Cinematic. From his first words he sets it out, frame by frame. The situation whereby us folk gather in a circle stunned by the alien assault and preparing for the next wave of human annihilation. Possibly the circle of “earth people” is world leaders in a United Nations type emergency meeting, but it doesn’t really matter. The greatest existential challenge portrayed in fascinating drama- all in just a few words. Lyrically perfect. Perfect. Perfect. Over the years as I struggled to decipher the lyrics to some of his songs and grasp their meaning, I would have many moments of enlightenment and laugh aloud-did he identifyRead More →

Hoboism (1976) Bat Chain Puller (2012 release) Well it’s not that ‘n its not this ‘n its hobo not zen, zright now , hoboism yeah its not jazz n its not jizzum not that n its not this n its pure and simple railroadism railroadism Grab a book take a look Put it in your pocket in case she look stop, reach, short smoke grab on n haul the wood rope Got a chauffer way up front He’s free he melts the night for me put the thing next to me Give me a drink man well I fell asleep n when I land, wellRead More →

Now here ya come baby With yer tail draggin’ the gravy Y’ know yer P’s ‘n Q’s What ya don’t know baby Is you givin’ me the blues Ya got juice on your chin Eggs on the drain-board Pie on the wall Dirt on the rug I come home late ‘N I stumbled ‘n swore Ya won’t even give me a hug Ya had my things all laid out by the door I’m leavin’ I’m gonna take up with ah mermaid ‘N leave you land lubbin’ women alone ‘N leave you land-lubbin’ women alone Ya said ya had it together once Now yer head’s aroundRead More →

Steve Brewster writes about the opening lines “Baby Percy told Elixir Sue / Listen to me baby / I’m gonna tell it to you”: Don was referring to a common product in the USA in the 1950s – Percy Medicine and their mascot “Baby Percy”. I’m sending a photo of the box for the stuff that clearly shows who Baby Percy is.Read More →

I’ve been hoping on Monday’s Some-how’s and moon days Sundays and some days Never seen the sun days I’m trying and always And running in between Bluejeans and Moonbeams Bluejeans and Moonbeams I’ve been working I’ve been loving Under ‘neath the moon stone sky I know there’s many thing I’ve never seen Blue Jeans and Moonbeams Mondays and moonbeams Bluejeans and Moonbeams Bluejeans and Moonbeams I’ve been hoping on Monday’s Some-how’s and moon days Sundays and some days Never seen the sun days I’m trying and always And running in between Bluejeans and Moonbeams Bluejeans and Moonbeams I’ve been working I’ve been loving Under ‘neathRead More →

Further than we’ve gone The stars sing a song Together That only lovers can hear Come up close to me lover Under heavens beautiful cover We’re here at last Open up And let our love appear Further than we’ve gone The stars sing a song Together That only lovers can hear Come up close to me lover Under heavens beautiful cover Open up And let our love appear (1974) Kindly transcribed by Jory.Read More →

While the city was busy We wanted to rest She deiced to drive up to Observatory Crest We just saw the concert and heard all the best We went on a ride We got outside The sand was hot She wanted to dance We went ’round and ’round at Observatory Crest Thought we saw flying saucers and all of the rest Pawns in high Spain from Observatory crest While the city was busy We wanted to rest She deiced to drive up to Observatory Crest We just saw the concert and heard all the best So the only thing to do Was to drive upRead More →

Zig zag wanderer, zig zag wanderer (rep.) You can huff, you can puff You’ll never blow my house down You can zig, you can zag Ole house gonna stay, gonna stay around (rep.) You can jump, you can holler Never lose what ah found Heaven’s free, ‘cept for a dollar You can zig, you can zag Ole house gonna stay, gonna stay around (rep.) The zig zag wanderer had a zig zag child Zig zag traveller fathered mercy mild Found his Queen in Nature’s scene Quenched his thirst where he’d never been Zig zag wanderer (rep.) You can dance, you can prance These ole timbers got strong beams HideRead More →

In 2001 Gary Marker wrote to say the following: Zig-Zag Wanderer was a specific reference to the popular rolling papers of the same name. (“You can huff, you can puff…” doesn’t ring any faint, tinkling bells and conjure up any smoke-drenched images?) I probably read this a while back on the Beefheart newsgroup: someone was confused about the bass line on “Zig-Zag Wanderer” and wanted to know if anyone had transcribed it. Well, one of the difficulties in figuring out the bass part on that song is probably because – and if you listen carefully you can hear it fairly clearly – there are threeRead More →

Ah you know you’re a man Yeah, she makes you understan’ Yeah, you know you’re a man Yeah, you know you’re a girl about the same time About the same time I know I’m a man, You know you’re a girl Ah, we’re starting to… Deep down in yr heart you know you’re a girl When I know I’m a man Way down deep in yr heart Way down deep in my heart I got a glow Way down deep in my heart, yer hear me? Yeah, you hear me cryin’ out to you We’re already in love When we’re starting to glow We’ve gotRead More →

Around the corner the wind blew back I followed the yellow brick road – It ended up at black-board black, I was taught the gift of love Smilin’ children, painted joy Sunshine bright, girl n’ boy Bag a’ tricks, n’ candy sticks Peppermint kite for m’ toy Yellow brick black-board black Keep on walkin’ n’ don’t look back I walked along happy n’ them came back, I followed the yellow brick road, Lost n’ found, I saw y’ down, alter-bound , alter-bound, I was taught the gift of love. Yellow brick road took m’ load, Sunshine girl, sunshine girl, come t’ my abode 1-2-3-4-5 miles long Know ah can’tRead More →

The Witch Doctor Life as imagined by OpenAI

When the Witch Doctor Life throws his silent bones some are crowned kings while others lose their thrones When the Witch Doctor Life throws his silent bones small “O” mouths scream and run to Mama Kangaroo insecure pouches wherein hide beggars and drones and babies and bums and buzzards Mama crouches and smiles her old useful smile and old ego roars – laughs yesterday’s gasses while children and angels gasp and follow a shepherd on crutches When the Witch Doctor Life throws his silent bones some flee the dream some turn to stone and the children sing and the heavens ring worn by the shepherdRead More →

Wild life along with my wife I’m goin’ up on the mountain fo’ the rest uh m’ life ‘fore they take m’ life ‘fore they take m’ wild life ‘fore they take m’ wife They got m’ mother ‘n father ‘n run down all my kin Folks I know I’m next Wild life along with m’ wife I’m goin’ up on the mountain fo’ the rest uh m’ life ‘fore they take m’ wild life ‘fore they take m’ wife? wife? ‘fore they take m’ wife Wild life wild life wild life Wild life wild life wild life I’m goin’ up on the mountain alongRead More →

Who do you think you’re fooling With these things you’re doing You’re gonna start a scandal burn that midnight candle Now who do you think you’re fooling Honey it ain’t me-oh, no! You’re as sweet as candy Just as cute as can be You don’t think I know it But you sure do show it Now who do you think you’re fooling Baby it ain’t me-no! You don’t understand girl you’re living in a mans world You thought you couldn’t stand me Now you try to brand me Now who do you think you’re fooling Honey it ain’t me Oh no it just ain’t meRead More →

She serves me flowers ‘n yams ‘N in the night when i’m full She brings me white jam ‘N I don’t know where I am In the meadow she brings me Like ah bee she stings me ‘N I don’t know where I am Clouds clingin’ to us ‘N the sun lookin’ through us ‘N in the night when I’m full She brings me white jam ‘N I don’t know where I am (1972) Originally made available at Justin Sherill’s Home Page Replica.Read More →

Where there’s truth, a green valley steams cottonwood Where there’s peace, a little cloud of music gleams brotherhood Where there’s love, I’d be a boy if I could Where there’s woman, I’d hold her when I should Where there’s woman Where there’s woman honey wine Where there’s woman lovin’ time Where there’s love, for a lover of my kind Where there’s evil, a hounds tooth bears white Where there’s good, is where I’ll be tonight Where there’s love, there burns eternal light Where there’s woman, I’ll take her without spite Where there’s woman Where there’s woman honey wine Where there’s woman lovin’ time Where there’sRead More →

When it blows its stacks He ain’t nowhere t’ be found When ah wolf’s claws wear way down Better watch out there’s ah man eater around Hide all the women in town When it blows its stacks All you girls make no mistake He’s as cold as ah snake sleepin’ in the shade He takes um out Out on an iceberg Hand ’em ah Ronson ‘n says I’ll see you around When he straighten up They all bend down He don’t bow t’ bad water He don’t pussy foot around When it blows its stacks He ain’t nowhere t’be found (1972) Originally made available atRead More →

Hoy hoy When Big Joan comes out Her arms are too small Her head like uh ball She tied off her horse ‘n galloped off into the moonbeams She pulled up her blouse ‘n compared her navel to the moon I dig my life for uh while When Big Joan sets up Her hands are too small She’s too fat t’ go out in the daylight So she rolls around all night I’m just sorta thread With uh drooped body I’ll set up with yuh Big Joan I’m too fat t’ go out In the daylight I’ll stay up all night I won’t droop ifRead More →