VINTAGE (LXIII)

American Music Club - "Johnny Mathis' Feet"



I lay all my songs at Johnny Mathis’ feet
I said, "Johnny tell me
Can you tell me how to live?
All my hopes are unraveling and I just lost my lease
On my house without love, doors, or windows
Without peace"

And with a wave of his jewel-encrusted hand
Across the glittering Las Vegas scene he said,
"You gotta learn how to disappear in the silk and amphetamine"

Johnny looked at my songs and he said,
"Well at first guess, never in my life
Have I ever seen such a mess.
Why do you say everything as if you were a thief?
Like what you’ve stolen has no value
Like what you preach is far from belief?"

And with a wave of his red white and blue hand
Across the glittering Hollywood scene he said,
"You gotta learn how to disappear in the silk and amphetamine"

Johnny looked at my old collection of punk rock posters
Anonymous scenes of disaffection chaos and torture
And he said, "You were on the right track
But you’re a lamb jumping for the knife"
He said, "A real showman knows how
to disappear in the spotlight"

(2012)