Pete has set up a second blog, where he will be mirroring his postings of chapters from his memoirs. This mirrored blog will allow people the chance to comment on each chapter. He has already posted the prologue, which certainly makes me want to read more!
Today, 26 February 2007, marks the 75th anniversary of the birth of music legend Johnny Cash.
"[Johnny Cash] rises high above all, and he'll never die or be forgotten, even by persons not yet born - especially those persons - and that is for ever." - Bob Dylan
This is a revised version of a song I posted here earlier (and played live last night). Studio recording to follow (eventually).
This Isn't How the Story Ends
by John W. Leys
A casual wave good-bye
Her other hand clinging to another
An unfaithful, unworthy rake
His tequila soaked drinking brother
The tear-stained photograph
By his fingers often traced
A mind obsessed with the whys
Of a love lost that will never be replacedHe quietly watched her walk away
The bridges as she passes they burn
The question asked; the answer known
“Will she ever to me return?”
But this isn't how the story ends
In the courtyards of academia
Too public a place to cause a scene
Quiet reasons and no desire to continue
Calls a waking from this nightmarish dream
With walls crashing down around him
Remains of a romance that should never have been
The final stab thrust through him:
“I hope I can always be your friend”
Stunned, he watches her walk away
A lesson his heart doesn't wish to learn
The question asked; the answer known
“Will she ever to me return?”
But this isn't how the story ends...
It doesn't end this way
Traveling down our lonely roads
It doesn't end in tears, nor pain
That strangles until your soul explodes
This isn't how the story ends...
A lonely letter down an endless wire
Long expected, arriving from nowhere
Detailing coldly and concisely
All the ways this perfect love they can no longer share
But this isn't how the story ends...
Facing a fork in the road,
He calmly decides to take it
Not giving her another chance
To grip his heart and break it
The phone in the cradle he lays
A chapter here is finished
So often left behind, he now leaves
His love for her never truly diminished
Stunned, she watches him walk away
Desperate to mask her panic and concern
The unspoken answer known only in his soul
“Someday, to you, I promise to return”
But this isn't where the story ends...
It doesn't end this way
Traveling down our lonely roads
It doesn't end in tears, nor pain
That strangles until your soul explodes
This isn't how the story ends...
Stunned, she watches him walk away
Desperate to mask her panic and concern
The unspoken answer known only in his soul
“Someday, to you, I promise to return”
This isn't how the story ends..
Last night I had my ukulele playing stage debut at the Vox Pop open mic night. I played an original song, which I have actually yet to record (using a revised version of lyrics posted here earlier) and had a great time listening to the other artists present. At the end of the evening myself, Tony III (and family) and the Buffalo Poets (MOOSE!) took part in a free form jam session on guitar, harmonicas and voice.
I highly recommend Vox Pop's open mic night. They have a very relaxed, accepting, friendly atmosphere & serve damn good coffee and tea!
"Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine."- George Gordon Noel, Lord Byron (1788-1824)
Today, 24 February 2007, marks the 64th anniversary of the birth of our late Wilbury cousin and ukulele virtuoso, Spike (aka Nelson Wilbury, aka L'Angelo Mysterioso, aka George Harrison). Spike left us five years ago last November and is still deeply missed.
These are the lyrics to a song I've been working on for the past few days. Any feedback or suggestions are most welcome:
A casual wave good-bye
Her other hand clinging to another
An unfaithful, unworthy rake
His tequila soaked drinking brother
The tear stained photo
By his fingers often traced
A mind obsessed with the whys
Of a love lost that will never be replaced
He quietly watched her walk away
The bridges as she passes they burn
The question asked; the answer known
"Will she ever to me return?"
In the courtyard of academia
Too public a place to cause a scene
Quiet reasons and no desire to continue
Calls a waking from this nightmarish dream
With walls crashing down around him
Remains of a romance that should never have been
The final stab thrust through him:
"I hope I can always be your friend"
Stunned, he watches her walk away
A lesson his heart doesn't wish to learn
The question asked; the answer known
"Will she ever to me return?"
A lonely letter down an endless wire
Long expected, yet coming out of nowhere
Detailing curtly, coldly and concisely
All the ways this perfect love they cannot share
A tactical retreat to tend his wounds
So often left behind, he now leaves her
Sidetracked from his grail quest this knight
Convinces himself foolishly that he no longer needs her
Stunned, she watches him walk away
Desperate to mask her panic and concern
The unspoken answer known only in his soul
"Someday, to you, I promise to return"
I just wanted to wish a happy birthday to Ms Drew Barrymore, whom I've had a huge crush on since I first saw her in ET (when we both were much much younger LOL)
In response to my Jackass inspired song, ukulele buddy John Rockwell has penned a tune called "Dick Mouse" (inspired by the opening stunt in Jackass Number 2). The finished song has little to do with the stunt, but is well worth a listen:
"Do not be too moral. You may cheat yourself out of
much life. Aim above morality. Be not simply good; be good for
something."-Henry David Thoureau
I was very pleased to see that one of my favorite bloggers is up and running with a new project. Pete Townshend has started a new blog where he will be posting excerpts from his autobiography, Pete Townshend (Who He?).
A new song has been uploaded to the Elijah Wilbury page at Ukeland. This time its an original tune I wrote over the past couple days. Inspiration comes from the strangest places sometimes. This song was born from me watching Jackass Number 2 one too many times. It ocurred to me that the Big Red Rocket stunt was the perfect metaphor for a certain kind of relationship that some (all?) of us find ourselves in from time to time.
"Whenever you have an efficient government you have a dictatorship."- Harry S Truman, Lecture at Columbia University, 28 Apr. 1959
33rd president of US (1884 - 1972)
This is just to bizarre and funny not to share (And its better than Cliff Notes!).
Erica was kind enough to tag me in the "six weird things about me" meme (ok, so I begged her to tag me, so what?). This wasn't as easy as I though it would be. Especially since, like Erica, I don't think of myself as weird, though others surely do (You know who you are). Here goes:
"In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a
shame, two is a law firm, and three or more is a congress."
"But it's all right now, I learned my lesson well. You see, ya can't please everyone, so ya got to please yourself"- Rick Nelson, 'Garden Party'
And I would like to wish my good friend Misti (aka Dak-Ind of The State of Indiana) a יום הלדת שמח, a (very) Happy Birthday! May the coming year bring you happiness and fulfillment!
if you order a copy the new special edition Last Unicorn DVD from the Conlan Press site, half the money goes to Peter Beagle, and your copy will be signed, as opposed to ordering it from anywhere else in which case it won't be signed by anyone, and Peter won't see a penny. http://www.conlanpress.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvcSince The Last Unicorn is one of my favorite movies (and books) I thought this was worth pointing out. And $24.98 for an autographed copy isn't bad, if you ask me (and I'm pretty ch.. eh.. thrifty!)
"Did the eunuch and the harem girl ever fall in love? Spend night after night talking in hushed tones into the pre-dawn light? Did they sit leaning against the wall by the door he was assigned, his spear propped beside them? Did they discuss societies visions of their given roles? Did they discover that there was more to each other - to themselves - than they had ever imagined? In the light of day, what would become of their love?"
I feel kind of bad that I had to be reminded that today is the anniversary of another death.
I posted this two years ago & I'm not sure I could say any better today:
Three Strikes
For Michael Thomas Cunningham, 1967-2005
by John W. Leys
When you took ill
I prayed for you.
Every day I prayed.
Three times a day:
Morning, noon and night
I begged for God’s mercy;
Begged for a miracle
But the time for prayer is passed
Mourning is now here.
Enriched by your memory,
Wounded by your absence.
Nothing will bring you back,
Your miracles are spent.
The path you walk
I will one day follow,
But you can never follow it
Back to me.
