Thursday, November 19, 2015

"Praying Mantis"


From my Spring 88 tape, this is one of my signature tunes. It was inspired by a real praying mantis. Two, in fact. I was working at my parking lot job in downtown Boston, when a praying mantis landed near me. I hadn’t seen one in ages, so I called up Jeremiah at BCD to tell him about it (I guess things were slow at work.) I began the phone converstion with, “When’s the last time you saw a praying mantis?”
He freaked out a little, “Why are you asking me that?!”
“Because I just saw one.”
“Well I just stepped outside for a moment, and one landed on me!”
It had to be a sign. I had to write a song about a praying mantis.



Praying Mantis

© 1987 Brian Hutzell

She belongs on stage, anywhere but on the street
She’s from another age, her mannerisms obsolete
She’s an individual; no one tells her where to go
I often think she’s fictional--from a place I do not know
Still I imagine she is not alone too often
She’s too beautiful to be
She makes things happen as if life was all a pageant
It’s a rare ability
When she changes costume, suddenly she’s so polite
That’s when she knows she’s got you
Better say your prayers tonight

Praying Mantis, dangerous enchantress
Stay away when she’s got that look in her eye
She’s a huntress acting like a duchess
Go away; when she calls it’s time to fly

She’s making her selection; anything she wants she gets
Cause she has got protection; no one’s escaped her yet
She’ll be ready when you make an attempt to resist
She’s looking at the menu--adding your name to the list
When you receive her invitation for the evening,
Her decorum pacifies
But when you feel her,
That’s when you start believing you might not get out alive
This is her stage--her performing sphere
She doesn’t show her age, only wisdom of the years

Praying Mantis, dangerous enchantress
Stay away when she’s got that look in her eye
She’s a huntress acting like a duchess
Go away; when she calls it’s time to fly

She’ll take your head off, suck the juices from inside
Throw away your empty shell
Then comes the send-off and you’re strangely satisfied
Leaving, she wishes you well

Oh, Praying Mantis, dangerous enchantress
Stay away when she’s got that look in her eye
She’s a huntress acting like a duchess
Go away; when she calls it’s time to fly



“Bug”

Brian Hutzell
from Brand New Bouncing Suit

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