F Posterity, issue 24: "Understated Explosions"

I'm getting to the point of writing deadline-driven songs instead of idea-driven songs. This week's "Understated Explosions" is a good example. I started with a bass and harmonica, but I can't play the bass well enough to sing at the same time. And that, really, was my idea for the song. The song structure was patched together hastily like a late mother's day card, and the lyrics are just sort of hurled out there without any sort of hope.

How, for example, are we supposed to induce hallucinations "au naturale, en plein aire"? Why should we choose to "fingerpaint machine guns on the wall"? The text doesn't elaborate for us. Clearly, at some point in our lives, all of us have a "flaming hotel window to jump through", but what are to make of the instruction to "fantasize inflammatory comments to condemn"?

This is, I guess, the closest I come to freestyling verses. I'm not investing time to write and refine outside of the time I'm recording them, and herein lies the conflict. On one hand, I'm getting closer to the real-time stream of consciousness, but on the other hand, I'm not editing. And some of this stuff is kinda wack.

But that's why it's an experiment. I'm naked for you. Metaphorically speaking. Naked. I'm naked for you, baby! Seriously, I'm going to start writing outside of Wednesdays, when I record these to post to MySpace. 'Cause I can't handle Wednesdays anymore.

Understated Explosions

Take the time you need to
To let your mind bleed through
The documents that represent your life

And on the final read-through
Let the spirit feed you
The understated explosions of your soul

Fingerpaint machine guns on your wall (choose it)
Bring restraint to the most inappropriate moments (and lose it)

And when the hour comes to
A flaming hotel window to jump through
You'll not blink. You'll not question yourself.

Fantasize inflammatory comments to condemn (use it)
Hallucinate au naturale, en plein aire (induce it)

And when the headless bureaucrats come running round
And western civilisation comes crumbling down
You will prop it up with the iron biceps of your will.

Download mp3s below by right-clicking on the links.

F Posterity, 2006
52. F Posterity (Getzschman) - May 16, 2007
51. Crazy (Burton/Callaway/Reverberi/Reverberi) - May 9, 2007
50. Persistence of Regret (Getzschman/Ryan/Sahm) - May 2, 2007
49. Breakin' Plates (Getzschman/Ruthsatz) - April 26, 2007
48. Trio for Vocal, Metronome, Wurlitzer (Getzschman) - April 18, 2007
47. She Hates It When I'm Right (Getzschman) - April 11, 2007
46. Beat It (Jackson) - April 4, 2007
45. Mass Ave Strut (Getzschman) - March 28, 2007
44. Let's Fall Asleep Like This (Getzschman) - March 21, 2007
43. 2010 Ain't What They Said It Would Be (Getzschman) - March 14, 2007
42. Three Red Stars (Getzschman) - March 7, 2007
41. Birdhouse In Your Soul (Flansburgh/Linnell) - February 28, 2007
40. Everybody Thinks They're Self-Aware (Getzschman) - February 21, 2007
39. Hysterical Woman (Getzschman) - February 14, 2007
38. Hollaback Savior (Getzschman) - February 7, 2007
37. White Collar (old Philly dollar) (Getzschman) - January 31, 2007
36. Bottle of Blues (B. Hansen) - January 24, 2007
35. Ask Somebody (Getzschman) - January 17, 2007
34. All Time High Score (Getzschman) - January 10, 2007
33. Bury Me In My Jetpack (Getzschman) - January 3, 2007
32. Eggnogg Is The Liquor Of This Household (Getzschman) - December 27, 2006
31. Like Spinning Plates (T.Yorke/J.Greenwood) - December 20, 2006
30. Jack or Jesus (Getzschman/Peterson) - December 13, 2006
29. Runes (Getzschman) - December 6, 2006
28. We Leave Just Like We Come (Getzschman) - November 29, 2006
27. Shampoo! (Getzschman) - November 22, 2006
26. Tomorrow Is A Long Time (Dylan) - November 15, 2006
25. Was That Seriously Your Plan? (Getzschman) - November 8, 2006
24. Understated Explosions (Getzschman) - November 1, 2006
23. Everything Sounds Better On Vinyl (Getzschman) - October 25, 2006
22. Take Heart (Getzschman) - October 18, 2006
21. Pigs (L. Freese, S. Reyes, L. Muggerud) - October 11, 2006
20. Upstart Casualties (Getzschman) - October 4, 2006
19. Troubling (Getzschman) - Sept 27, 2006
18. Tales of Woe (Getzschman/Getzschman/Booth) - Sept 20, 2006
17. Manual Labor Pains (Getzschman) - Sept 13, 2006
16. The District Sleeps Alone Tonight (Gibbard/Tamborello) - September 6, 2006
15. Postmodern Burlesque Review (Getzschman) - August 30, 2006
14. Neverending Love Affair (Getzschman) - August 23, 2006
13. Living On Credit (Getzschman) - August 16, 2006
12. Broke As A Muhfuh (Getzschman) - August 9, 20006
11. Josie (Becker/Fagan) - August 2, 2006
10. Cold Day at the Races (Getzschman) - July 26, 2006
9. Calaveras (Getzschman) - July 19, 2006
8. Narcissist Blues (Getzschman) - July 12, 2006
7. Advice to a Young Jedi (Getzschman) - July 5, 2006
6. God Only Knows (Wilson/Asher) - June 28, 2006
5. Miracle Hubcap (Getzschman) - June 21, 2006
4. A Paycheck Is All I Ask (Getzschman) - June 14, 2006
3. Halfway (Getzschman) - June 7, 2006
2. Summer Crazy (Getzschman) - May 31, 2006
1. Sunday Street (Van Ronk) - May 26, 2006