Now, the times are changing again. With high unemployment, a bad economy, union busting in Wisconsin and high gas prices, there may not be another Vietnam on our hands but there is a distinct undercurrent of angst that everyday people are feeling.

One such scenario is that in one of the largest school districts in California (Fontana) all of the school counselors have now been handed their pink slips for the coming school year. This was a choice made by the district school board members and superintendent.

As a result, the school counselors and supporters are fighting back and one of the ways they are doing this is through the use of protest songs.

Here’s a link to the video and below are the lyrics to the “Don’t Cut the School Counselors” Advocacy Song:
Yeah… Stand Up… One Time… Come on.

Counselors in schools are truly vital,
They’re helpful to kids and their survival.
You go in to talk, (yeah), they see your potential, (yeah),
They’ve got a Master’s and a P.P.S credential.

Wake up California… Oh, Ooh-na-na-naaah!
Don’t cut the School Counselors,
No, don’t do it no more.

They talk about school and they talk about strife,
Academics, career, and personal life.
When you have a need or get in a fight,
Your school counselor will set things right.

Wake up California… Oh, Ooh-na-na-naaah!
Don’t cut the School Counselors,
No, don’t do it no more.

Mention A – G and their eyes open wide,
They’ll do what they can so your classes coincide.
If you laugh or cry, (yeah), or needin’ a snack, (yeah),
Don’t have no fear they’ve got your back.

Wake up California… Oh, Ooh-na-na-naaah!
Don’t cut the School Counselors,
No, don’t do it no more

Without counselors kids’ll be in a bubble,
With nowhere to go when they’re in trouble.
If you want the kids to graduate,
Better keep the ones who settin’ them straight.

Sayin’ wake up California… Oh, Ooh-na-na-naaah!
Don’t cut the School Counselors,
No, don’t do it no more
Sayin’ wake up California… Oh, Ooh-na-na-naaah!
Don’t cut the School Counselors,
No, don’t do it no mo’!

For those who would like to get involved or at least give the school counselors a thumbs up here’s the Facebook page.

But, this is not the case this time. Enrique M. has many good, well thought out points to make so I thought I would publish his lyrical analysis of the song How to Save a Life.

Here is Enrique’ take on this song:

I don’t think that this sing is necessarily depicting a friend giving advise to a girl. It’s a little simplistic and obvious assumption. A more keener interpretation would be someone’s regret on failing to stop a friend who subjected him/herself to something that has negatively impacted their lives thus resulting in death. When the speaker/singer says, “I lost a friend” it reveals this to us.

Having said this, the more possible interpretation of what this negative impact is is the subjection to the influence of drugs though it is not exactly specified in the song. It certainly isn’t the only possibility; it could also be something in regards to relationships but drugs seem the more potent possibility.

Through out the song there is a switch in Point of Views between first person and second person. By having implemented the first person point of view in the chorus, it demonstrates his personal involvement in the situation which he is talking well in this case singing about. This means that the speaker/singer has gone through the same experience of having lost a friend which explains his great acknowledgment of the situation. It is not directly advice that he gives; it is also a recount of what he had gone through. By placing the first person point of view in the chorus it creates this effect of interruption.

When the song is in the verses, the singer/speaker is recounting the situation but when it arrives at the chorus there is this sense of being cut off while the singer/speaker expresses his regret of having failed to have helped his friend.The chorus gives this sense of blame “Where did I go wrong.” Accompanied with this is regret, which is expressed through the line that says, “And I would have stayed up with you all night Had I known how to save a life.” So, he is regretting not only the fact that he failed to help his friend but also regretting that he did not know how to save him. But now that he knows, he says what he would have done to save his friend “And I would have stayed up with you all night.” This describes that he would have supported his friend with endless guidance and advise.

Since this is a blend of both a recall and advise, the advise is essentially given through this recalled experience. By explaining what happened between him and his friend, he is also allowing the reader/listener to learn from it. This is why the beginning of the second verse sounds more advice. “Let him know that you know best Cause after all you do know best” He also tells the reader/listener what to do to prevent them from falling into the same situation. “Try to slip past his defense Without granting innocence Lay down a list of what is wrong” The singer/speaker then begins to shift back into how he was personally involved. The paragraph for this purpose was set in the past tense.

“The things you’ve told him all along” The “all along” shows how this has been said for an extensive period of time though this is futuristic advice. The last two lines are just for encouragement. “And pray to God he hears you And pray to God he hears you” He is emphasizing the importance of keeping faith to avoid the tragedy of the situation, death.

There are particular moments of the song that also need to be taken into consideration. For example, the switch from saying “And you begin to wonder why you came” to “And you’ll begin to wonder why you came” This shifts enforces how he lived through it and by retelling his experience and error of growing tired of trying, he also gives advice. The first time he says “And you begin to wonder why you came” shows a tone that gives this sense of personal experience. The second time when he addresses it in the future tense portrays a more advisable tone. So that person may prevent it from happening to them, he tells them how he began to wonder why he should he keep on trying.

The last verse of the song is advice but on what not to do. “As he begins to raise his voice You lower yours and grant him one last choice” This depicts how the singer/speaker began to lose his hope on the person after having tried. “Drive until you lose the road Or break with the ones you’ve followed” He continues to explain how giving up or loss of hope can lead to misguidance and error. The last lines of the verse say, “He will do one of two things He will admit to everything Or he’ll say he’s just not the same And you’ll begin to wonder why you came” As a result his friend begins to conclusively accept his situation and tries to provides reasons so that he is justified and left alone to continue towards his own unforeseen death. The speaker/singer then continues to think about whether or not he should continue to help his friend.

Overall, his friend suffered a terrible fate and having gone through this experience the singer/speaker now recalls it to other people so that they may be able to evade this situation.

The lyrics up for auction are from Dylan’s iconic song, The Times They Are A-Changin’ were written on notebook paper in 1963 and the song was released in 1964.

The handwritten lyrics are expected to command around $300,000 at Sotheby’s. Dylan gave the lyrics to fellow folk singer Kevin Krown in the 1960’s. Since this time, the page of lyrics has traded hands several times.

Even though the times may be a changing, Dylan is still performing for eager audiences around the world.

The Burlesque lyrics are about sexual power that many women feel on a smaller scale and only a few feel on a large scale. The line about “They know I got that certain savoir faire” reminded me of Pepe Le Pew but otherwise these stinkin’ lyrics are actually pretty decent.

Burlesque Lyrics

It’s a cold and crazy world that’s ragin’ outside
Well baby me and all my girls are bringin’ on the fire
Show a little leg, gotta shimmy your chest
It’s a life, it’s a style, it’s a need, it’s burlesque

E-X-P-R-E-S-S.
Love, sex, ladies no regrets
E-X-P-R-E-S-S.
Love, sex, ladies no regrets

Been holding down for quite some time
And finally the moment’s right
I love to make the people stare
They know I got that certain savoir faire

Fasten up, can you imagine what would happen if I let you close enough to touch?
Step into the fantasy, you’ll never want to leave, baby let’s give it to you
(Why?)

It’s a passion, and emotion, it’s a fashion, burlesque
It’ll move, goin’ through you, so do what I do, burlesque
All ladies come put your grown up, boys throw it up if you want it
Can you feel me, can you feel it? It’s burlesque.

I tease ‘em ’til they’re on the edge
They screamin’ more for more and more they beg
I know it’s me they come to see
My pleasure brings them to their knees

Fasten up, can you imagine what would happen if I let you close enough to touch?
Step into the fantasy, you’ll never want to leave, baby let’s give it to you
(Why?)

It’s a passion, and emotion, it’s a fashion, burlesque
It’ll move, goin’ through you, so do what I do, burlesque
All ladies come put your grown up, boys throw it up if you want it
Can you feel me, can you feel it? It’s burlesque.

It’s a passion, and emotion, it’s a fashion, burlesque
It’ll move, goin’ through you, so do what I do, burlesque
All ladies come put your grown up, boys throw it up if you want it
Can you feel me, can you feel it? It’s burlesque.

In a recent article in MLive two such examples have surfaced including Eminem and Insane Clown Posse. Eminem says that he doesn’t swear at home – I swear. He says his cussing on stage including homophobic remarks are an act and at home he is a dad who doesn’t go all ghetto on his kids. One can understand that.

The Insane Clown Posse, however, is another matter which is more subversive. In a recent interview they claim to be evangelical Christians who put on an act of violence and hoe chasing in order to draw in the younger crowd.

Then the lyrics change from demonic to despotic trying to get the message of God out in not so obvious ways. Don’t be surprised if the Insane Clown Posse shows up at your door on Halloween. And don’t be surprised when they hand you a Bible and wish you a good evening.

After reading the lyrics, I agree or “agreefulsome” (which I did just make up) with the NY Times.

From the song “Firework” is the following lyric, “If you only knew what the future holds / After a hurricane comes a rainbow” which may be the poster child for sappy and silly writing.

Then from the song, “Peacock” is this disaster, “Are you brave enough to let me see your peacock? / Don’t be a chicken boy, stop acting like a bee-yotch.”

The song goes onto say, “I wanna see your peacock, cock, cock” which is both clever and nauseating at the same time.

I am self nominating this album for my list of worst music lyrics just on general principals. Teenage Dream is an extreme meme that doesn’t seem to have a theme and makes me scream for vanishing cream. Cya!

Well, oddly enough singer and songwriter Natalie Merchant has done this but in a different way, and the way she has done this has been very successful. Merchant’s new Leave Your Sleep album is a collection of 26 historical poems from around the world written by others.

Natalie Merchant found these poems, set her own music to them and then recorded her album plus work on an accompanying booklet. It was a little more complicated than this, though, having vast resources at the star’s disposal. According to this article, “I had three research assistants just finding information about the poets, because some of them were so obscure. I had a copyright researcher, and I had two lawyers doing clearances and a picture researcher. That was my team.”

Of course, if you’re a composer in need of lyrics, this could be an avenue that you, too can explore. You’ll most likely have to do your own legwork as you probably don’t have a “team” such as Natalie Merchant has. Then again, there may be some lyrical gems waiting out there ready to be snatched up.

Since I put up a page on the main website about the worst music lyrics, I’ve gotten a few emails. Here is one I would like to share that is from Kim W.

“I think these two songs, whose bad lyrics have been stuck in my head since the 70′s, need to make the Worst Lyrics list:

“Paul McCartney, Live and Let Die: “But in this ever-changing world in which we live in”. Seriously. He got the preposition placement right. . . and then he blew it anyway. Duh.

“Styx, Come Sail Away: “On board I’m the captain, so climb aboard”. Can you say redundant?

“Thanks for considering my submission.”

Yes, I agree and I feel a hairball coming up right now.

Even though the Internet has more resources for musicians, bands and others interested in the business of music, there are some resources for lyricists if you know where to look. For instance there is the Songwriters Resource Network which has a section for lyricists only and a section where lyricists can make connections with other songwriters, musicians, artists and producers.

Another resource is Song Lyricist which features news and articles about writing lyrics plus a connections section where lyricists, songwriters and composers can meet. Now, if you’d like to talk more freely in a message board format then there are a couple of resources for lyricists that are fairly active.

A message board called Songwriter Forums has a section just for lyricists to share with others, receive feedback on their lyrics and help others with the craft. And the last resource I’d like to talk about is a section of the Writers Block Forums that also has a section for lyricists only.

Of course, these aren’t the only lyric writer’s hangouts online, but these will get any budding lyricist started. Hope you get an education from these resources and come back and post a comment of what you’ve learned.

Broadway musical Avenue Q has been poking fun at George W. Bush since 2003 and now that he’s out of office, the Q is wondering just what to do? The answer is hold a contest to see who can come up with a new set of lyrics for the play.

Rapper will.i.am is a fan of Obama an in order to pay tribute to the new President, he is willing to fudge his lyrics just a bit. According to Hot Air, lyrics linking the CIA to terrorists (first written under the Bush leadership) will now change at least for a little while as a tribute to Obama.

And, of course, Britney’s back in the news and on the charts, but one of her songs is being given the silent treatment by radio stations everywhere. In order to gain the much appreciated, and financially lucrative air time, Britney has to take the F-word out of her lyrics one on of the tracks from her Circus album.

Changing song lyrics is nothing new and the motivations are many. Pocketbooks and politics are usually the top two reasons for the change.