A song I wrote back in 1996. Its lyrics draw from images from the Mexican Day of the Dead, which I've always fancied. In particular, I like the small clay dioramas that show scenes of skeletons going about daily activities, such as getting haircuts or riding in cars, and it is those images that fueled this song.
LYRICS FOR "TIP YOUR HAT":
The bones they dance and sing a cappella,
Then take their guitarron and play;
So tip your hat for the dead mariachis:
"Ai yai yai yai yai yai," they say.
What bony hand is leading the carriage?
What ghostly man kneels down to pray?
So toss a coin to the dead mariachi:
"Ai yai yai yai yai yai," he say.
The skull he wears a big sombrero,
He's laughing loud and full and gay;
So have a dance with the dead mariachi:
"Ai yai yai yai yai yai," he say.
Run, you pigeons, it's Robert Frost!
posted by uncleozzy at 5:45 AM on June 16, 2008