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12Oaks's avatar

How would you react to these song lyrics?

Asked by 12Oaks (4051points) March 2nd, 2011

Some years ago, I used to play in a polka band. We did covers, traditionals, and originals. A lot of polks is about binge drinking and overeating, so I wrote a song that took this bodily abuse to the highest level. It was played in the key of C. Had a happy, peppy feel to it, and as it was being played, we’d use noisemakers, howl, laugh, and make it sound fun and casual (Not unlike Barbara Ann by The Beach Boys). Most polka has this feel to it, like unrestrained partying. People would dance, drink, and have a good time. We worked had at perfecting this, and played it twice…. It’s called “The Happy, Happy Polka”.

I’m gonna sit right here and sing my song.
Promise that is won’t go on too long.
I practiced, practiced, tried real hard, but just can’t get it right
Maybe I’ll just commit suicide.

I met a girl named Belinda.
Kissing her felt like a sugar rush.
But I went too far, too fast, too soon, now she’s out of my life.
Maybe I’ll just commit suicide.

I like to watch sports on my TV.
My favorite team is so easily beat.
They never score no runs, no points. Never get to cross that line.
Maybe I’ll just commit suicide.

It goes on for 3 or four more verses. But both times, by about this point, people stopped dancing, stopped eating, stopped drinking. By the end, both times, they just stood there staring like that scene in Back to the Future. We played at parties and really thought they would get the humor this song was supposed to be. Nothing like all your hard work being met with stunned silince.. But how would you react? Especially since nobody seemed to object to songs about boozing or rejecting a girl because of her weight (Too Fat Polka).

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15 Answers

ragingloli's avatar

reminds me of weird al’s “Angry white boy polka”.
i would probably laugh

picante's avatar

I’m not a polka kind of gal, but I’d probably be staring in stunned silence, too. It’s hard for me to find anything humorous in the suicidal refrain. I get that you’re being sarcastic, and maybe that’s the deflating quality to it. The refrain seems too harsh up against the “easier” lyrics that precede it, in my opinion. Guess I’m not much fun at the polka party.

12Oaks's avatar

@picante When you said ‘The refrain seems too harsh up against the “easier” lyrics that precede it, in my opinion’, that is exactly what we were going for there. There was another verse where the fast food drive-thru got the order wrong (with predictable results). Was trying to find the biggest overreaction to the smallest of lifes problems. You got the fun. You would be fun at a polka party!!!

KateTheGreat's avatar

This song makes me want to commit suicide. Hahahahahaha, just kidding. Ummm, I think the suicide thing is a little heavy. Lighten it up a little bit and either make that line a little less blunt.

picante's avatar

Then, you’re a master lyricist, @12Oaks, and I’ll expect an invite to the next polka-fest!

If you ever revise the lyrics, I do think you can achieve that goal of “biggest overreaction to the smallest problems” by taking a funnier slant on the suicide option (if suicide can be funny). Something like—“I would hang myself, but I’m already at the end of my rope.” Wrong cadence and length, but you get my drift.

12Oaks's avatar

@picante Oh, sure, and I do appreciate the input and honest critique. I hadn’t played in a band since my daughter was born over 5 years ago, so really no need to edit that dead, if you will, song. Was just thinking about it at work today and thought I’d send it to the Fluther and get their input. I still do play it on occasion on my own for fun, but since my daughter was born, we been having a ball singing “The Poop In the Pants Song.” Not a polka. LOL

ucme's avatar

Err, i’ll get my coat…...taxi! ;¬}

Sunny2's avatar

I love to polka, but if that was the song, I think I’d stop dancing too. I think people who polka are more upbeat than that and suicide is definitely a downer. Congratulation though, on singing the lyrics so your audience can understand them!

Zaku's avatar

I’d chuckle at it, and I’d probably crack up laughing if I saw the crowd’s reaction you describe. Drinking, binging and other bodily abuse is how people kill themselves slowly and in denial, so calling a fig a fig and singing about it, well, I guess you found out how people react! Laugh! :-) Good job; people reacted to your music!

Earthgirl's avatar

120aks I always laughed as a kid at the Too Fat Polka, maybe because I came from a family of string beans, lol.
“I don’t waner, you can haver, she’s too fat for me, she’s too fat for me, she’s too fat fer me”you get the idea

12Oaks's avatar

@Earthgirl Not only do I get the idea, but it was on the set list. I did find it funny that, almost every time, all the heavier woman (or most, anyway, and some skinnies) would hit the dance floor and just shake it until it hurt, and the guys seemed to love that. When in the band you’d always want to smile and act happy, regardless of what’s going on, but this truly put a smile on my smacker.

perspicacious's avatar

I don’t like the lyrics. I can think of no good reason to write a song saying you’ll just commit suicide. Either you want to entertain or you don’t. This doesn’t do it for me.

gailcalled's avatar

If you want lyrics with heavy drama, write an opera next time.

john65pennington's avatar

Reminds me of country music.

Both are in the suicide music category.

ratboy's avatar

I’d offer you and your co-conspirators plenty of encouragement.

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