New song: Windbags

[Arthur T.]

Title: Windbags
ttto: Windmills by Alan Bell
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4L1pwzKPZ-o> is missing the first
word or two.

In days gone by when the country was younger
Rhetoric was how you'd change someone's mind
Now they ignore all the issues that matter
Now all they care is the foe gets maligned

(Refrain:)
They go on, and go on, they go on saying nothing
Build themselves up as they tear others down
Lies are beguiling; they spray them while smiling
Grinding to dust any facts they disown

In red states and blue and the purple, et cet'ra
They tout the ideals that their foes denigrate
Though they don't hold 'em, they claim they enfold 'em
They'll say anything that the masses dictate

(Refrain)

Lies from the left, all promising freedom
Lies from the right, all promising wealth
Lies from third parties, all promising something
Lies that show all, of our country's bad health

(Refrain)

(Last refrain:)
And we let them go on, and we let them keep lying
Elect them to posts that they do not deserve
People who care just make folk songs decrying
While liars and crooks say they're just there to serve

My lyrics copyright 2024 by Arthur Tansky. License granted for
non-commercial, non-political archiving and performance as long as:
1. copyright notice is maintained, and
2. no money changes hands.

--
Arthur T. - ar23hur "at" pobox "dot" com

Guessing a lyricist's opinions from his songs is as futile as
guessing an author's opinions from his novels.

[Gary McGath]

On 1/31/24 4:11 PM, Arthur T. wrote:
> Title: Windbags
> ttto: Windmills by Alan Bell

Right on target.

--
Gary McGath http://www.mcgath.com

[Paul Rubin]

Nice song. I've suggested a few tweaks, but some more seem possible.

Arthur T. <art...@munged.invalid> writes:
> Rhetoric was how you'd change someone's mind

Persuasion was how you'd change someone's mind

> They go on, and go on, they go on saying nothing

They go on, and go on, and go on saying nothing

> In red states and blue and the purple, et cet'ra

In red states and blue states and purple, et cet'ra

[Arthur T.]

In Message-ID:<87eddvh...@nightsong.com>,

Paul Rubin <no.e...@nospam.invalid> wrote:

>Nice song. I've suggested a few tweaks, but some more seem possible.
>
>Arthur T. <art...@munged.invalid> writes:
>> Rhetoric was how you'd change someone's mind
>Persuasion was how you'd change someone's mind

Much better. Thank you. I wasn't happy with "rhetoric" but couldn't
come up with anything else.

>> They go on, and go on, they go on saying nothing
>They go on, and go on, and go on saying nothing

That was my original phrasing. But while the repetition worked for me
in Windmills, it didn't quite seem right here. Of course, this being
filk/folk, people will sing whatever they like.

>> In red states and blue and the purple, et cet'ra
>In red states and blue states and purple, et cet'ra

In my mind's ear, there's a slight pause after the word "blue". That
works well when followed by "and", but less so when followed by
"states".

Thank you for your comments. I always appreciate suggested
improvements. Since you said that more tweaks seem possible, I'm
going to let a couple of days go by so I can look at it again with
fresh(er) eyes.

[Paul Rubin]

Arthur T. <art...@munged.invalid> writes:
>>> They go on, and go on, they go on saying nothing
>>They go on, and go on, and go on saying nothing

> That was my original phrasing. ...

They go on and on, and go on saying nothing ?

[Tim Merrigan]

Should there be a comma after the third "on", or maybe even an
ellipsis.
--

Qualified immunity = virtual impunity.

Tim Merrigan

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