I’ve got a new song called “What the Fuck is going on” and please excuse my French but the title came to me in a raging vision while I was watching the economic news on CNN the other day with stories about lots of folks losing their houses while a few others take multi-million dollar bonuses. I’m sure my reaction was not unique and the outrage seems to be shared by nearly everyone … who is not getting a multi-million dollar bonus this year, that is. Anyway, we started playing the song at shows about a month ago and now there seems to be some kind of ground-swell going on and a few live versions are appearing on YouTube and other places. I’ve still got to make a definitive recording and we might do that in NYC when I arrive later this month with the Normandy All Stars. Anyway, in case anyone is interested here are the lyrics:
Everyday I got the blues – I don’t want to say it
But when I watch the news – I say what the fuck …
What the fuck is going on
The economy is starting to crash – They say there’s a crisis
Of credit and cash – While the bankers and brokers
Take the money and run
But where do we go? – All the fools like me
Who are working hard – To raise a family
They tell me to invest – But it always goes down
Till I’m left with nothing – Except that sucking sound
That’s the sound of the hole – Where my money goes
And the billionaires – If you think they care
Then you believe in Santa Claus
The Easter Bunny and the check’s in the mail
There’s something wrong here – And I don’t know what
And I can’t fix it – But this feeling in my gut
Says there’s one big Ponzi Scheme
Being played on us all over the world
They’re throwing us crumbs – Telling us to be proud
To be part of this system – That will always allow
You to succeed – If you work very hard
But I say bullshit – They’re holding all the cards
And who are they? – I don’t even know
Is that really your neighbor – On a reality show
Well my reality – It looks nothing like that
And I’m not choosing sides – Not the left or the right
I’m so sick of politicians – And the way that they fight
They must think that we’re stupid – And maybe we are
But maybe we’re good – In the depth of our souls
Maybe we take care – Of the sick and the old
And we see the future – In our children’s eyes
But they got us so scared – And we don’t even know why
Scared to die before I live
Will I have somthing left to give
To leave my son a better world
While Mother Earth is still a girl
Damn my greed and damn my fear
Damn my prejudice when the other comes near
Open my heart – open my mind
Give me peace – when it comes my time
Now I ain’t religious – And I don’t go to church
Except for my meetings – But Jesus Christ
If he was here today – I think he’d be mad as hell
So that’s my two-cents on the world situation at the moment. I’m basically a non-political songwriter. The only political landscape I know well is that of my own emotions and it’s a treacherous place indeed with many back-room deals going on all the time. So take it for what its worth.
Elliott Murphy, Paris, France, April 13, 2009
Photo: Willie Dumalin