Tip Your Hat

June 15, 2008 5:46 PM

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.

posted by Astro Zombie (3 comments total) 1 user marked this as a favorite

This is great! I love day of the dead art and, of course, Grim Fandango, with which this would fit perfectly. It's got a great feel.

Run, you pigeons, it's Robert Frost!
posted by uncleozzy at 5:45 AM on June 16, 2008


Hey! You got your Tom Waits in my Don Ho! Ay yai yai!
posted by not_on_display at 6:32 AM on June 16, 2008 [1 favorite]


My favorite of the stuff you've posted. Lovely, lovely old-skooley song, Astro Zombie. Very nice
posted by micayetoca at 9:11 AM on June 16, 2008


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