The Trumplandia Report

This song would have three parts, like any good story. The music for this, in my imagination, would be like Paranoid Android by Radiohead. Something rocking and pop and sweeping.

Bookends
lyrics by Shelton Bumgarner
@bumgarls
please give credit if you produce or perform

Tuesday morning on a summer day
the sun was clear as can be
up in the sky we saw a jet liner
then a second one darkened the sky
we all ran
we all ran
we all ran
we thought we were going to die
it was a moment in time
when everything stopped
and we all wondered why

the towers fell
but I’m not going to dwell
the decade flew by
we all thought we were going to die
we all thought we were going to die
we all thought we were going to die
the fire continued to burn
when will we ever learn
when will we ever learn
when will we ever learn
history continued apace
we all did things we regret
things we will never forget

the earth grew warmer
but we ignored nature’s warnings
Hurricane Irma made her way
to the shore with a roar
it grew in power
with every hour
it hit the coast
making many a ghost
it was a warm summer day
and we remembered that Tuesday
before with dismay
history roared past us
we had to deal with the gore

bookends
bookends
bookends
bookends

There are lots of songs about crushes, and this one would be a pop-rock song in the tradition of James’ “Laid.” That’s the type of music I would use with it, at least.

Crush
lyrics by Shelton Bumgarner
@bumgarls
please give credit if you produce or perform

she’s too young to drink
but you drink her in every time you meet
her age gives you pause
but she’s old enough to smoke
so why not, bloke

she’s just a crush
that’s all she is
but she’s special to you
crush, crush, crush, crush

she comes to your work
you talk for what seems like hours
seeing her near you
you dream of her twerking
with other dirty thoughts crowding in

nothing will make her yours
you think to yourself like a bore
loving her would be great
but you can’t bring yourself to
ask your crush for a date

she’s just a crush
that’s all she is
but she’s special to you
crush, crush, crush, crush

[bridge]
your interest in her
will crush you in the end
but it’s worth it
just to see her smile
once in a while

in the end she’s going to pass on by
but you had her attention for a moment
soon she’ll be just a memory
like all the rest

I like songs that tell stories. So, this tells the story of a “firebombing” at a retail store in the era of Trump. It would be topical and draw upon what’s in the air right now. That’s my goal at least. This one did not turn out nearly as well as I had hoped.

Firebomb
lyrics by Shelton Bumgarner
@bumgarls
please give credit if you produce or perform

it was the week before Irma hit ground
the quiet before the storm
we didn’t know what was going to hit us
nature was hissing at us with fate
it was obvious to see
what was going to happen soon

with the Koreans in thew news
we knew a firebomb was on its way
the staff was going to be gone soon
after the open interviews took place
the firebomb was on its way
the firebomb was on its way
the firebomb was on its way

moral was at an all time low
soon we would have to all hit the road
we weren’t welcome anymore
the store was about to change
if it survive the storm that is

firebomb, firebomb, firebomb, firebomb
what is going to happen to us
where will we turn I cry out
there’s nothing we can do
but lock the doors behind us in dispair

So, I’m a big fan of “found verse” and I’m also a fan of Erykah Badu, and I’m listening to Jhene Aiko who inspires me, so you get these lyrics. I’m just having a relaxing afternoon on a rainy day. Just trying to tell a story using a writing prompt from a tweet by Ms. Badu. This would be a slow, melodic R&B song like you might find done by Ms. Badu or Ms. Aiko.

Somebody
lyrics by Shelton Bumgarner
@bumgarls
please give credit if you produce or perform

somebody should have taken my device this morning
somebody should have see this coming
somebody save me from this life
somebody bring me some delight

somebody is all I need
somebody who makes me sing
somebody who makes my bell ring
somebody, somebody, somebody

somebody is what we all need
somebody with a nice smile
somebody for whom we’d walk a mile
somebody to bring us a smile
somebody maybe who is kind

somebody never seems to come
somebody always seems late or on the run
somebody is all I ask for
somebody you cares

somebody is all I need
somebody who makes me sing
somebody who makes my bell ring
somebody, somebody, somebody

[bridge]
will anyone, somebody hear my plea
for a little love for little old me
all I ask is somebody hear me now
somebody who might dare me to risk it all

somebody I know is out there for me
somebody who will love me for everything I am
somebody to bring me to my personal truth
somebody, is it you?