From the recording Between the Wars
Lyrics
Bagpipe Blues
m.litton
Drinking wine on the ol’ Montmartre there sat Camus ‘n Jean-Paul Sartre
Talking about life for an illogical while
The former said it was a tragedy, the latter swore it was a history
They both agreed existentially with the boys in the rank ‘n file
But those bagpipe blues, I hear those bagpipe blues
Rock me in my cradle, Lord, sink this ship of fools
I’d trade this modern world in for an old-fashion girl
And philosophy for to know ‘n this politics for a puppet show
Cause I only wanna be bouncing on my daddy’s knee
Taking a pony ride…hell, I’d trade this song for a lullaby
When I’s young I used to think that I would make the cynic blink
I studied on the math ‘n science and ancient Sufi prayer
Now my friends, I simply roll my eyes at exotic gals who pantomime
That age-old striptease of…touch me if you dare
And those bagpipe blues, I hear those bagpipe blues
Rock me in my cradle, Lord, sink this ship of fools
Son, ya gotta take it on the chin, it’s the most unoriginal sin
Woman is simply sugar-fed by little men who’re made of gingerbread
And I only wanna be bouncing on my daddy’s knee
Taking a pony ride…hell, I’d trade this song for a lullaby
Well we’ve lived through many years ‘n Camus’s no longer here
And we bid farewell to ol’ Jean-Paul quite a long while ago
He said there ain’t no exit, boys, but he had a ticket, boys
Still he waved the train on by cause he longer cared to go
And those bagpipe blues, he heard those bagpipe blues
Rock him in his cradle, Lore, sink this ship of fools
If being is nothing then nothing must mean something
I reckon the ol’ boy was confused
Ya know a thinking man can rarely choose
So I scratch my prayer on the pavement stone
And agree with fools down at the loading zone
And sing my Rorschach rhymes for all the world to hear
But tragedy goes against my gain ‘n history’s just a daisy chain
And existence is a casualty to memory and fear
And those bagpipe blues, I hear those bagpipe blues
Rock me in my cradle, Lord, sink this ship of fools
With rhyme ‘n reason hand in hand, I’ll mount the stage a one-man band
A rock-a-bye high up in the wind
To a far-off applause my songs will end
And I only wanna be bouncing on my daddy’s knee
Taking a pony ride…hell, I’d trade this song for a lullaby