Topic: 'The Truth': A Fable in Blues
I like the blues, I like myths and fables - so here is an attempt to marry the two together.
Based upon the fable of 'The Elephant and the Blind Men' this version has some embellishments that are my own creations. It is very long, but also very lively . . .
'The Truth': A Fable in BluesJames McCormick, June 13, 2007
slow 12-bar blues
[G]Once upon a time, way [G]back when time was new
A [G]King was sitting on his throne, [G7]feeling a little blue
He said, "I've [C7]lived a life of opulence, I've [C7]lived a life of ease.
I [G]am a man of consequence.I [G]do just what I please.
It's [D7]all been very pleasant, but now I'm [C7]getting long of tooth.
And be-[G]fore I go beyond this world, I want to know 'The [D7]Truth'."
. . . .
He said, "[G]Summon my philosophers, all the [G]elders and wise.
[G]Bring them into my presence, so I can [G7]look them in the eyes."
So a [C7]call went out across the land, for [C7]gurus, sages and seers,
And [G]mathematicians, astronomers and phy-[G]sicians to appear.
And when [D7]all the finest minds were [C7]under one big roof,
He said, "'The [G]Truth' is what I'm after, and you will give me [D7]proof!"
. . . .
At [G]first there was great cheering, big [G]smiles all around
'We're [G]all so very smart here, so the [G7]answer will be found!'
But [C7]once they started working, the [C7]rifts they did appear
Those [G]experts just kept arguing, a con-[G]sensus was not clear
It [D7]started to get nasty, and [C7]tempers they did flair
There was [G]pouting shouting shoving and biting and lots of pulling of [D7]hair.
. . . .
The [G]experts did do battle, and the [G]meeting went amok
The [G]timid and defenseless were [G7]simply out of luck
[C7]Egos were bruised, insults were hurled, and [C7]reputations trashed
[G]Casualties were mounting and [G]lots of stuff got smashed
Spec-[D7]tators gathered to point and gawk and [C7]see the big melee
And [G]that was the beginning of the first universi-[D7]ty!
. . . .
[G]Meanwhile on the fringe, there [G]sat a wizened crone
[G]Elegant and mysterious, and se-[G7]renely all alone
The [C7]King admired greatly how she was [C7]far above the fray
He re-[G]spectfully introduced himself saying, "[G]Help me Lady, I pray."
She [D7]looked him in the eye, and he [C7]knew 'The Truth' was there
She said, "[G]Fetch me seven blind men and an elephant, if you [D7]dare."
. . . .
[G]Meanwhile all the experts con-[G]tinued their debate
But there [G]wasn't any dialogue, just hot [G7]air as they did orate
The [C7]crowd did mostly drift away, but some [C7]young people hung around
[G]Jeering at the experts and [G]lolling about on the ground
[D7]Somebody did propose that the [C7]show shouldn't be for free
So they [G]started charging tuition in exchange for fancy de-[D7]grees
. . . .
[G]Many moons did pass while the [G]elephant made its way
From e-[G]xotic lands of jungles far a-[G7]cross the turbulent sea
When the [C7]animal did finally arrive, not a [C7]cloud was in the sky
Seven [G]blind men were invited, but they had [G]no idea why
The [D7]crone she told them each to [C7]go and touch the thing
Then [G]please come back and describe 'elephant' for the [D7]King.
. . . .
[G]Meanwhile all the experts they were [G]busy as the bees
[G]Buzzing about their theories and [G7]forming committees
"We are [C7]making steady progress, but this [C7]process will take years.
So you [G]need to give us tenure to e-[G]liminate our fears.
And we [D7]need some proper buildings, on [C7]that we all agree.
[G]Something with many towers overgrown with pretty iv-[D7]y."
. . . .
So [G]one at a time the blind men did [G]valiantly feel their way
'Til they [G]finally each encountered the [G7]'elephant' mystery
Every [C7]man happened to touch it in a [C7]totally different spot
Then [G]one by one they told the King the [G]knowledge that they got
Their im-[D7]pressions were all quite different as I'm [C7]sure you will agree
As they [G]whispered to the King about their discove-[D7]ries
. . . .
The [G]fellow who felt a leg said, "[G]Elephant is a tree."
The [G]one who touched the tail, "'Tis a [G7]rope in the sky clearly."
The [C7]guy who touched the side, "It's just a [C7]wall for heaven's sake."
The [G]toucher of the trunk said, "Ele-[G]phant is a giant snake."
The [D7]guy who grabbed an ear said, "It's a [C7]leather tapestry."
The [G]one who touched a tusk said, "It's a statue obvious-[D7]ly!"
. . . .
Then the [G]seventh man did take his turn [G]out there in the sun
But he [G]never did find the elephant, for he [G7]stepped in a pile of dung
It [C7]mushed there all between his toes and [C7]stunk so horribly
The [G]man let out an anguished scream at the [G]utter indignity
Well, the [D7]elephant was so frightened that it [C7]started to stampede
[G]Running all around the place stomping indiscriminate-[D7]ly
. . . .
[G]Everybody was terrified and a [G]panic did ensue
[G]Chaos did erupt and the con-[G7]fusion quickly grew
The [C7]poor elephant continued in [C7]rampaging frenzied fear
[G]Bellowing so loud and tromping on [G]anything that was near
The old [D7]King was just too slow to [C7]get out of the way
And the [G]elephant stepped upon him wounding him mortal-[D7]ly
. . . .
Well, the [G]King he lay there bleeding with a [G]smile upon his face
The [G]crone knelt down beside him and [G7]offered her embrace
She said, "[C7]Sire, I'm so sorry for [C7]all this horrible mess.
I [G]merely wanted to show you 'The Truth', please [G]pardon the distress."
Then the [D7]King said, "Oh Dear Lady, this has [C7]been so very sweet.
I [G]finally understand 'The Truth' and my life is now com-[D7]plete."
. . . .
The [G]King he did then die with a [G]big old happy grin
The [G]crone went back to her village and [G7]never was seen again
The [C7]elephant went charging off in-[C7]to the wildest woods
The [G]blind men became celebrities, en-[G]dorsing luxury goods
[D7]Meanwhile all the experts from their [C7]ivied tower views
[G]Theorized that elephant would make excellent bar-b-[D7]que!
"That darn Pythagorean Comma thing keeps messing me up!"
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_comma[/url]
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_comma[/url]
