FAWM: "Speaking truth to power"

Speaking truth to power

There is no demo for this song.

Liner Notes

I read yesterday in The Australian (national broadsheet newspaper) that a top-end supplier of small personal non-jewellery items (cheapest in their catalog: $500 or so), in opening a new hugely upmarket store for the super-well-heeled in the best of locations, commissioned to theme their shop sorry emporium a well-known Trotskyite poet who hates capitalism, consumers, western society and supports all the currently correct causes. While one might have hoped for a stinging rebuke of all that's wicked in this world, alas, doesn't seem to happen. So this sprang immediately to mind. #trotsky #satire #political #artisttrophe #la_boheme #mytruth

(As with other lyrics, it might get set and recorded this FAWM but don't bank on it. No wait, nothing to bank anyway, right?)

Lyrics

I’m a struggling artist, I speak truth to Power! It’s my truth that they need to hear, for my truth to flower.

And my truth is I sorely need, ten thousand bucks or so; And that is why when seeking truth, to Powerful folk I go.

I’m a fan of Leon’s, and curse the capitalists, But speaking truth, I’ve no desire their money to resist.

So when a fat commission comes, I gleefully accept From billionaires and pharmawares. There’s none that I’ll except.

I’ll act or write or paint or sing just what they want me to; Promote their evil products or whatever else they do. For when it comes to speaking truth, just listen up here, honey: If I write, it comes because I love, I love the money.

My art I’ll give, my special truth, when there’s pots of money. Love above all else, my truth: I’ll do it all for money.

{Next Government Arts Grant, please. Thank you]

Comments

@billwhite51 1d

this is a hilarious satire that is all too true for many. as a young man i wrote a song that attacked artists who lived on government grants. i am no fan of state sponsored art. a friend of mine was in an opera that i wanted to see, but tickets were $100, which i could not afford. there were only four performances, all sold out...and the show lost tens of thousands of dollars. so only the well heeled were able to see this opera that was produced with the tax money of people who could not afford to see it. on the lighter side, one afternoon while being visited by a highly regarded jazz guitarist and his son, he was noodling on his guitar and his son asked him what he thought about while playing the guitar. i butted in and answeres, "he is thinking about how can he convert this music into cash" the boy was offended but the guitarist kaughed, knowing it was all too true,