“Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!”
Oz, the Great and Powerful – The Wizard of Oz, 1939
“We’ve gotta protect our phony baloney jobs!”
Governor William J. Le Petomane – Blazing Saddles, 1974
I recently read an article written by Tom Morello – yes, THAT Tom Morello – on why activism in music matters. The article, which I believe originally appeared in the LA Times, was entitled: ‘Dangerous times demand dangerous songs.’ It’s a great article and is definitely worth the read. Needless to say, being a member of the Woodstock Generation, the sentiment resonated with me. This wasn’t something new. Late last year I actually wrote a blog post entitled, ‘Music Today Has No Conscience.‘
Shortly thereafter, I saw a tweet from Rorie Kelly (a fellow traveler on this musical journey who just happens to be a fantastic songwriter and performer) suggesting that we, as songwriters and artists, need to get involved and create material that is ‘relevant.’
So, having grown up listening to Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Country Joe McDonald and revolutionaries of that persuasion, I soon found ideas roiling around inside my head and decided to put pen to paper…
I haven’t worked out the music for this, but here’s a rough draft of the lyrics:
The Deaf Queen and the One-Eyed King
There’s two parties in a clearing far beyond the edge of town
Where kings and queens and acolytes make love on bloody ground.
Preachers preach: “There’s room for all – just keep the riff-raff out;
They’d hang us if they had a clue what we’re really all about!”
The faithful hold their candles high and chant their sirens’ call;
But there’s a restless crowd on Main Street waiting for the axe to fall.
The press is in their places, scalping tickets, riding high,
Staring out into the distance with cigar smoke in their eyes –
One finger on their own pulse, another in the air
And a hand in someone’s pocket making sure they get their share.
They say, “Here’s the deal: we know what’s real – trust us to make the call.”
But there’s a noisy crowd on Main Street waiting for the axe to fall.
When the country has no voice –
Oh, when the country has no voice
Only the deaf queen dares to sing;
And in the country of the blind –
Yes in the country of the blind
The one eyed man just may be king.
The mayor has boarded up Town Hall saying it’s closed for repairs.
He told the press no one will notice – told ‘em no one really cares.
The one armed judge – he will not budge from behind the bent blue line –
He warns dying brothers and crying mothers that “Justice here is mine.”
Politicians block up keyholes with greasy thumbs and won’t take calls.
And the angry crowd on Main Street is praying for the axe to fall.
“Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!”
“We’ve gotta protect our phony baloney jobs!”
Keep the peace – keep ‘em on their knees – that’s the way to rule a mob.
The deaf queen and the one-eyed king speak in tongues but no one knows
Who calls the tunes they dance to – but that’s just how it goes.
By candlelight their acolytes turn their backs and face brick walls
And ignore the mob on Main Street screaming for the axe to fall.
When the country has no voice –
Oh, when the country has no voice
Only the deaf queen dares to sing;
And in the country of the blind –
Yes, in the country of the blind
The one eyed man just may be king.
The deaf queen never hears the screams from Main Street far below.
The one-eyed king just turns away – what he won’t see he can’t know.
Still the crowds are growing louder – crying out into a wind
That blows so cold and sends them back to where they’ve always been:
Outside the tents, beyond the pale, fighting just to crawl,
While that angry mob on Main Street’s screaming for the axe to fall.
When the country has no voice –
Oh, when the country has no voice
Only the deaf queen dares to sing;
And in the country of the blind –
Yes, in the country of the blind
The one eyed man just may be king.
© 2016 Michael McLaughlin – All Rights Reserved
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