In Front of the Crowd

Update: 11/2/15
Sure enough the lyrics have undergone a change or two. Check out a live performance soon for the latest taste of this high-caliber number . . .

During the Late Joys gig last Saturday at the always fabulous Carousel Lounge, we did a bunch of old material among which were some of my soapbox songs (Ghost Town, Twisty System, Dresden, among others). Matt bantered that next on my to-do list was a song about gun violence, which as we all know is the scourge of today. Well, alright. I took up the challenge and wrote this little number. It still needs work (the lyrics have already changed a fraction) but until the band starts crafting it into a better song I reckon this raw version isn’t completely unlistenable (you be sure to let me know if it _is_!).

“In Front of the Crowd” gets its first public airing at tonight’s Butterfly Bar happy hour. You get to hear it in advance* cos you like the Late Joys (thank you for liking the Late Joys!).

In Front of the Crowd

You have a question
Come over, sport
You know I’ll keep my answers short
You don’t like Mondays
She makes you feel a fool
Go on, what have you got to lose

Never sent my children off to school
Never learned to live by the golden rule
Why are those people standing round?

Where am I?
I’m in front of the crowd

It’s so damn easy
When life’s so hard
We practiced late in the back yard
It’s not my fight
Don’t look at me
He pulls my trigger and he’s free

Never sent my wife to a dead-end job
Disgruntled co-workers, death by cop
Why are those those people lying around

Look at me I’m in front of the crowd
Look at me I’m in front of the crowd

Go text your mom go call the cops
I keep on popping and I just can’t stop
I hope you take it all to heart
So, baby, here’s my parting shot
Go blame the victim don’t blame me
Cos I’m not sentient like a human being
I think you’ll know just what I mean
You can read it in my magazine

You’ll never know where I’m concealed
You stand like statues or you kneel
I’ll fill your head with another round

Look at me I’m in front of the crowd
Look at me I’m the talk of the town
Look at me I’m in front of the crowd

*Assuming you listened to this before happy hour!