52 Week Song Cycle #46
Why Do You Bother? (c) 2010 Mattroi Berger
Heard a band in a bar playing the same 4 chords over and over again the other day and I thought I could do it better. If you’re interested in learning it: GDFC (with some variation on the keys). Enjoy.
Wanted to focus on lyrics more this time around (how could I not when the music is the same four chords on 4-minute repeat?) and I had quite a bit of fun with internal rhymes and wordplay. Taking a note (or a number of notes) from the defunct Welsh group ‘mclusky,’ I focused more on the impact of words as opposed to a greater story or aim.
Song Cycle’s winding down, but I got a few more tricks and ideas to throw out there. Thanks to those of you who’ve been checking in weekly - I hope it’s been worth your while.
Music and lyrics by Mattroi
Backing Vocals by Melissa Lusk
***
I don’t see what they’re saying ‘cept I know that they’re right
And that they’re singing through their teeth with an envious eye
Cuz the kindness in their signs doesn’t bleed from the heart
And every kid has got good reason for his passionate scars
They got a letter to editor – They’re begging a better her
But they never sever ties – they got the eyes of a predator
Only try’n’ to get next to her, endeavor to tether her
And she’s warning me about their aims! She say.
She got a taste like an anthrax outbreak mismatched
Body like a battle-ax, blinding like a cataract
So try to get your facts straight, send em off to Christ Camp
Come home for the Holidays, won’t look you in the eye again
I don’t see what the point is – I’m incredibly fine
Like a pencil or a suit
And the terrible parable isn’t half as unbearable
As their chorus of disheartened abuse:
Why do you bother? Why?
Why do you bother to be in love?
Why do you bother to try?
She got a voice like a shark bite, sugar-covered knife fight
Molotov cock tease, aching for a spit shine
The science of her kindness doesn’t bleed from her heart
She got a hundred open credit lines in passionate arms
And the terrible terrible terrible terrible terrible
Terrible terrible terrible truth
Is that I’m honest to a fault line digging at a grave site
Hanging by a trip wire tapping on a landmine
Why do you bother? Why?
Why do you bother to be in love?
Why do you bother to try?
Oh my God.
Why do you bother? Why?
Why do you bother to be in love?
Why do you bother to try?
