Cartoon Blues
Life's Symphony of Water, Fear, and the Blues
Lyrics
I listened to a lecture of nonsense until dawn
Listening to nonsensical lecture until dawn
By a plagiary poet with dark glasses on
A poet plagiarizing, wearing dark glasses
He said, "How did you ever dream up that song
Questioning the origin of a song about a deceased baby
The one where the baby dies?"
Reference to a song about a deceased baby
I said, "I'll tell you the secret, which one's your good ear?
Implying a revelation, questioning the listener's perception
Yeah, people are made up of water and fear
People composed of water and fear; existence due to women's presence
If there weren't women present we wouldn't be here
Let's pretend to be friendly in their absence
So let's make like we're friends"
And the pot turned to powder and soured the mood
Relationships or situation turning negative, ruining the mood
And the people I'd come with were gone from the room
Company disappearing, feeling isolated
So I asked like a child, "May I be excused?"
Requesting permission but acting against it
And disobeyed them all
Disobeying everyone
Into that late-night latrine, rain soaking through my shoes
Being in a dirty restroom with rain-soaked shoes
I tried walking backwards to get less confused
Attempting to lessen confusion by walking backward
Working off the theory I could never prove
Trying to confirm a theory about blaming life
That it was life itself to blame
Attributing blame to life itself
And time ruined the world
Time causing destruction like a failed revolution
Like a failed revolution
Unremovable damage akin to a tumor
A tumor we could not remove
Comparing a constant pain to the blues
An old friend, a constant, the blues
Now my days are distractions, sit wringing my hands
Days filled with distractions and anxiety
Solitaire, crosswords and films on demand
Engaging in solitary activities
When you turn from a cartoon back into a man
Transitioning from an artificial state to reality
You start to smell that human smell
Sensing humanity's inherent smell
So I sleep with the fan on to drown out the street
Using a fan to drown external noise while sleeping
And the noise rising up from the bar underneath
Noise from a bar causing disturbance
But for that inconvenience all my drinks are free
Free drinks as compensation for inconvenience
So I guess it's just as well
Accepting the situation as somewhat beneficial
Why do I envy the ending right from the start
Envying the end before the beginning; disassembling things
Just get it together to take it apart
Desiring to break things down despite having them together
Watching the horse as it follows the cart
Observing a futile pursuit
I sweep up my broken spell
Cleaning up a failed enchantment or illusion
And I felt something changing the world
Feeling a change similar to a new governing document
Like a new constitution
Comparing change to an unavoidable thief
A thief I would have to pursue
Constant pursuit of truth despite challenges
At all times, at all costs, the truth
Emphasizing the persistent quest for truth
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