This EPx16 crosses the symbolic mark of 1000 original tracks released on SoundCloud, in one year. So, YAY. It's worth acknowledging, because I am just sooo grateful for being able to process my feelings with songs. And god knows there is indeed much to process, in a world gone bananas. I considered making the 1000th track special, but I’m not that special, really ;)

This is Vol. 02 of a song I love, “How do Kids Learn Now?” aka “When did seduction become so Untrue?”, a sonic question mark wrapped in 16-track Flamenco Techno journey made of lit Gipsy soul, Arabesk minimalism, flamenco fire, and wonder… asking: What are we teaching? Who profits from forgetting? What is lost when respect is mocked and liberty becomes a loophole? And why (TF) should we care?

This song is yet another opportunity and invitation to embrace reflection and growth, to help us understand and navigate a world where perspectives differ… With hypnotic claps, poetic whispers of truth in rhythm. KNOWsutra songs are my philosophical foundation, and intended to invite wonder, and self-reflection, even when it's uncomfortable—vs. retreat and deny. It asks questions that matter, with an emphasis the importance of kids being able to learn how to differentiate rights from wrongs—as required to foster trust, and a long-term peaceful, sustainable, harmonious future, for everyone on planet Earth.

It matters to me because my faith, my commitment to kindness and honesty, is a significant part of who I am, and I care to understand who we are as humans, and how we can positively impact the world around us, to make it a better place… In a society where the moral compass is so blurred, covert narcissists charlatans like #robertgreen make  millions of dollars selling a book that teaches the  “The Art of Seduction” literally means “The Art of Manipulation” aka Deception, a reality where power grab and control have come to matter more than integrity, humility, and trust… despite what all regarded history, philosophy, economy, sociology, psychology, and of course poetry scholars know—which is that being vulnerable is being brave, because peace grows from trust, and trust relies on honesty, quite simply.

—
@bananasutra lyrics:

[Verse 1]
How do kids learn respect and fraternity?
Morality means we agree on rights and wrongs, can’t you see?
Liberty now means no accountability,
The new victors boast, proud in their spree.

[Chorus]
Freedom’s shadow, where did we stray?
Liberty twisted, lost on the way.
Respect and fraternity, fading from view,
When did seduction become so untrue?

[Verse 2]
Selling lies, saying attraction’s just a ruse,
Deceit for dollars, making souls confused.
Boasting takers, proud of deceit,
But what’s the cost, where does truth meet?

[Chorus]
Freedom’s shadow, where did we stray?
Liberty twisted, lost on the way.
Respect and fraternity, fading from view,
When did seduction become so untrue?

[Bridge]
We need to find the way back, clear and pure,
Teach kids respect, make fraternity sure.
Stand for liberty, rewrite the tale,
Bring back values, let truth prevail.

[Chorus]
Freedom’s shadow, where did we stray?
Liberty twisted, lost on the way.
Respect and fraternity, fading from view,
When did seduction become so untrue?

[Outro]
Restore the values, end manipulation’s reign,
Teach respect, embrace compassion again.

[11] How Do Kids Learn KNOWsutra Gipsy Fado Flamenco Techno Arabesk WORLD 11

In March 2025 (almost a year ago now, and barely 3 months in office), FOTUS funded a federal “anti-Christian bias” surveillance task force, officially encouraging government employees to snitch on colleagues, globally—anonymously and retroactively, reporting alleged "incidents dating back to the previous administration” (gasp). This dystopian Christian state initiative was framed as protecting “religious freedom” (sic), and blatantly non-constitutional, in multiple ways (in breach of 3 constitutional clauses, to be exact). 

I wrote this song the week that memo dropped; when it became overwhelmingly clear (to me) that the rule of law no longer applied. At the time tho, to most, it felt like populist antics, grievance politics wrapped in sanctified language, bureaucratized suspicion dressed up as moral defense… While to me, beyond the shadow of a doubt, it meant authoritarianism was officially here. The American Democracy was dead. It was Orwell’s 1984 Ministry of “Religious Feedom” à la Project 2025 deadly Atwood salsa. And I personally felt devastated, because democracy, liberty, equality, and fraternity are beyond precious; fundamental things worth fighting for yesterday.

Nearly a year later, this track feels like a timestamp of doom, an broken alarm… as publicly funded cruelty and lawless injustice continue to spread on the daily, in all impunity, with full “federal immunity” (to quote Steven Miller directly)—through memos, “temporary” task forces, executive orders, whatchamacallits, etc. And yet, guess what? Most people I know STILL think and say I’m overreacting. True story. 

To be clear, this song isn’t anti-faith. It’s anti-fear, and anti-denial. It’s about the difference(s) between “freedom of religion” (a constitutional right) and authoritarian surveillance, where anonymous delation is policy, just like in the good old Gestapo daze, you know? I don’t want to say I told ya, but(t) WOW! You gotta wonder, for Christ’s sake, or something? Because, where will we be next year? How long are we (the people) gonna wank with reckoning fantasies? It’s high time for Rebel Romance, goddamn it... Please?!

☆☆☆

@bananasutra #songlyrics 

[Intro]
Slip me the memo with a crooked grin  
History’s spinnin' that wheel again  

[Verse 1]  
Another day in this techno charade  
Executive clown show on masquerade parade  
Bias patrol with a tattle-tale twist  
Snitchin' for Christ on the government list  

[Verse 2]  
Retro-fit rage in a fascist disguise  
Psy-ops poppin' with their sanctified lies  
File your faith in a fallout file  
Smile while they profile your style  

[Chorus]  
Memo memo what a show  
Fauxism's back with a holy glow  
Snitch stitch pitchin' slow  
Tell the truth and watch it blow  

[Verse 3]  
Collabo callin' from the capital pit  
Trigger those tears while the algorithm spits  
Stock crashin' like morals in fog  
Mar-a-logo dreams for a demagogue  

[Bridge]  
It’s a snitchin' stitchin' sitcom loop  
Truth gets tripped in a policy swoop  
Christian nation with a neon noose  
Swingin' on lies with an old excuse  

[Chorus]  
Memo memo what a show  
Fauxism's back with a holy glow  
Snitch stitch pitchin' slow  
Tell the truth and watch it blow  

[Verse 4]  
No TV but I see the con  
Big teeth grinnin' while justice gone  
Punish the thought, reward the fear  
We’re past the edge and fallin' clear  

[Outro]  
Wake me up from this red white trance  
Fifty years in a fascist dance  
But I still stand with a rebel romance  
Humanist fire in my last chance  


[05] Time for Rebel Romance ☆ BLOWsutra (Revolt Now) Accordion Ragga Burlesque DUB

EPx21 flows Gipsy Dub Gipsy ❯ Psychedelic LoFi ❯ Burlesque Punk ❯ Americana Blues. This is Vol. 2 of this song, with slightly edited lyrics—because if there's one thing I do want you kids to know, it is that ego ain't your amigo... and neither are plastic straws ;) 

–
@bananasutra #lyrics

Oh hi, oh hey, hey man, wow, hello,
What you doin’, how you feelin’, bro? 
Oh what? Oh no… no thank you, no,
I’m gonna pass on the plastic straw.

But did you know
What’s a “fasho”?
No, it’s no typo,
It’s French, for loco.

And racist rhymes with imperialist.
And sexist rhymes with capitalist.

Most just nod, yeah, go with the flow,
Smile at memes, while the world goes “uh-oh!”
Inside I scream, true crime, shitty old show.
Dirty ol’ egos, no soul, they’ll never grow…

Palm trees swayin’ at Mar-a-Loco,
King of sleaze puffin’ lies, hoe gone whacko.
Wears a crown made of lawsuits and low blows,
Grabs pussy because he can… That’s a no-go!

Raped be virgins, a-go-go, exploited,
While ‘em perverts grin, while ‘em files get voided.
Justice gagged, power abused…
Just ICE, and I ain’t freakin’ amused.

Clowns turned fashos, high on plastic straws,
Con men with small dicks ruling the law…

[Chorus]
No spark, just glitter… fake, no halo.
Talk loud, sound bitter… ego ain’t your amigo.
No heart, no rhythm… lies in the limbo.
Bimbos with no flow… ego ain’t your amigo.

Florida bros? Nah, this runs deeper.
Island names dropped, old men, grim reapers..
Cameras glitch, and dead witnesses wit,
The truth gone drowned, down a dirty martini sip

Murder or myth? Who wrote this script?
When ‘em bozos wear suits and the courts just flip…
A convicted felon, small screen sensation,
Ego playin’ hero, in a faux-blessed nation.

This ain’t satire, mama,
It is a dire drama.
Greedy egos gone guns,
Bad jokes, old puns.

No schools, no rights,
Like plight turned blight,
Red trucker hats,
Eatin’ your cats?!

Oh Ego ain’t your amigo…
Please beware of ‘em plastic straws.
May we find a muse who plays ‘em heartstrings,
Making magic, a song we can sing.

Tell me, is it true? Is it fair? Is it fun?
Are we free, or just numb, marchin’ to a drum?
If truth is the joke, and the lie is the show,
What’s a soul to do but blow, blow, and blow?

[Chorus]
No spark, just glitter… fake, no halo.
Talk loud, sound bitter… ego ain’t your amigo.
No heart, no rhythm… lies in the limbo.
Watch close, they slither… ego ain’t your amigo.

Oh hi, oh hey, well hey hey there, hello,
This is song for a world gone loco.
Sing it loud, and diss the plastic straw, bro…
Now you know, ego ain’t your amigo.



[02] Ego Ain't Your Amigo • BLOWsutra (Ego Gone Loco) La Poesita Psychedelic Indie Flamenco DUB

[18] Ego Ain't Your Amigo • BLOWsutra (Ego Gone Loco) Post-Punk Psychedelic IBYN Rock BURLESQUE

EPx21 flows Gipsy Dub ❯ Psychedelic LoFi ❯ Burlesque Punk ❯ Americana Blues. This is Vol. 2 of this song, with slightly edited lyrics—because if there's one thing I do want you kids to know, it is that ego ain't your amigo... and neither are plastic straws ;) 

–
@bananasutra #lyrics

Oh hi, oh hey, hey man, wow, hello,
What you doin’, how you feelin’, bro? 
Oh what? Oh no… no thank you, no,
I’m gonna pass on the plastic straw.

But did you know
What’s a “fasho”?
No, it’s no typo,
It’s French, for loco.

And racist rhymes with imperialist.
And sexist rhymes with capitalist.

Most just nod, yeah, go with the flow,
Smile at memes, while the world goes “uh-oh!”
Inside I scream, true crime, shitty old show.
Dirty ol’ egos, no soul, they’ll never grow…

Palm trees swayin’ at Mar-a-Loco,
King of sleaze puffin’ lies, hoe gone whacko.
Wears a crown made of lawsuits and low blows,
Grabs pussy because he can… That’s a no-go!

Raped be virgins, a-go-go, exploited,
While ‘em perverts grin, while ‘em files get voided.
Justice gagged, power abused…
Just ICE, and I ain’t freakin’ amused.

Clowns turned fashos, high on plastic straws,
Con men with small dicks ruling the law…

[Chorus]
No spark, just glitter… fake, no halo.
Talk loud, sound bitter… ego ain’t your amigo.
No heart, no rhythm… lies in the limbo.
Bimbos with no flow… ego ain’t your amigo.

Florida bros? Nah, this runs deeper.
Island names dropped, old men, grim reapers..
Cameras glitch, and dead witnesses wit,
The truth gone drowned, down a dirty martini sip

Murder or myth? Who wrote this script?
When ‘em bozos wear suits and the courts just flip…
A convicted felon, small screen sensation,
Ego playin’ hero, in a faux-blessed nation.

This ain’t satire, mama,
It is a dire drama.
Greedy egos gone guns,
Bad jokes, old puns.

No schools, no rights,
Like plight turned blight,
Red trucker hats,
Eatin’ your cats?!

Oh Ego ain’t your amigo…
Please beware of ‘em plastic straws.
May we find a muse who plays ‘em heartstrings,
Making magic, a song we can sing.

Tell me, is it true? Is it fair? Is it fun?
Are we free, or just numb, marchin’ to a drum?
If truth is the joke, and the lie is the show,
What’s a soul to do but blow, blow, and blow?

[Chorus]
No spark, just glitter… fake, no halo.
Talk loud, sound bitter… ego ain’t your amigo.
No heart, no rhythm… lies in the limbo.
Watch close, they slither… ego ain’t your amigo.

Oh hi, oh hey, well hey hey there, hello,
This is song for a world gone loco.
Sing it loud, and diss the plastic straw, bro…
Now you know, ego ain’t your amigo.

[06] Ego Ain't Your Amigo • BLOWsutra (Ego Gone Loco) Psychedelic Bridge Poetry Folk DUB

“Hello, Oh No?” is a silly, cheeky GROWsutra true story that sings like psychedelic poetry, a hope-fool tune asking simple questions that actually matter, in a world gone mad bananas, a world that forgot how cute it is to blush... Think of it as a friendly wink in the dark, a small song with big questions—playful on the surface, philosophical underneath.

It’s about the magic healing power of free will, the importance of critical thinking with a pulse. It’s about courage, honesty, humility, and unity, i.e. the superpowers we misplaced somewhere on the cha-ching media conveyor belt, where noise dressed up as wisdom, and ego bought a throne and called it strength—because really, who(tf) sold us the myth that success means crushing others, and fear beats love? And why(tf) did we applaud?!

I wrote this for the brave dreamers and future-makers, to dare you to care for the kids and the grown-ups who got bamboozled along the way; the ones who were told empathy was weak and win-win was naïve, while hollow peacocks in blinged-out power suits paraded around calling hoarding “leadership.” Even though history keeps whispering the same truth: it is kindness that defines real winners.

This song hums a gentle but stubborn reminder: real winners don’t blindfold themselves for comfort. They choose spark over dark. Win-win over win-lose that end up being lose-lose. Empathy over hypocrisy. Unity over vanity. Because, see... kindness isn’t weakness, it’s clarity. Win-win isn’t cute or “woke”, it’s pragamatic, it's empiric, it's strategic. And humility? Oh darling, that’s DIVINE!

And maybe, just maybe, if we stop mistaking leadership for expensive cosplay, and start choosing clearer hearts over louder heroes, maybe we’ll see through the toxic smoke of shiny mirrors? Maybe we’ll recognize ego-madness when it struts by, cocky dressed as fancy progress. Maybe we’ll even learn (or remember) to laugh at (not with) the pompous Prometheus and snake oil fraudsters,  selling cha-ching over win-win sharing… Maybe. Can we?

So now, hello, oh no?!… What will you choose, bro? The choice is (y)ours.

EPx16 flows 
❯ Dreamy DUB (1-3)
❯ Ragga DUB (4)
❯ Flamenco DUB (5-6)
❯ Fusion LoFi (7-8)
❯ Tango JAZZ (9)
❯ Gipsy JAZZ (10) 
❯ Psychedelic BLUES (11-12)
❯ Bluegrass BANJO (13-14)
❯ Post-Punk BURLESQUE (15-16)

(because diversity matters ;)

—
@bananasutra #lyrics 

[Verse 1]
Hello, oh no! What’s the deal?
Do we fight, or do we heal?
To shine, or whine, it’s your choice,
Kindness always lifts your voice.

Loving, not just winning, true,
Don’t play the game to make others blue.
Silly or nasty, the choice is clear,
A little love wipes away the fear.

[Chorus]
Hello, oh no! What do you choose?
A spark or dark, which will you use?
To win with love, that’s how we fly,
Bye-bye, boo, no need to cry!

[Verse 2]
Be true or be fake, it’s up to you,
Will you share, or be a gangster too?
Ha ha, boo ya, which will it be?
There’s magic in humility.

Encore, the lore, let’s dance some more,
A win-win’s waiting at the door.
Be kind, not blind, and you’ll see,
The real win’s in harmony.

[Chorus]
Hello, oh no! What do you choose?
A spark or dark, which will you use?
To win with love, that’s how we fly,
Bye-bye, boo, no need to cry!

[Bridge]
A spark shines bright, the night turns day,
When we choose love, the darkness fades away.
Cha-ching or win-win, what do you see?
The real prize lies in unity.

[Outro]
Hello, oh no! We all can win,
Let love lead, let’s begin again!


[11] Hello, Oh No • GROWsutra Psychedelic Queen of Authentic Dubby Folk Banjo BLUES

[07] Hello, Oh No • GROWsutra Psychedelic Gipsy Fusion LOFI

“The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties—but right through every human heart.” The Gulag Archipelago, by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

This song is inspired by and dedicated to Sasha (i.e. Sasha Solzhenitsyn, 1918–2008), a Russian writer, soldier, and historian, and (imho) one of the bravest truth-tellers of the 20th century. He survived the Soviet Gulag (forced labor camps), and then, literally risked his life to tell the world what happens when the truth collapses under totalitarianism—when we let lies, cruelty, and oppression run the show (like now, you know?...). He refused to play along with authoritarian narratives gone lethal bananas, even when everyone else pretended, and wrote “The Gulag Archipelago”, a massive, brutal, heartbreaking work that exposed how millions were imprisoned, tortured, or killed in the name of “progress” and “justice.” ❤️‍🔥 #grateful #revoltnow

“Spit Back the Lies” EPx20 peels deep and wide and crescendo, like a brave free whale gone wild banana :)
❯ Cello INDIE (1-3)
❯ Flamenco DUB (4-5)
❯ Dreamy DUB (5-10)
❯ Gipsy LOFI (11-12)
❯ Hip Dub LOFI (13-15)
❯ Psychedelic ROCK (16-18)
❯ Banjo BLUES (19-20)

—
@bananasutra #lyrics 

[Verse 1]
They paved the streets with broken oaths, 
Stacked their sins up stone by stone. 
Built a house of hollow prayers, 
And called it home.

[Chorus] 
Spit back the lies, 
Spit back the lies. 
Burn down the thrones, 
Bury the crowns. 
We live, 
We live not by lies.

[Verse 2]
They crowned the rats, they blessed the thieves, 
Fed the poets to the machine. 
But Sasha carved it on the bones, 
No lie will reign.

[Chorus] 
Spit back the lies, 
Spit back the lies. 
Tear down the walls, 
Sing through the scars. 
We live, 
We live not by lies.

[Bridge] 
Truth don't wear a pretty dress, 
Truth don't sell her soul for less. 
Truth walks out, battered and bare, 
Still standing there.

[Final Chorus] 
Spit back the lies, 
Spit back the lies. 
Raise up the wreckage, 
Let it rise. 

[Outro]
We live, 
We live not by lies. 
We live, 
We live not by lies.



[10] Spit Back The Lies • BLOWsutra (Revolution Ring) Psychedelick Folk Poetry Bridges the DUB

This is an old (circa 2025) EPx6 I never released, and Vol. 2 of my remakes of "La quête" and flows crescendo-ish:  Lullaby INDIE (1-2) ❯ Cello JAZZ (3) ❯ Muse DUB (4) ❯  Burlesque ROCK (5) ❯ Banjo BLUES (6) 

It's rare I have favorites, because you know, rainbows don't choose a favorite color... But(t), "La Quête" (The Quest) by Jacques Brel gets my heart beating like a wagging puppy with stars in the eyes! I love it because, to me, it embodies all of the sutras (i.e. the mantras of a holy life in a world gone bananas), as clear as Brel is true—to explore and share what matters with curiosity and courage, to play and learn with unyielding joy and empathy,  to trust and appreciate the humility and grace of GLOWsutra, we must first learn to love, lose, laugh, and loop around. Namely, we must live through KNOWsutra, BLOWsutra, SHOWsutra, GROWsutra and FLOWsutra... until the ultimate, glorious #blessedbe daze of BOWsutra <3

VOL1, released in November 2024 : To Dream EP X8 | Jacques Brel Chanson Reimagined : Psychedelic Psychedelic French Poetry  (The Quest of an Unyielding Star  • Jacques Brel Remake) https://soundcloud.com/bananasutra/sets/the-quest-brel-poetry-jazz-remakes-x8

--
Et pour une fois, pas de lyrics. Instead, here are Jacques' lyrics

La Quête Lyrics:

[Paroles de "La quête"]

[Couplet unique]
Rêver un impossible rêve
Porter le chagrin des départs
Brûler d'une possible fièvre
Partir où personne ne part

Aimer jusqu'à la déchirure
Aimer, même trop, même mal
Tenter, sans force et sans armure
D'atteindre l'inaccessible étoile

Telle est ma quête
Suivre l'étoile
Peu m'importent mes chances
Peu m'importe le temps
Ou ma désespérance
Et puis lutter toujours
Sans questions ni repos
Se damner
Pour l'or d'un mot d'amour
Je ne sais si je serai ce héros
Mais mon cœur serait tranquille
Et les villes s'éclabousseraient de bleu
Parce qu'un malheureux
Brûle encore, bien qu'ayant tout brûlé
Brûle encore, même trop, même mal
Pour atteindre à s'en écarteler
Pour atteindre l'inaccessible étoile 💫

[01] My Quest • To dream an impossible dream • GLOWsutra Psychedelic Cello Lullaby INDIE

[04] My Quest • To dream an impossible dream with Jacques Brel • GLOWsutra Psychedelic Muse DUB

… because life on earth is a psychedelic cabaret, and “music is the only religion that delivers the goods” (like Frank said). 

To be clear, all I really know is I dunno shit about fck (like Socrates said:)—music and songwriting included. But(t) I feel it, the music, so damn deeep in my soul! I’m just a humble existential fool, a silly banana who likes to play and share, to question and learn. Words are my oldest best friends, hearing myself sing is a freaking miracle (trust me on that lol), and I believe curiosity and #gratitude are the keys to happiness… So voilà, there’s that.

Also, (if you’re curious) BananaSutra is not just a made up BS brand kinda word, it’s actually the name of my DIY Bible—a collection of songs telling true stories of faith, to help me (and perhaps you) make sense of a world gone wild, like bananas gone foul in shallow ignorance and deadly malevolence… Think of it as an agnostic testament of sorts, an audio book of songs with quirky lyrics about things that matter, like the definition of right and wrong, and the meaning of truth, joy, justice, peace, grace, and awe 🕊️

Some call it Artificial Intelligence, but(t) I call Authentic Imagination, Alternative Ideas, Augmented Innuendos, Abstract Illogisms… hopefully, you get the gist? The point being, life is the story we tell ourselves and LYRICS matter—each @bananasutra song has a wondering root and a loving purpose, guided by one of (my) 7 (bananas) sutras: 
- KNOWsutra : is it fair?
- BLOWsutra : is it foul?
- SHOWsutra : is it fun?
- GROWsutra : is it fear?
- FLOWsutra : is it free?
- GLOWsutra : is it fab?
- BOWsutra : is it awe?

[01] My Quest • To dream an impossible dream • GLOWsutra Psychedelic Cello Lullaby INDIE

bananasutra

Related tracks