Backyard

I was sitting at the kitchen table when dad started talking about something political or societal; I cannot remember what. He was bitter with the way something was and is. With an understanding askew glance, I, without a smidgen of forethought, mentioned how some people are without the ability to see hypocrisy. I became smitten with that concept. It is true that numerous people cannot see hypocrisy and its effect on their lives. Two days later, in the evening fading light, I reprised that idea and quickly made this song. The first two verses came instantly and the rest cohered so well I was scared...

Why is it impossible
Why is it so hard
For some to see
The hypocrisy
in their own backyard?

I just don't know
I just don't understand
Why some people
Can't even see
The back of their hand?

There's no lack of ignorance
There's no lack of shout
But just like Abe said
Why open your mouth
And remove all doubt?

Is it 1984 all over again?
The proles consumed, consumed by sin
And love and sex and others' fame
Weather reports and football updates
By made-up dames
They keep our eyes off, off the game
That controls the middle, begin, and end

They say

Close your eyes
Open your mouth
Come on now, eat this
No, its not foul

Its magically delicious
That's no lie
Come on now, you can trust us
Because we live your life

Is it 1984 all over again?
The proles consumed, consumed by sin
And love and sex and others' fame
Weather reports and football updates
By made-up dames
They keep our eyes off, off the game
That controls the middle, begin, and end

Is it even important
For someone to take charge
And help the people see
The hypocrisy
In their own backyard?

Two caveats: I have used the word prole and dame in two recent songs. I have a anti-authoritative streak and a pro-woman streak in me I guess. I think that is an accurate statement.
Anyway, you may ask what hypocrisy I am referring to. Figure it out for yourself!!

Cheers! Jon

Helsinki and a Word

	Architecture in Helsinki - Like It Or Not (Version 2)
	Found at skreemr.com

More songs written! More coming soon! Please have patience! Who am I speaking to!

Criteria

I started this song late Saturday night, two days ago, after everyone else had went to bed. Earlier that Saturday, in the afternoon, I had started another song, titled Face To the Name. It is not ready for this blog, but it is pretty good I think... Face to the Name is a so-called "serious" relationship song, and after wrangling with it for a while, I was ready for some lightheartedness. Criteria became alive very quickly. It is thematically about my relationships with girls but fun, poppy and major-chord driven. Anyway, here is the words:

I went out with a girl with the same name as my mom
I went out with a girl with the same name as my sister
I went out with a girl with the same name as my dad

And I dunno what to do
I just can't choose
If my growing criteria
Makes it hard to do
I mean, what if she has hysteria
I'll have to get outta there

I went out with a girl with the same name as my grandma
I went out with a girl with the same name as my grandpa
I went out with a girl with the same name as my dog

And I dunno what to do
I just can't choose
If my growing criteria
Makes it hard to do
I mean, what if she has hysteria
I'll have to get outta there

I'm too picky these days
And too tired for the games
I know I'm kinda lame
But some cool lady must at least find me OK

And I dunno what to do
I just can't choose
If my growing criteria
Makes it hard to do
I mean, what if she has hysteria
Or she has malaria
Or always swearin', yeah
Or likes drama
Or drinks cola
Or has no aura
Or had head trauma
Or has paranoia
Or has the same name as my grandpa
I'll have to get outta there
I'll have to get outta there
I'll have to get outta there

I feel like that, as I have gotten older, I have gotten a better sense of what I would like in a woman. When I was was younger I couldn't have truthfully answered the question, "what kind of girl do you like?" I didn't really know. However, paradoxically, while discovering what exactly I like and desire in a woman, I might have narrowed it down to the point where I might never find one. I don't know if that is true or not, to tell you the truth. But the idea has crossed my head, obviously.

Incidentally, when I read the lyrics, I can't help but think of Seinfeld and how he always picked the stupidest things to break up over. Am I like Seinfeld? For further incidentals, I have never dated anyone with the same name as my mom, dad, sisters, grandma, grandpa, or dog. But I could...my dad's name is Kelly and my grandpa's name is Joe. I don't have a dog.

The Peepers

This is my first spring in Vermont. The seasons change a little later here than any other place I've spent spring. Its mid-May now, and we are due for a good frost tonight. This happens. In mid-April, the peepers came out, singing their song. Though I didn't know it until later, Dad says they were premature this year. We had an unusual warm spell at that time. The peepers' internal clocks got distracted, causing them to emerge early. I was on the deck playing guitar, which overlooks our small pond, when the first peeper sang this year. I heard the first peep of 2009 on this property. To me, it was the first peep anywhere for 2009. Then a beautiful din of peeps started, a lovely cacophony of love songs. I wanted to sing with them! So, I sang about them. I sang these words:

The peepers are out
The peepers are out
They're singing their song
They're singing their song
Its a spring, spring song
Its a spring, spring song

So now, nothing, nothing, can go wrong
So now, nothing, nothing, will go wrong

The peepers are out
Its almost a shout
They're singing so loud
Miles from any town

So now, nothing, nothing, can go wrong
So now, nothing, nothing, will go wrong

The peepers are out
The sun rays are out
There's nary a cloud
Miles from any town

Mother Nature, nature, is always right
Mother Nature, nature, feels so alright

The peepers are out
The peepers are out
They're singing their song
They're singing their song
Its a spring, spring song
Its a spring, spring song

Mother Nature, nature, is always right
Mother Nature, nature, feels so alright

And it feels so alright

I was feeling the peepers that day... & I should have felt their aural tonic for weeks. However, as the earth so often does, the earth did not comply with their boisterous beginnings. A short time later, hard freezes shut down the peeper operation. The singing stopped. I was sad that I had not had more time to sing with the peepers. I felt I should rewrite the song to describe over-zealousness. Us humans are not unlike those peepers. We often bite off more than we can chew, start a project with a paucity of pre-thought or would answer a question without knowledge rather than admit ignorance. These peepers should have known better. My May has been without their song. Because of that, paradoxically, I didn't change the words to reflect the situation. I sing it the way I first sang it; I do not want to forget the joy I felt singing with the peepers that mid-April day.

Dusty & Plain

I have many faces. I like the uplifting, the ironic, the dire, the idiotic, the dense, the airy, the straight-arrow, the earth-bound and the otherworldly. I really like nonsense. Whimsy makes a happy Jon, so I started this Myspace page on which I will put some stupid creations to advertise my whimsy in music. I am Dusty & Plain...it makes me happy to be stupid!

I hope to someday soon start putting the songs on this blog into a listenable form right here on this blog. I need better recording equipment. I take some things more seriously I guess. Anyway, I hope you enjoy Dusty & Plain.