Until You Sever The Snake

Written and recorded for the serpentine challenge now underway. My buddy Ken Kawashima brought in the North Mississippi blues riff and yours truly did the rest. Apologies to animal rights advocates, but some snakes were severed during the recording of this song. Had to be done. [lyrics inside]

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posted by flapjax at midnite (8 comments total)

Until You Sever the Snake

you could waltz halfway across texas
turn your pedal steel upside down
sucker punch a fat policeman
over in the rich part of town
take your grandmother to the disco
let her show you how to shimmy and shake
but won't none of it mean a goddamn thing
until you sever the snake

my sister used to work for the fbi
j edgar hoover's right hand man
then she transferred over to the cia
she used to show me all the secret plans
we coulda brought down the government
woulda been a piece of cake
but she told me don't you know you'd be better off
to just go sever the snake

the cleaning lady came and dirtied up the house again
the little hand fell off the clock
the doctor came and took back my medicine
that came as quite a shock
then this morning my woman took my banjo
she threw it into the lake
i guess the only thing left for me to do
is go ahead and sever the snake

i've seen you walking your dog after midnite
heard you thinking out loud
and i love that stuff that you spray in your hair
you really stand out from the crowd
so won't you come down south with me baby
if you don't my heart's gonna break
you and me we could make sweet music
together while we sever the snake


copyright 2007 Samm Bennett / Polarity Records - All rights reserved
posted by flapjax at midnite at 1:52 AM on July 17, 2007

You forgot to add the "badass" tag.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 5:53 AM on July 17, 2007

"badass tag", Ha, that's almost as good as the song. Kudos to you and Ken. I like that guitar-body percussion too.
posted by snsranch at 4:28 PM on July 17, 2007

Lots of attitude in this one, well done.
posted by edlundart at 8:42 PM on July 18, 2007

I like this bunches.
posted by jessamyn at 7:03 PM on July 19, 2007

Many thanks for the comments, y'all! It's always good to know that a song has found a few ears to move through.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 12:37 AM on July 20, 2007

You are one of the most creative people I've ever encountered.

What an incredibly odd, interesting, and perfectly enjoyable tune.

When life gives you snakes, make snakey-aid.

I know I usually fawn over you most of the time, but I just legitimately like your work.
posted by Ynoxas at 5:33 PM on August 12, 2007

Thank you, Ynoxas, I'm flattered.

And, yeah, snakey-aid!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 10:40 PM on August 12, 2007