Minds Eye

There are  scenes
Photographic dreams
Once in a lifetime
Favorites of mine

Some visions last
Like ghosts from my past
Friendly and warm
In from the storm

Like an old friend
These visions again
Grace my minds eye
Past wonderful times


Rust Train Radio

When the world seems full of woe and strife
On an autumn day - go outside
Smell the leaves rusting in the air
See the colors that almost seem unfair

Yes, miracles sneak past
How long will they last?
Do they have an expiration date?
Have I arrived too late?

Its getting more rare in this world
With so many hate flags unfurled
Just take a walk outside
To energize the love you have inside

Nature is your guide
Rekindle the spirit inside
Look all around and you'll feel
New hope with natures key

Your Eventual Ghost

If you have a conscience
Then you have a soul
That holds a place for
Your Eventual Ghost

We may not survive
Or live forever
But we are vessels
Place holding our soul

Our soul is our
Earthly heart
When we pass on
That's when we start

Chorus

When we die
We only start
Our Eventual Ghost
Comes from our heart

I was raised in the Episcopal Church, and have read quite a bit of both the New and Old Testament. While these were written by some old dudes a long time ago – I think a book of morals is a good thing. I also think any religion that is based on The Golden Rule is great. But sadly – I gave up religion years ago due to so much hypocrisy and those who use religion for their political and other money making devious ventures. On top of that – fundamentalists and in your face bible thumpers just plain suck. No wonder churches are closing down right and left.

There is still a part in me that thinks – maybe – just maybe – there is something that is bigger than us ant like humans and that maybe there is at least some Devine or cosmic force in the universe. I say this because I can look at stars and the moon at night or just the beauty of nature during the day – or perhaps witnessing a kind loving gesture by a human being and then some of my erstwhile faith is restored. But man, its getting harder and harder it seems.

Nature makes me feel like there is a God – and humans make me feel like there is a devil. Just kidding (not kidding) – there are some really, really bad humans that have polluted this earth the last 5 or 6 years. Parading as saints no less. Charlatans Jesus threw out of the Temple . . . Throw in gun violence – and what a misery stew.

Any way – none of us live forever – so I have been reflecting on what we are and what a heart and soul is. No definitive answers – but it is an interesting thing to ponder every now and then.

Metawurst

I’m working on making better mixes. Here is what I believe will be a cleaner mix than the original:

Player Guitar

in a nutshell

  • Lyrics sung or even spoken are very much worth the effort
  • It takes twice as much time to “fit” lyrics to music and sing
  • You have to feel what you sing. Deadpan is OK as a too
  • Socio political songs are tricky. Keep them short and to the point
  • Instrumentals add spice, and should be used sparingly
  • Sad songs based on empathy and or pathos work well
  • Too many effects makes for a bad mix – muddies it up

discussion

I did change the song in several ways – to accommodate my “talk singing”. Its very interesting how music changes when you write for a singer (or a sprechgesanger like me). My friend and ex-bandmate Jeff warned me when I got back into music two years ago “A song is not a song unless it has lyrics and a singer”. Dick Dale would have disagreed, but I will say I finally agree with him today. I did not agree for the longest time.

I think an occasional instrumental is refreshing and needed for sure – but the main thing I learned with this exercise is that I had to work twice a long to “finish” the song – tighten it up – make the lyrics and music mesh just right, etc.

Now – this song is a sad-ish song – with a message of hope. I started thinking that we are just about out of this Covid era, and that maybe, just maybe, some of the lunacy that the US went through will fade away as people get downright giddy getting their lives back. People have very short attention spans.

theme

Some of the tech companies put profit over our Democracy (two in particular) by giving the biggest phony “Profit Prophet” a social media platform that he used to dupe the 25 – 35% dumb fucks in America to basically go out of their mind. Luckily, Karma finally has arrived – Meta is tanking and The Profit Prophet clowns accounting firm has opened the Pandora’s box that will be this jerks downfall – and its way more of a downfall than anything political. Stay tuned – when the loans come due soon, and we start hearing about insurance fraud ….. But sadly, because of this jerk and the GOP, so many politicized their own survival and they paid the ultimate price.

conclusion

I’m hoping that a lot of the lunacy was pandemic related. I am sure that if people can lighten up a bit – we could be on the steps of another “Roaring 20’s”. Today, we dropped the mask mandates here, and leading up to this day – the restaurants have been packed like the “good old / pre pandemic” days. Fingers crossed – and my next song will be a continuation of this “coming out of the darkness” trilogy I’m writing. Todays song is the darkest and most introspective.

Crazy times,social decay
Virtual reality, MetaWurst play
Money Prophets, distant people
Virtual things, void of feeling

Inhuman humans, monster cyborgs
Selling dreams, in online stores
Religion/Politics one in the same
The highest ratings wins the game

Social media, so anti social
US versus US, it's really woeful
I'd rather see sausage being made
Than hide behind a Virtual Vail

Chorus
The more that we go virtual
The less human we are
We can save our souls
We can heal our scars

Wishing Well

Be Careful What You Wish For
I used to feel
So Overlooked
The great unknown
I felt Forsook

Then I saw
The 27 Club
Ex Famous people
The Ultimate Snub

It seems so strange
To have it all
Which then began
Their great downfall

These famous people
In their prime
Self made prison
Doing time

I'm glad I've had
Enough Recognition
You can drown
In the well you're wishing

Cosmonaut

Space boy cosmonaut
Left this earth
Stowed away
In a space ships berth

Inaugural flight
To touch the stars
Say goodbye
Au Revoir!

Children dream
Adults learn
That there is hope
At every turn