Coming Shows

Coming Shows
September 19 CD release LANALOUS

LYRICS




HAPPY 

MOTHER'S 

DAY









She was a girl I knew
She looked a lot like you
I knew her way back when
Cause we were younger then than now....
I don't recognize your face or that look
the look of sadness in your eyes when you say:

Happy Mother's Day
Merry Christmas
Happy Birthday 
I wish you all the best 
And I thank you for these memories.

He was a guy I knew
Looked like my brother too
I never tried to phone
Now all that's left is bones...
and I ... I don't recognize your face or that look
the look of sadness in your eyes when you say:

Happy Mother's Day

Merry Christmas
Happy Birthday 
I wish you all the best 
And I thank you for these memories.
But I forgot the rest of your names anyway.....
Happy Mother's Day
Happy Mother's Day


Everyday I sit
I don't remember shit
They say that's why I'm here
They covered all the mirrors....
and I ...I don't recognize your face or that look 
that look of sadness in your eyes when you say:

Happy Mother's Day
Merry Christmas
Happy Birthday 
I wish you all the best 
And I thank you for these memories.
But I forgot your names anyway.....

Dennis Mills/The Judys

Some context for the song: 
My mother died two years ago, after living with dementia/Alzheimer's for 9 years.  
She was followed the next year by my eldest brother, who had vascular dementia, 
the result of many small strokes.  
Strange, but he died on exactly the same day as my mother.
Even stranger, is that I don't even remember the exact day, (although I know it is the end of July.)

The perspective in the song is of me in the future trying to remember who these people are that come to visit me.  I see my family members who went before.   I imagine myself looking perhaps at my sister, and seeing my mother.  

I imagine myself looking at friends or brothers, and having a vague memory of my older brother, who may have looked a bit like them.  He looked a bit like me.
I
 imagine myself sitting in a room, just waiting for someone to come and say hello.
I imagine these visitors saying Happy Mother's Day, like we would say to my dear mother, or Merry Christmas or Happy Birthday, which are the times people most likely visit. 

The song is intensely personal.  It is fueled with great regret, shame, anger, and sadness. Many friends have told me it makes them cry.  It makes me cry, too.
   
Town Called Hell
The Judys

I’m not a church going man
But I try to understand
All the anger in my town
From all the bad shit going down
Daddy locked up all his guns
But son, he finally found the key
And mowed those people down
And dug a hole in history
We stole their children in the night
And we know that wasn’t right
We took their language and their land
and sold them beads made in Japan
The President he promised hope
But we’re all still smoking dope
Waiting for the latest Pope
To wash our mouths out with some soap
And then I get down on my knees
And I look up at the sky
Is that rain that’s falling down
Or is there something in my eye?

Black rain coming down
Like a river from the sky
and the ground opened up
And swallowed me inside
Down, down, down
in a deep dark well
The Devil says Hi
Welcome to Hell!
Oh so glad you could come
The weather’s wonderful
Oh its a little hotter than Miami
So give us H ‘cause it’s hot
Give me E for a spell
Give me double L -L
That’s how we spell HELL
Give a man a gun
Then he give it to his son
Make a man a bomb
Blow us all to Kingdom come
Make a man a God
Nail him to the sky
Get down on your knees
‘Cause we’re all going to die.
There is only one thing that is guaranteed.
Dennis Mills/The Judys
Genda Blenda
She’s a boy
He’s a girl
And They want to change the world
Doesn’t matter what They are
‘Cause Everybody is a Star
Use your inside voice
It’s just an uptight world
Doctor said Don’t Worry Mom
Cause It’s a boy...no It’s a girl
She’s a boy
He’s a girl
And They want to change the world
Doesn’t matter what They are
‘Cause Everybody is a Star
It’s a tough crowd tonight
We’re playing chicken in the bar
You brought that damn feather boa baby
and all I got is this guitar.
She’s a boy
He’s a girl
And They want to change the world
Doesn’t matter what They are
‘Cause Everybody is a Star
Found a hidden map
Buried in your lap
All roads lead to scars
Schoolyards, and Smokey bars
She’s a boy
He’s a girl
And They want to change the world

Dennis Mills

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