness
Shining in the light
Coming to conclusion
Right is might is tight

Walking, walking in the rain

Come in all you jesters
Enter all you fools
Sit down no-no
Ogre, ghouls
Trip the light fantastic
Dance the swivel hips
Coming to conclusion
Button up your lips

Walking, walking in the rain
Walking, walking in the rain[/b]

youtube.com/watch?v=cJFB0roVxaM

178

LIGHTS IN THE NIGHT
Flash and the Pan

“If the bottle doesn’t get me
the thinking will”

[b]Sitting in the kitchen
Coffee on the boil
Staring at the bacon
Goodbye olive oil
Think another feeling
Have another smoke
I’ve got money in my pocket
But I’m feeling broke

Try to read a paper
Try to read a book
Walk another circle
Hanging on a hook
Talking to the ceiling
Feeling kinda ill
If the radio doesn’t get me
The TV will

Lights
Shiny bright
What’s it like
In the light
Come down
Lights in the night
Come on down
Lights in the night

Standing by the window
Balance on the brink
Kiss another bottle
Sink another drink
Throw away the feeling
Throw away the pill
If the bottle doesn’t get me
The thinking will

Lights
Shiny bright
What’s it like
In the light
Come down
Lights in the night
It’s easy to believe
Lights in the night[/b]

youtube.com/watch?v=oe5N_jXD9zI

179

SWINGIN’ PARTY
The Replacements

“If bein’ afraid is a crime, we hang side by side”

[b]Bring your own lampshade, somewhere there’s a party
Here it’s never endin’, can’t remember when it started
Pass around the lampshade, there’ll be plenty enough room in jail

If bein’ wrong’s a crime, I’m serving forever
If bein’ strong’s your kind, then I need help here with this feather
If bein’ afraid is a crime, we hang side by side
At the swingin’ party down the line
At the swingin’ party down the line

Pound the prairie pavement, losin’ proposition
Quittin’ school and goin’ to work and never goin’ fishin’
Water all around, never learned how to swim now

If bein’ wrong’s a crime, I’m serving forever
If bein’ strong’s your kind, then I need help here with this feather
If bein’ afraid is a crime, we hang side by side
At the swingin’ party down the line
At the swingin’ party down the line

Bring your own lampshade, somewhere there’s a party
Here it’s never endin’, can’t remember when it started
Pass around the lampshade, there’ll be plenty enough room in jail

If bein’ wrong’s a crime, I’m serving forever
If bein’ strong is what you want, then I need help here with this feather
If bein’ afraid is a crime, we hang side by side
At the swingin’ party down the line
[mumble] at the swingin’ party down the line
Catch you down at the swingin’ party down the line[/b]

youtube.com/watch?v=zEIrcMbcnVE

180

I’m in a Meredith Monk mood…

youtube.com/watch?v=IbFVqb0lfd8