Why Not Zed?

A – B – C – D
Dinosaurs cheese
H – I – J – K
Elephants sneeze
1 – 2 – 5 – 3
Blue green red
Double-U, triple-X
Why not zed?

One half, zero
e and pi
Radical two
The golden rule and i
L – M – N – O
Toes knees head
Who what when where
Why not zed?

JFK SFO LGA and so and so
TKO LAX why not zed?

--  John Szinger, 2014

My Ol' Brokedown Truck

My brokedown truck and my rotten luck
Have left me here stuck by the side of the road
With my bleeding heart I will make a new start
But first I must get my body home

We've made many miles together
Sure in sunny and stormy weather

Well I could trade 'er in for some shiny new tin
But you'll never find peace while you roam

(solo)

We've rode many roads together
Fast through foul and fair weather

And I might go far in a brand new sports car
But then how can I carry the load?
So I'll wait here stuck with my rotten luck
And my ol' brokedown truck

--  John Szinger, 2022

All of the Above

I wasn't lookin' for a true love
I was just lookin' for a new love
I wan't lookin' for a long love, strong love
Yeah yeah no, none of the above

I seen you dancing out last Saturday
Monday you're in my class in chemistry
Now I'm thinking 'bout you and me
Yeah yeah let's get together for some history

If I invite you backstage tonight, all right
We just might dance and party all night
Okay day by day into brave and new love

I ain't waitin' on no old love
An' I ain't wastin' time on slow love
Tonight I'm wakin' to some fresh love new love
Yeah yeah yeah, all of the above

(solos over vamp and build)

And maybe if the love grows who knows how it goes?
A few more shows, electric glide, a power slide
Side by side into a tried and true love

So now I'm sowing seeds of strong love
Maybe grows into long love
It all started with a fast love new love
Yeah yeah yeah, all of the above

Tonight it's fast love new love long love true love
Yeah yeah yeah, all of the above
Fast love new love long love true love
Yeah yeah yeah, all of the above

--  John Szinger, 2019

In the Purple Circus

Well I said get that bidniz done by Christmas
But the Devil had his plan
Then let's get it thru here by the New Year
Can I talk to the weather man?

The purple circus is where the work is
Vanilla Villain where you been?
Chances and changes
Chases and cages
I don't know where to begin

We traffic in majick
Grapple the facets
Conjure abjure and summon
Divination evocation
The mountain surely is a-comin'

She said to me, you have the energy of a a major enemy
Still thick in the grip of crippling sickness n'all
So I vault into the firmament of the permanent tournament
Cuz after all we're born to crawl

We'll depart our hostess 'ere the solstice
Alight beneath that new snow moon
And we can check that box off by the equinox
But the lion roars a day too soon

We traffic in majick
Manage the tragic
Sensing seeing knowing
Equivocation declamation
The mountain surely is a-goin'

We traffic in majick, yeah traffic in majick
Yeah, can I talk to the weather man?
Chances and changes, chases and cages, woah
Man I don't know where to begin
First there is a mountain then there is no mountain then there is
She'll be comin' round that mountain when she comes, yeah

--  John Szinger, 2014

A Plague of Frogs
(International Space Year)

Peace on Earth - and war on Mars!
Epic conflict out among the stars
Space invaders from afar
Challenge the humans to keep the red planet ours

Cosmic war - a plague of frogs!
Now descend the Tobes of Zog
Encroach the frozen dessert canyons
Entrenched so they evade our scanners
Vile scourge of the solar system
Even our best lasers missed 'em
Space ranger battle scarred
Earth needs a new hero to win back dusty crimson Mars!

(solo - sax vs. moog, build, etc.)

Peace on Mars - and love on Venus
Humanity at last victorious
Vanquished foes warp back to their home world
The frogs of Zog retreat with their tails curled
Our spaceships free for more peaceful uses
Our scientists can again court their muses
Peace on Earth and victory
Ah, but victory is temporary!

Humanity in victory
But victory is temporary
Yeah victory is temporary
What keeps the planet spinning?
Ah, the force from the beginning
But victory, sweet victory
All victory is temporary

--  John Szinger, 2015-2023

Head Downtown

Head downtown
Nose around
Eye the sights
Mouth the sounds
Mind the street
Face the heat
Woah, chin up bloodhound

You can arm your friends
So they can shoulder the burden
Yeah hand 'em a handle
Palm the trigger
Elbow your way in
Finger the big figure
It's a backhanded deal
But don't knuckle under
Just thumb a ride crosstown

You can hamstring the competition
Try an' boot 'em off of their position
Kneecap 'em all
Well that's just fine
But for now
Better toe the line
Else you're like to foot the bill
So woah just heel, yeah
Leg it back uptown

Now, seat yourself
In the lap of luxury
Chair that meeting
But couch your greetings
Table the motion
Even bed that woman, yeah
There's something ahead
And something afoot
So don't stick your neck out just yet

Take heart droog
You can stomach some bad news
But you better back off that tack
And go tail a new rabbit jack
And head downtown
Yeah, head downtown
One more time
Head downtown

--  John Szinger, 2023

Sisyphus Blues

(D minor, drop D tuning)

Just when you think that life's looking up
And you might drink from that flowing cup
Then comes the day when it all turns around
Just then you think that life's looking down
Climbin' up that hill
Slidin' down that hill

Well it's looking up then it's looking down
Ramblin' up that hill
Tumblin' down that hill

You might drink from that silver cup one day yeah but now you're
Holdin' on to what you will
Ridin' on up and down that hill

Then comes the day when it all turns around yeah
Holdin' on to what you will
Ridin' up and down that hill

--  John Szinger, 2019