Monday, August 31, 2015

"Cyberspace"

In the beginning, musicians hailed the internet as their savior. At last musicians could take control of their own careers! No more record company tyranny! Unfortunately, the internet also introduced a paradigm in which the public expects all of its music to be free. Record and CD sales plummeted. The music industry was the first business casualty of the internet. The music world was rocked (pun intended) to its foundation, and it is still trying to figure out how to best reinvent itself.

Cyberspace

© 2002 Brian Hutzell

Cyberspace
Empty space
Blank space
Waste of space
Cyberpunk
Pop junk
Pop tart
Pop taste
Toothpaste
Two-faced
Straight-faced
Straight-laced
Disgrace
This place
Any place
Cyberspace
Roasting by the fireplace
Coasting to a higher place
Virtual reality
Doesn’t mean a thing to me
”Virtually real” means “Totally false”
An illusion that falls
Like shadows on walls
When the light fades
And darkness reigns
In cyberspace



"Numbers"

Brian Hutzell

Sunday, August 30, 2015

"Will the future smash us up?"

Here's another ditty from "Mini-Music." I probably shouldn't call it a ditty, because I have a completely separate set of songs called "Ditties," and I would hate to cause confusion. I began recording "Ditties" awhile back, but it is still incomplete. Unfinished business. Not to be confused with a completely separate -- and finished! -- cassette collection called "Unfinished Business."

"Will the future smash us up?"

 © 2002 Brian Hutzell


"Crystal Shopping With Mrs. Russ"

This is one of my favorite titles, and I can’t even take credit for it. The phrase was spoken by a co-worker, Stephanie Tobin, at DMB&B in Chicago, where I was holding down a glamorous temp job. I liked it so well that I wrote a whole song around that one line.

Crystal Shopping With Mrs. Russ

© 1994 Brian Hutzell

Don't you find it abnormal, certifiably nice?
Living with the folks comes with a sacrifice
Fitting into expectations, compromise accordingly
A more offensive spectacle I never hope to see
But the pot is boiling over and the lid’s about to blow
I don't want to be there when they ask you to go…

Crystal shopping, crystal shopping
We’re going crystal shopping today with Mrs. Russ
Crystal shopping, crystal shopping
We’re going crystal shopping--hooray!--with Mrs. Russ

But you take it all in stride with a smile upon your face
As you trim the fancy garden and tidy up the place
You’ve always done the right thing--been everything they ask
They've been good to you and you love them, so you accept the task
Night is when you finally can step out on your own
It’s what you’re looking forward to whenever you must go…

Crystal shopping, crystal shopping
We’re going crystal shopping today with Mrs. Russ
Crystal shopping, crystal shopping
We’re going crystal shopping--hooray!--with Mrs. Russ

The domestic duties done, time to have some fun
Unglaze your eyes, accessorize
Become the person you were never allowed to be

Take a break from your dancing; look over there
Tall and fragrant, multi-colored hair
It’s Mrs. Russ at the club like Cinderella at the ball
Breaking all the rules, ignoring protocol
Now you don’t feel so pressured to keep the status quo
And you won’t resist so much when your folks ask you to go…

Crystal shopping, crystal shopping
We’re going crystal shopping today with Mrs. Russ
Crystal shopping, crystal shopping
We’re going crystal shopping--hooray!--with Mrs. Russ

"Shadow 2"

Brian Hutzell

"In The BASS-ment"

In The BASS-ment

© 2013 Brian Hutzell


I realize that these posts would be more meaningful if I could include recordings of everything. Any volunteers? 


"Crushes Can Be Depressing Things"

I had never heard of Jobriath until a few months ago. Last night I watched a documentary about him, “Jobriath A.D.” It was excellent but sad. Another talented musician I didn’t learn about until it was too late. I also missed Klaus Nomi and Arthur Russell, from about the same time period. Ditto artists like Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat. It bugs me to know I lived through such interesting times, yet failed to notice. I must have been sleepwalking through life.

Crushes Can Be Depressing Things

© 1987 Brian Hutzell


Crushes can be depressing things
When the object of affection never looks in your direction
It's easy to see:
Crushes can be depressing things
Wishing can be a hopeless cause
An optimistic outlook can painfully point out what
You've known all along:
Wishing can be a hopeless cause

Who's that person passing through your dreams?
What's that notebook filled with fancy schemes?
Do you think you have a chance at all?
Is this a prelude to a heavy fall?

Crushes can lead to other things
In love is where you're gonna be
Peace of mind's the first to stray off, then you find your life in chaos
It's easy to see:
Crushes can lead to other things

Crushes can be depressing things
Crushes can be depressing things
Crushes can be depressing things

Remember how it felt before
You wish you could be free once more
When a cute infatuation turns into ugly frustration
It's easy to see:
Crushes can be depressing things

You're up late writing lonely poetry
Another entry in you diary
Have you ever passed a spoken word?
Don't you wish your feelings could be heard?

Crushes can be depressing things
Crushes can be depressing things
Crushes can be depressing things




"Tacky"

Brian Hutzell

"Coquette"

I sometimes base my lyrics on real events or people, but nearly always have to spice the truth up a bit to make it more interesting. “Coquette” is actually based on more than one person; I combined them for the sake of the song. I was a little upset when I discover that Guy Lombardo had recorded a song with the same title nearly seventy years earlier. That “Coquette” was co-written by Guy’s brother, Carmen, along with Johnny Green and Gus Kahn.

Coquette

© 1996 Brian Hutzell

Only if you're good, and only if she’s in the mood
Only if she knows she’s being eagerly pursued
Maybe she’ll consent to let you share her solitude
Don't forget to tell her that she's lovely in the nude

She’ll tickle and tease
She'll torture
But please don’t expect any more from Coquette

When she calls you handsome, don’t feel flattered or put on
She means it for the moment, but the moment’s quickly gone
Her hopes and dreams and history she’s happy to lay bare
But her plans for the evening are too personal to share

She’ll tempt and excite
Spark and ignite

But that's all you’ll get from Coquette
The prettiest girl you’ve ever met
She’ll make you want her so much
But her heart goes untouched
By your story of loving Coquette

She’ll invite you to her door, but never let you come inside
When she’s out, she loves attention
When she’s in, she likes to hide
Is she really lonely underneath her happy dance?
Or is she just in love with some impossible romance?

She’ll glitter and shine
Then grumble and whine

That’s all you’ll get from Coquette
The prettiest girl you’ve ever met
Just when you think she’s gone too wild
She becomes a timid child
But it’s not sweet Cosette, it’s Coquette



"Ahrrrrrnfnuuurhn"

Brian Hutzell

"I don't like the look of empire"

This is from a collection called "Mini-Music," 10 short one-page songs with minimal lyrics. They're all meant to go together as a singular whole. A tip o' the hat to The Residents' "Commercial Album!"

"I don't like the look of empire"

© 2014 Brian Hutzell

"Em-BASS-able You"

Em-BASS-able You

© 2013 Brian Hutzell


Another short composition from “15 Bass Pieces.


"Cook Up Something New"

The Plastic Mikey CD still turns up from time to time on Amazon or Ebay, which amuses me greatly. We only made 500 copies, and sold almost none. I gave the bulk of them away. The effort was under-budgeted and rushed, and the result is less than stellar.

Cook Up Something New

© 1994 Brian Hutzell

What are you going to serve me tonight?
Is it something left over?  Is it something not right?
I’m always the last one at your buffet
But baby, I ain’t had nothing to eat all day, so...

Cook up something new
Cook up something new
Cook up something new
Cook up something new
I’m tired of picking through someone else’s stew, so...
Cook up something new

What are you going to say tonight?
Just a little untruth or a bald-faced lie?
You’re getting pretty good at hiding the clues
But I’ve heard every story and every excuse, so...

Cook up something new
Cook up something new
Cook up something new
Cook up something new
You’re feeding me lines that are difficult to chew, so...
Cook up something new

Where am I going to sleep tonight?
The bed’s about to break, and the sheets are off-white
A night on the couch gives me an aching back
But it’s better than sharing the community sack, so...

Cook up something new
Cook up something new
Cook up something new
I’m tired of getting stuck in someone else’s glue, so...
Cook up something new



Saturday, August 29, 2015

"Contempt"

I think the automobile long ago crossed over the line from being a boon to society to being a major detriment.

Contempt

© 2001 Brian Hutzell

Face to face, I treat you with respect
In my car, I treat you with contempt
In my car
I am invincible
      and I have no need for courtesy
            or common sense

Road rage
The best defense is a strong offense
Street smarts
Buried in a pile of auto parts
      and lawn darts

Rampage
Do unto others before they do unto you
Honk your horn
Show your finger
Shout a zinger
Everyone’s a singer
      in the shower
      and at rush hour

Get off the phone and drive
You’ll never make it home alive
It’s a common defect
      we’ve come to expect

How do we correct
      this lack of respect,
      this total contempt?


"The End Of Reason"

Brian Hutzell

"Composition For a Nose"

Some song titles occur more than once. There are at least three songs titled “Heartbreaker,” at least that many titled “Hold On,” and even two called “Stairway to Heaven.” (Sorry Led Zeppelin; Neil Sedaka got there first.)But I think I’m alone in writing one called “Composition For a Nose.” There’s probably a good reason for that.

Composition For a Nose

© 2011 Brian Hutzell

I am grooving
To the moving
Of my pencil
(Not a stencil
Nor a pen)
Then again
I might compose
A sonnet to my nose

I've done it before
In the past
Back then
Maybe I can do it again?
I know I can do it again!

I'd like to write
And write all day
But now I must go in
And play



"Goo"

Brian Hutzell

"Coming Down"

Some lyrics don’t look like much when seen by themselves without the accompanying music. This song is a good example of that.

Coming Down

© 1998 Brian Hutzell

Coming down
Ah, coming down
Ah, coming down
Ah, coming down
Ah, coming down
Ah, coming down
Ah, coming down
Ah, coming down
Ah, ah

You cost me everything in this affair
But I was high on you and didn't care
The trip was fine at first
I felt so free
The warning signs were there, but I didn't see
Now I am coming down and it’s clear
You do not love me
I’m not welcome here

Coming down
Ah, coming down
Ah, coming down
Ah, coming down
Ah, coming down
Ah, coming down
Ah, coming down
Ah, coming down
Ah, ah



"On the Porch"

Brian Hutzell

Friday, August 07, 2015

GoFundMe: "Noodle Soup"

Please help me make a new CD of all original music. My GoFundMe campaign just launched! THANK-YOU for visiting!

http://www.gofundme.com/BrianHutzell


Monday, August 03, 2015

"Comfy Pillow"

Another song using the cut-up technique. This one contains a few references to Iowa native Arthur Russell, who came into his own as an experimental cellist, composer, and recording artist in New York City in the late 1970s-80s. Russell died of AIDS in 1992 at age 40. I didn’t know anything about him until a couple of years ago, when I read about him in Will Hermes’ book Love Goes Into Buildingson Fire. It’s a great book, all about the creative fervor in New York in the 70s and 80s. The book’s title comes from a song on Talking Heads’ first album, Talking Heads: 77.

Comfy Pillow

© 2015 Brian Hutzell

Sometimes life hands you lemons
Sometimes it hands you turds
I only sit when I have to shit
I sharpen my pencil to stab out the words
I’m lost in space with my Iowa face

You are my comfy pillow; I am your bed of nails
In this world of echo, no wonder romance fails
You are my comfy pillow; I’m your electric chair
Won’t you join me in the shower
I wear my best outfits there

I am a pawn in a game of kings and queens
Craving relief from my non-belief
Painting and poetry justify the means
I’m too busy driving to think of surviving

You are my comfy pillow; I am your bed of nails
In this world of echo, no wonder romance fails
You are my comfy pillow; I’m your electric chair
Won’t you join me in the shower
I wear my best outfits there

The frame is evolving
The canvas is gone
Answer the phone
Click click drone

If I follow my current path, where will it lead?
Dead before death
What do I need?
Bread before breath

You are my comfy pillow; I am your bed of nails
In this world of echo, no wonder romance fails
You are my comfy pillow; I’m your electric chair
Won’t you join me in the shower
I wear my best outfits there



"Colored Pail"

I spent a lot of time on the lyrics for “Colored Pail,” and when I finished them, I was very proud. The song came right in the middle of my very productive Medford period, that golden age of creativity and experimentation in all aspects of life. I’ve been trying to recapture that time ever since, but perhaps that’s the wrong tactic to use. I can’t go back to the mid-1980s, nor can I return to my early 20s. Instead of trying to recreate a golden period, I should try to build a brand new one. Everything about my life is different now from the way it was 30 years ago, so it stands to reason that the things that made 1985 great won’t be the same things that can make 2015 great. I cling to the past. Move on!

Colored Pail

© Brian Hutzell 1986

Hot sand burns, sifting over my feet
Filters through my fingers, feel the heat
Time to go, save the sand
Take it home if you can
But I'll never fit the whales in my little colored pail

I got a colored pail as a gift on my birthday
It was sent by mail and was bent when it came
It's gone through the years with me better or worse
And the jewels it carried were sometimes dirt
Sometimes coal, sometimes gold

Fishbowl building, the feed trickles down
Gazing crowds, grazing cows, gaping frowns
What do memories weigh with this task on the tray
It's getting hard to tip the scales toward my little colored pail

I got a colored pail as a gift on my birthday
It was sent by mail and was bent when it came
It's gone through the years with me better or worse
And the jewels it carried were sometimes dirt
Sometimes coal, sometimes gold

Dreaming asleep, scheming awake
Hoping to keep, groping to take
Wanting to win, hunting the buck
Wishing again, fishing - no luck

Snap! The line's tangled, tears in the net
Let the prey get away, how's the family fed?
Let the crumbs in my head make the dough for the bread
But the crumbs are getting stale in my little colored pail

I got a colored pail as a gift on my birthday
It was sent by mail and was bent when it came
It's gone through the years with me better or worse
And the jewels it carried were sometimes dirt
Sometimes coal, sometimes gold

Dreaming asleep, hoping to keep
Wanting to win
Try to fit the whales in my little colored pail

I got a colored pail as a gift on my birthday
It was sent by mail and was bent when it came
It's gone through the years with me better or worse
And the jewels it carried were sometimes dirt
Sometimes coal, sometimes gold
Sometimes coal, sometimes gold



"The Color of the Wind"

I was very proud of my title, “The Color of the Wind.” I wrote and recorded this one fairly quickly in 1987. It was one of the last recordings I made using the 4-tack, and I think it came out pretty well. Disney’s Pocahontas came out in 1995, and featured music written by one of my favorite Broadway composers, Stephen Schwartz. One of the signature songs from the film was “Colors of the Wind.” WHAT??!!?? He stole my title! At least that’s how it felt. And because his song was a big hit, if I now tried to do anything with my song, everyone would think I ripped him off. Not so. My song predates his by several years. *sigh*

The Color of the Wind

© Brian Hutzell 1987

Don't fall asleep
On a flock that needs attending
Call it a day
When the mystery needs an ending
Don't close the book
Til you've read the final chapter
Don't close your eyes
When the final prize you're after beckons you
It's calling you
There's just one place to go

The color of the wind
The color of the wind
Look again
The harlequin is hiding in the color of the wind
The color of the wind
The color of the wind
Angels dancing on a pin
Fall off into the color of the wind

You've got a dream
But you don't know how to get there
Haunting your mind
Til it becomes a nightmare
Listen, you'll hear
A gentle wind is stirring
You wanna rest
Just when you should be working overtime
Double-time
Cause there's no free reward

The color of the wind
The color of the wind
Look again
The harlequin is hiding in the color of the wind
The color of the wind
The color of the wind
Angels dancing on a pin
Fall off into the color of the wind

Whatever you are looking for
It won't be found in any store
It won't be advertised
The color of the wind is right before your eyes

The color of the wind
The color of the wind
Look again
The harlequin is hiding in the color of the wind
The color of the wind
The color of the wind
Angels dancing on a pin
Fall off into the color of the wind


"Illumination"
Brian Hutzell