Does anyone listen to Loudon Wainwright III? Am I the only person to have heard of this brilliant lyricist? I don't think I've heard anyone express humour/tragedy/societal commentary within the context of one catalogue.
Here is a sample of his writing:
Loudon Wainwright III
"Last Man on Earth":
It's the 2000 now, my age is 53.
I was born in the first half of the last century.
I always was postmodern, but that's ancient history.
I'm the last man on earth
That's what the matter is with me.
I don't have a portfolio, I gotta plead guilty.
Those things are worthless now, that's because they're free
If you're not a millionarie, you better be
I'm the last man on earth.
That's what the matter is with me.
I should be optimistic and buy some bonds and stocks.
They'll find a cure for cancer soon, we may get trigger-locks.
Existence is no picnic as statistics all have shown.
We learn to live together, then we learn to die alone.
Everybody's got a website. That's all greek to me
I don't own a computer and I hate that letter, "E".
I don't pack a cellphone or drive an SUV
I'm the last man on earth.
That's what the matter is with me
I'm the last man standing. Save the last dance for me.
I've taken the last train to clarksville.
I'm the fifth Monkey
Nice guys always finish last.
No one's nicer than me.
I'm the last man on earth.
That's what the matter is with me
Kids used to say their prays at night before they went to bed.
St. John told us God was lovely, Chi said he was dead.
This thing we call existence, who knows what it all means.
Time and Life and People are just glossy magazines.
And I sit and watch these guys debate each other on tv.
Politicians, wrestlers, they're all the same to me.
No, I don't give a damn which idiot runs this country.
Cause I'm the last man on earth...it don't matter to me
It's the year 2000, yes I'm 53.
I know I'm grumpy and a little age crazy.
But if you are a woman, you might have to sleep with me
Cause I'm the last man on earth and I can guarantee
I'm the last man on earth and there ain't noting wrong with me
and here's another one.....
Loudon Wainwright III
"Y2K":
A bunch of nerdy, brainy guys a long way back invent a crazy thing they call the univac.
For years now they've been upgrading that thing.
It walk, and talk, and count and think and it can even sing.
It can help with school, church, business and work.
It makes you feel like a genius even though you're just a jerk
You get a computer, you sit in your lap, it does a little bit of this it does a whole lot of that.
It can hook you up, load you down. With that little bitty mouse you're going to rule this town.
But you're headed for trouble, it's coming your way on New Year's Eve.
What do you know....a few more measley monthes to go.
Hey what you say....here it comes now....Y2K
Nah, it ain't a virus. It's just a little gliche. It wasn't done by some crazy hacking son-of-a-bitch.
Saddam didn't do it, you can't blaim him
No it's the geek with the glasses and stupid silly grin.
Billionarie Bill that's the one you can hate.
If you wanna blame someone blame Bill Gates! Bill Gates! Bill Gates!
Bill said we'd make money, Bill said we'd have fun.
But remember HAL the computer in "2001..."?
We're in a time machine, going back again...doing 1900 all over again.
But you're headed for trouble, it's coming your way on New Year's Eve.
What do you know...a few more measley monthes to go.
Hey what you say....here it comes now....Y2K
We've been treking down the information super-highway.
But we'll be a dirt road come Y2K
Call me old-fashion, you can call me a fool. you can call me a nutite and you can call me uncool
But we use to image, question and dream, now our all of our answers come up on some screen.
But you're headed for trouble, it's coming your way on New Year's Eve.
You better get ready, be very afraid. Cause your money's no good and you'll never get paid.
And car won't start, the phone work and the juice won't squeeze, and coffee won't perk. (No more decaf latte, baby)
You'll be doing the monkey, but there'll be a new twist.
You'll still be alive, but you won't exist.
The stock market will crash, the air traffic will stop.
You won't find a doctor, forget about a cop
There'll be a lot of lawyers with a lot to do.
It's apocalypse now at a theatre near you.
But you're headed for trouble, it's coming your way on New Year's Eve.
Meanwhile, way over there in the old, ancient Middle East.
Those Dooms-day boys are having a feast.
The end is at hand, and they're down on their knees.
They've been checking out all the bad-ass prophecies.
It's lock and load for the final days.
I saw you on the plane playing solitare, on that little labtop with narry a care.
Life's easy now, but it could get hard.
Pretty soon you'll have to use a deck of real cards.
But you're headed for trouble, it's coming your way on New Year's Eve.
What do you know....a few more measley monthes to go.
Hey what you say....coming at ya....Y2K
I hope everyone's been stocking up out there.
Getting in your provisions.
Brown rice, and stew tomateos
A lot of Paul Newman products
Oh, and don't forget your flashlight batteries
And Slim-Jims, Stock up on those Slim-Jims
Oh yeah, and don't forget your freeze-dried de-caf latte, baby.
And the monopoly game. Candyland....Snakes and Latters......
Here is a sample of his writing:
Loudon Wainwright III
"Last Man on Earth":
It's the 2000 now, my age is 53.
I was born in the first half of the last century.
I always was postmodern, but that's ancient history.
I'm the last man on earth
That's what the matter is with me.
I don't have a portfolio, I gotta plead guilty.
Those things are worthless now, that's because they're free
If you're not a millionarie, you better be
I'm the last man on earth.
That's what the matter is with me.
I should be optimistic and buy some bonds and stocks.
They'll find a cure for cancer soon, we may get trigger-locks.
Existence is no picnic as statistics all have shown.
We learn to live together, then we learn to die alone.
Everybody's got a website. That's all greek to me
I don't own a computer and I hate that letter, "E".
I don't pack a cellphone or drive an SUV
I'm the last man on earth.
That's what the matter is with me
I'm the last man standing. Save the last dance for me.
I've taken the last train to clarksville.
I'm the fifth Monkey
Nice guys always finish last.
No one's nicer than me.
I'm the last man on earth.
That's what the matter is with me
Kids used to say their prays at night before they went to bed.
St. John told us God was lovely, Chi said he was dead.
This thing we call existence, who knows what it all means.
Time and Life and People are just glossy magazines.
And I sit and watch these guys debate each other on tv.
Politicians, wrestlers, they're all the same to me.
No, I don't give a damn which idiot runs this country.
Cause I'm the last man on earth...it don't matter to me
It's the year 2000, yes I'm 53.
I know I'm grumpy and a little age crazy.
But if you are a woman, you might have to sleep with me
Cause I'm the last man on earth and I can guarantee
I'm the last man on earth and there ain't noting wrong with me
and here's another one.....
Loudon Wainwright III
"Y2K":
A bunch of nerdy, brainy guys a long way back invent a crazy thing they call the univac.
For years now they've been upgrading that thing.
It walk, and talk, and count and think and it can even sing.
It can help with school, church, business and work.
It makes you feel like a genius even though you're just a jerk
You get a computer, you sit in your lap, it does a little bit of this it does a whole lot of that.
It can hook you up, load you down. With that little bitty mouse you're going to rule this town.
But you're headed for trouble, it's coming your way on New Year's Eve.
What do you know....a few more measley monthes to go.
Hey what you say....here it comes now....Y2K
Nah, it ain't a virus. It's just a little gliche. It wasn't done by some crazy hacking son-of-a-bitch.
Saddam didn't do it, you can't blaim him
No it's the geek with the glasses and stupid silly grin.
Billionarie Bill that's the one you can hate.
If you wanna blame someone blame Bill Gates! Bill Gates! Bill Gates!
Bill said we'd make money, Bill said we'd have fun.
But remember HAL the computer in "2001..."?
We're in a time machine, going back again...doing 1900 all over again.
But you're headed for trouble, it's coming your way on New Year's Eve.
What do you know...a few more measley monthes to go.
Hey what you say....here it comes now....Y2K
We've been treking down the information super-highway.
But we'll be a dirt road come Y2K
Call me old-fashion, you can call me a fool. you can call me a nutite and you can call me uncool
But we use to image, question and dream, now our all of our answers come up on some screen.
But you're headed for trouble, it's coming your way on New Year's Eve.
You better get ready, be very afraid. Cause your money's no good and you'll never get paid.
And car won't start, the phone work and the juice won't squeeze, and coffee won't perk. (No more decaf latte, baby)
You'll be doing the monkey, but there'll be a new twist.
You'll still be alive, but you won't exist.
The stock market will crash, the air traffic will stop.
You won't find a doctor, forget about a cop
There'll be a lot of lawyers with a lot to do.
It's apocalypse now at a theatre near you.
But you're headed for trouble, it's coming your way on New Year's Eve.
Meanwhile, way over there in the old, ancient Middle East.
Those Dooms-day boys are having a feast.
The end is at hand, and they're down on their knees.
They've been checking out all the bad-ass prophecies.
It's lock and load for the final days.
I saw you on the plane playing solitare, on that little labtop with narry a care.
Life's easy now, but it could get hard.
Pretty soon you'll have to use a deck of real cards.
But you're headed for trouble, it's coming your way on New Year's Eve.
What do you know....a few more measley monthes to go.
Hey what you say....coming at ya....Y2K
I hope everyone's been stocking up out there.
Getting in your provisions.
Brown rice, and stew tomateos
A lot of Paul Newman products
Oh, and don't forget your flashlight batteries
And Slim-Jims, Stock up on those Slim-Jims
Oh yeah, and don't forget your freeze-dried de-caf latte, baby.
And the monopoly game. Candyland....Snakes and Latters......
