‘No Is a Complete Sentence’
One of the inspirations for this song came from the way that empaths often try too hard to please. How we try to placate and please the un-pleasable people, how we work to calm the control freaks, to soothe the sadists and mollycoddle the malignant narcissists…all of those whose only way is, their way. This is a cathartic melange of all the attention hogs who have perservated and plundered my time and attention over the years.
We have to remind ourselves we can say the simple and powerful word, phrase and sentence ‘no’ without always needing to explain or qualify. This ‘No’ grammar 101 song also suggests a further stock phrase to try out in case ‘no’ needs a back up.
There is a quotation that I only recall a sense of here. It is about people who are mad, bad and terrible to us. It may be Anne Lamot- if people wanted us to recall them better in our art then they should have treated us better. As people, not just artists we can write our stories and our songs as a medicine, remedy or a nod at scale balancing by narrative force.
The Irish bards of old made fun of the mean spirited foibles of the locals. The pre 1600 Gaelic chieftains kept on the harpists good side rather than become a figure of folly sung of in a ripe Irish ballad by a peripatetic harpist. Maybe the harpadoir was not welcomed to the hearth as he ought to have been and took the time out in the local hayshed to string together a stinging familiar musical rebuke - could this mythical legendary and purely fictional songster have sung …
“Níl aon abairt iomlán … mar atá póg mo thóin”
“No is a complete sentence as is …”
Or something like that (Rud éigin mar sin)
Like a Rolling Stone
I felt the musical parallel thing for this long-form, somewhat caustic piece is the Bob Dylan song ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ .
It was ten pages long… just a rhythm thing on paper all about my steady hatred directed at some point that was honest.
- Dylan
ADULTS only please.
Hey, watch out! Bad language ahead! This song uses some ripe adult terms and fruity ‘French’ language that is ok if you are in a hibernian dialect but not so de rigeur or tres joli in more polite salons. But it suits purpose and so fair warning that if any of the capital letter words like the ‘F word’ is not your sugar bag please do skip ahead and wait for the next song in this new year series. It’s also kinda comic and funny in its unrelenting intensity and witty barbs.
There will be another few cranky songs along shortly. I really should have issued them last year … which is only yesterday. And in that incomrephensibly time-relative way, yes last-year and yesterday, both truly seem so far away.
Happy New Year
John
Song above / Lyrics below.
No is a complete sentence. No is a complete sentence, as is fuck off. Stop saying that I'm crazy, because with you I fought. Hear you screaming for attention but you're not the boss of me. Go on, use your evil powers, to lie and bend reality. No is a complete sentence, as is fuck off. I don't give a fig for your self pity that was so eagerly wrought. Sold tickets to your suicide because you're a sad case a kunt. You think it's so very funny another self dealing fucking stunt. -- No is a complete sentence, I can repeat it if you wish. Hell no! I'm not going to be or not to be your gutted fish. Think you’d play a good guy on TV but when church doors are closed. You make us fear for our lives, to infinity - such a controlling dose. No is a complete sentence, as is fuck off. You accepted trinkets for Manhattan island. Why should I not laugh and scoff. Both stupid and deadly cunning, causing pain gives you glee. You burnt down our house rather than share anything with me.
No is a complete sentence, as is fuck off. How does it feel to be a rolling stone that's finally cast off? Your own worst enemy, that's what I used to say. You betray your wife and your family then refuse to slink away No is a complete sentence, as is fuck off. You were the financial executor, but you couldn't cope. Judas Iscariot are you listening? You can still find your rope. You got your thirty pieces of silver, but I got all the hope.
No is a complete sentence, as is fuck off. A treasure hidden in a field can only be found with love. Some men, they are colorblind, can't see the rainbow reds. I think it's the same for you brother, except your emotionally dead. No is a complete sentence, as is fuck off. Gave away the family jewellery, made everything a loss. A snake with evil tendencies, a village idiot with a plastic crown Maybe he thinks he got away with it, but the universe comes around
No is a complete sentence, as is fuck off. Nine verses about an asshole, a pig lying in a filthy trough but I'm bringing home the bacon in these last few caustic words, No is a complete sentence and all we fucking heard.
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