1 Topic by Strummerboy Bill (edited by Strummerboy Bill 2018-05-16 01:11:36)

  • From: West Georgia
  • Registered: 2006-10-14
  • Posts: 2,557

Topic: Morality (Sung Or Spoken To The Doors' "Soft Parade"

****Note: I have always liked The Doors' "Soft Parade" and for about the past year, I've been thinking the words "legislate" and "morality". I finally realized I heard them in a phrase by some politician. This is a satire of sorts based on on that tune. If you've never heard it and care to read along it's on YouTube. I tried to stay faithful to the rhyme and meter, but in my opinion Jim Morrison was crazier than I am.

To conclude, please remember that I tend to live in what we in America call "Left Field", so keep it in mind as you read if you choose to. Please make suggestions/corrections as you see fit. Thank you *****



                                                                            MORALITY


(Strongly voiced)
"When I was back there in Washington, there was a body of Senators who put forth
the proposition that one can legislate morality.....................Legislate..... morality......
Legislate. Morality...........
YOU CANNOT LEGISLATE MORALITY!!!!!!!!"

(singing)
Can you give me one example
To show that this has worked for you?
You're mistaken telling people
What they should think and {what}
They should do.

The time for that is through
******************
(Tempo Change)

Screaming and beatings and strict isolation
Shootings and bombings dividing our nation

(short instrumental break)

Killing your brother is not the solution
Dead babies in dumpsters won't bring absolution.
Fooling the people can get you elected
But words of derision won't get you respected
Keep up your thieving, your lies and your cheating

Till the next vote comes in

Bombs and drones
Screams and moans
Starving children
Throwing stones
At each OTHER!!!!

Barb-wire fence
A weak defense
Soldiers escaping
Your influence.

What's the answer
Where's the way
Another planet?
Who's to say?

"Leave it for the kids to fix"
But all they'll have are wood and bricks.
Before we turn it all to dust
We'll have to try to regain their trust.

Trust. Yeah.
                                                                                         ###

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  • From: Wellington New Zealand
  • Registered: 2010-03-24
  • Posts: 1,346

Re: Morality (Sung Or Spoken To The Doors' "Soft Parade"

excellent words Bill,great to see some of your writings on Chordie.

The King Of Audio Torture

3 Reply by Peatle Jville (edited by Peatle Jville 2018-05-16 05:00:09)

  • Registered: 2015-07-31
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Re: Morality (Sung Or Spoken To The Doors' "Soft Parade"

Bill that is one top piece of songwriting. Watching the resentment  of one group against another in this modern day on the news and  destruction of innocent peoples lifes saddens me. Power and morality don't seem to come together.

4 Reply by Tenement Funster (edited by Tenement Funster 2018-05-23 09:00:09)

  • From: Nova Scotia, Canada
  • Registered: 2013-01-20
  • Posts: 4,083

Re: Morality (Sung Or Spoken To The Doors' "Soft Parade"

Great words, Bill, and you've pin-pointed the whole cultural shift we've made towards Situational Ethics. Everyone does what's right in their own eyes, so we have the default position where every human puts their own self-interests first. With over 7,000,000,000 of us crawling the globe, there can never be an absence of conflict in this environment.

5 Reply by Strummerboy Bill (edited by Strummerboy Bill 2018-05-26 18:01:23)

  • From: West Georgia
  • Registered: 2006-10-14
  • Posts: 2,557

Re: Morality (Sung Or Spoken To The Doors' "Soft Parade"

Thanks, TF and Pete. What I wrote and how it "fit" together, was what one would term a "happy accident".

Unless I missed Jim Morrison's point, that song never made much sense to me except for the "soliloquy" (is that the correct word?) at the beginning. After that, he starts his "acid trip" in which nothing makes sense. Maybe it's not supposed to. I'd rather listen to The Beatles' "I Am The Walrus". At least in that one, you know (or suspect) they're high on something. wink

Maybe I didn't "nail" it  either, but at least (IMO) I stayed "on topic".

Any other opinions? I'd really like to read others' viewpoints.

Thanks TF and Peatle. (I still don't know what "Peatle" means! smile )

Bill

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  • From: West Georgia
  • Registered: 2006-10-14
  • Posts: 2,557

Re: Morality (Sung Or Spoken To The Doors' "Soft Parade"

easybeat wrote:

excellent words Bill,great to see some of your writings on Chordie.

Thank you, Brian. Morrison considered himself more of a poet than a song-smith, but "LA Woman" reamins my favorite Doors album. Even though I think he may have "stolen" that line about being down so " _____  long, that it looks like up to me". It may have come from one of the "Beat Poets" of the 60's or one of the older blues artists. I tend to think it's the former.

I purposely didn't google it, because I want to see if I guessed correctly. LOL!

Bill

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Re: Morality (Sung Or Spoken To The Doors' "Soft Parade"

Bill this is excellent!  I honestly learned to write from Jim Morrison .  I have all his writings that are published.  Then I read Poe and a few others.

“Find your own sound.  Dont be a second rateYngwie Malmsteen be a first rate you”

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8 Reply by Strummerboy Bill (edited by Strummerboy Bill 2018-05-28 21:37:33)

  • From: West Georgia
  • Registered: 2006-10-14
  • Posts: 2,557

Re: Morality (Sung Or Spoken To The Doors' "Soft Parade"

I was right - sort of- ....... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Fari%C3%B1a  . E

Even though he was considered more of a "Protest Singer' than "Beat Poet", he performed his work, in that era (Greenwich Village) and - whether singing, being a poet or novelist , the book  "Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up To Me" credits Farina as the author. He was only 29 when he died.

But the story doesn't stop there: Read the Wiki link above and you'll see why I wrote "I was right - sort of -..."
Scroll down to the novel's title,  and here's the original : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZ-qmRS3-a4.

I'm thinking that the copyright wasn't renewed, and anyone who wanted to, could use it. Not sure though.

Bill

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Re: Morality (Sung Or Spoken To The Doors' "Soft Parade"

Hey Bill, fantastic to see some of your writings.  Well written smile

Laugh Lots ... Forgive Much ...  Love one another     smile
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10 Reply by Strummerboy Bill (edited by Strummerboy Bill 2018-06-01 19:13:00)

  • From: West Georgia
  • Registered: 2006-10-14
  • Posts: 2,557

Re: Morality (Sung Or Spoken To The Doors' "Soft Parade"

I sure am glad I put that into the POEMS secion! Have y'all looked at the number of chords in that song??? Those had to be played by Manzarek  only. Or maybe Krieger is just that good a guitarist, I don't know. I could play maybe all the easy chords ONLY. What do y'all think? Thanks for all the readings and comments, everyone. Now that I know Morrison has more poetry in print, I'll have to check it out.

Thanks

Bill

Epiphone Les Paul Studio
Fender GDO300 Orchestral - a gift from Amy & Jim
Rogue Beatle Bass
Journal: www.wheretobud.blogspot. com