A friend of mine asserted that this song, by Soviet singer-songwriter and poet Vladimir #vysotsky is “a perfect song” (PART 2): so... I first indulged in creating the Russian version (because I have a bit of an accent fetish lol), and now (of course), I had to try the Vladimir Vysotsky "Echo Song" (as I say, in my head, ha) in English too. 

This EPx6 flows like Gipsy Dub, Dub, Lofi, Burlesque, Indie, Indie Gipsy 🌬️🗿🎶

Note: this is a rare @banananustra cover (i.e. not an original song), and my only cover of a song not in #publicdomain 
Credits: poetic Soviet Singer-Songwriter Vladimir Vysotsky #lyrics translation by Vagalec (slightly edited)

☭ ☭ ☭ 
The (Bloody Mountain) Mountain Echo 

In a mountain pass, where the rocks for the winds are no checkers (no checkers),
Where no one has ever set foot, so steep is the rise (so steep is the rise),
There once lived a jubilant, cheerful mountain echo,
It answered all calls, and replied to the cries, human cries.

When loneliness suddenly fills our heart with despair (with despair),
And when a low sound of pain down the cliff starts to land (starts to land),
The echo, adroitly, will pick up the call,And handling with care,
Will lift it, and louder, with tenderness take it in hand.

But some scoundrels, madmen and drunkards, got round (got round),
So that no one might hear the footfall and snort (footfall and snort),
Intending to silence and murder the gorge, living canyon
They bound up the echo, and stopped up its mouth ere they shot.

And so it went on, their bloody, ferocious, enraged merrymaking 
No sound could be heard as they trampled the echo, made fun of it, mocked...
They shot, in the morning, the quieted mountain echo (mountain echo)
And tears gushed out like stones from the wounds of the rock...
And tears gushed out like stones from the wounds of the rock...
And tears gushed out like stones from the wounds of the rock...



[05] The (Bloody Mountain) Echo - Vladimir Vysotsky English Cover - BLOWsutra Gipsy Piano Cello Duende INDIE


Because Gladys is my middle name, and "Sonder" is a magic feeling of knowing wonder--when each stranger you see is the main character of their own life, and you are merely an extra in their story... The word was coined by author John Koenig and first appeared in "The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows", a project that creates names for emotions that don't have one  🕳️🐇 

Gipsy Burlesque Blues Dream @bananasutra EPx14 #lyrics (variations):

[Intro – Down the Rabbit Dream] 
The curtain breathes smoke, the dream’s out of tune, Gladys sings sideways beneath the fool moon. Mister White Rabbit spins clocks out of thin sand, time melts in mirrors all over the land. The Chessshire Cat strips in a glitch ’n bitch show, Whispering, “Truth’s just a pathetic trick, meow.” And Gladys keeps falling, big heart in her hand, into the bassline bloom of Sonderland. 

[Chorus 1 – The Dance of Sonder] 
Gladys in Sonderland, dance out of line, chase that White Rabbit with a glass of wine. Truth traded by cocky kings and sons, Love is fool, woke… screw their whacky plans. Oh laugh, my loves, the joke’s still grand, we all fall slow in Sonderland.

[Bridge – The Burlesque of Empathy] 
Contempt kills the courage meant to soothe, Fear builds a cage on a stage, proof. The Cat draws claws in nonsense sand, the Queen flips hearts like contraband. And Sonder sighs, and Gladys sings with the band: Love that sees, not love that blinds, unchains the demons from our minds.

[Final Chorus – The Carnival Crescendo] Gladys in Sonderland, lift up your mask, toast to the fools who dare to ask. White Rabbit’s gone, the clocks are banned, we measure love by gone grains of sand. So laugh, my loves, the truth’s divine, the heart’s a door, swing open wide. Gladys in Sonderland, you understand: we fall to rise, we blend to mend.

[Outro – The Curtain Closes, or Maybe Opens] The Queen wipes the blood from her wonder lips. The Cat hums an old stolen hymn, its grin dissolving from outside to in. Gladys stands amazed, champagne in her hand, and bows to the holes of Sonderland. She laughs… It’s absurd, but it’s hers, this plan, to lose herself just to understand… “Every fall’s a beginning; Blessed be holes, Son.” 

🥂 🎶


[06] Gladys in Sonderland • SHOWsutra Psychedelic Gipsy Cello Waltz Breathing BURLESQUE

Every ​⁠@bananasutra song is a humble pep talk (at least to myself), an agnostic prayer of sorts—this one is one of my fav (hence the Vol. 03:), it was inspired by #leonardcohen #peace #poetry minus #theirony (bc I’m nowhere as deep and subtle as Leonard ;)

✔✔✔

“Everybody Knows” Gipsy Trip Hop EPx7 #lyrics

[Verse 1]
Can we forget the foolishness, just for tonight?
Can we forget the hatred, step into the light?
Can we set it all down, hold each other tight?

[Chorus]
‘Cause everybody knows we can’t fight hate with more hatred,
Everybody knows we can’t win love with fear,
Everybody knows we can’t cure pain with vengeance,
Everybody knows we won’t find truth if we’re insincere.

[Verse 2]
Can we forgive the drama, give each other grace?
Can we release the dogma, let it find its place?
Can we heal the trauma, start a new embrace?

[Chorus]
‘Cause everybody knows we can’t beat fire with fire,
Everybody knows we can’t lift chains with chains,
Everybody knows we can’t find peace with anger,
Everybody knows we won’t heal wounds with blame.

[Verse 3]
Can we silence the noise, just one quiet night?
Can we look past our faults, give up the fight?
Can we let it go, step into the light?

[Chorus]
’Cause everybody knows we can’t crush fear with more fear,
Everybody knows we can’t make joy from lies,
Everybody knows that the answer’s in kindness,
Everybody knows we’ll fall if we never rise.

[Outro]
Yeah, everybody knows… but does anyone care?
Everybody talks, but is anyone there?
Everybody’s waiting, but will anyone dare?
Everybody knows… but only love can repair.

✔✔✔

[04] Everybody Knows • KNOWsutra Burlesque Trip Hop Piano Jazz INDIE

Two sister-songs, with lyrics directly inspired by Dr. Ramani’s video “Narcissism: The Secondhand Smoke of Mental Health” (on YouTube)...

Why “secondhand smoke”?
* Even if you don’t have NPD, being around narcissists makes you sick.
* The harm spreads outward: family, partners, coworkers absorb the toxicity. 

Five recognizable patterns:
1. Malignant/toxic narcissist – sadistic, manipulative, close to psychopathy.
2. Grandiose narcissist – bragging, flashy, entitled.
3. Covert/vulnerable narcissist – “woe is me,” hyper-sensitive, passive-aggressive.
4. Communal narcissist – the #hashtag-do-gooder; public philanthropy, private cruelty.
5. Benign narcissist – vapid, superficial, not as cruel, but emotionally shallow.

Seven diagnostic hallmarks (the “big seven”):
1. Lack of empathy (the bedrock).
2. Entitlement.
3. Grandiosity.
4. Superficiality.
5. Chronic need for admiration/validation.
6. Rage when threatened.
7. Arrogance (dismissiveness, devaluation).

Other patterns:
- Gaslighting, projection, exploitation, jealousy, schadenfreude, manipulation.
- Comorbidity with depression, substance abuse, compulsive sex/love behaviors.
Impact on others:
- Creates learned helplessness: partners feel nothing they do makes a difference.
- Can devastate self-esteem, health, and careers.

Treatment:
- Narcissists rarely seek therapy voluntarily.
- Progress is very slow, at best moving them from toxic → tolerable.
- No medication cures narcissism.
- Empathy must be cultivated early; prevention is everything.

Hopeful note:
- Empathy is teachable in children. Parents should model and mirror empathy above all else.

---
SIDE A EPx3: “Secondhand Smoke” 

[Intro] Step right up, darlings, don’t choke,
This song is called secondhand smoke. It’s about cocksure egos.
Ha. Ready? Down we go.

[Verse 1] No mirror inside, so they borrow your face, Validation’s the drug they chase. Shiny cars, hollow eyes, Charm that blinds, and charm that lies.

[Chorus ] Mirror, mirror, what do you know? Arrogant hearts all need a glow show. Praise me, praise me… but can you grow?
Like, can you flow and bow?
(Or just blow, blow?)

[Verse 2] Entitled thrones on borrowed ground, Their laughter’s loud, their silence profound. Grand illusions, paper crowns, Lift you up, then tear you down.

[Chorus ] Mirror, mirror, what do you know? Arrogant hearts all need a glow show. Praise me, praise me… but can you grow?
Like, can you flow and bow?
(Or just blow, blow?)

[Bridge] No empathy, no remedy, Woke ain’t like smoke, ain’t your enemy. Round and round, the blowers spin, And sorrow seeps through my skin.

[Outro] Step away, darling, break the spell, Breathe your own air, and breathe it well. Leave their circus, let them choke, 
On their own secondhand smoke.

---
SIDE B EPx3: "Arrogant hearts"

[Verse 1]
Step right up to the mirror maze, Where charm is cheap and love decays, They smile so wide while they cut you thin, Secondhand smoke seeps under your skin. 

[Chorus]
No empathy, no remedy, Entitlement is their melody, Grandiose ghosts on high ego stage, Arrogant hearts and their puppets cage. 

[Verse 2] Superficial saints with a selfie crown, Validation junkies shake you down, Malice erupts when masks won’t stay, Gaslight fever keeps truth at bay. 

[Bridge] “Ladies and gents, beware the show! They’ll promise excellence, deliver shadow. Communal halos, malignant schemes, Covert whispers, grandiose dreams!”

[Final Chorus]
Learned helplessness in smoky air, You breathe their poison unaware, The crowd applauds, the tyrant grins, But emptiness echoes where soul cannot sing. 


Side A [03] Secondhand Smoke • BLOWsutra Ego Gone Loco Gipsy Indie Trip Hop LOFI

Made "Peace Matters More (The Only Wish Worth Making)" last summer, as a birthday wish prayer song kinda thing... EPx7 flows Indie ❯ Burlesque ❯ Jazz ❯ Dub 🕊️🎶

Cover art #peace disclaimer: 
this is not an afro style cover ❨ it's a dandelion wish blower ❩ 🌬️ #makeawish 

@banasutra #lyrics

[Verse 1]
Hey, hi, between you and me
Birthdays don’t mean much, honestly
But I’ve got a wish I can’t keep in
So I’m letting it out, soft but clear within

Not for things, not for praise
Just one truth I feel these days

[Chorus]
Peace that grows from trust
Not power, fear, or hush
No mask, no game, no war disguised as law
Just peace that grows from trust
And honest is always a must
In my book of joy, that’s what matters more
Yeah, peace matters more.

[Verse 2]
If you’re cheering on cruel men in suits
Twisting lies into law like forbidden fruit
If you still think silence means you’re wise
Then you might be mistaking peace for disguise

I won’t fight… but I won’t pretend
I choose peace that doesn’t bend.

[Chorus]
Peace that grows from trust
Not power, fear, or hush
No mask, no game, no war disguised as law
Just peace that grows from trust
And honest is always a must
In my book of joy, that’s what matters more
Yeah, peace matters more.

[Bridge] 
It takes courage to ask
Humility to hear
To reach through the awkward
Instead of disappear
So if you’re unsure, just knock on the door
’Cause peace don’t bloom when we keep the score.

[Final Chorus]
Peace that grows from trust
No echo chamber hush
No gaslit grin pretending not to see
Just peace that grows from trust
Where curiosity’s enough
To build a better “we”,
That’s what matters more to me. 



[02] Peace Matters More - GROWsutra Gipsy Burlesque INDIE

[06] Peace Matters More - GROWsutra Gipsy Hop DUB

In France (where I grew up), there's a wise, old saying that goes "a glass of wine a day keeps the doctors away"...  Chez #bananasutra it's the same, but(t) with songs, hehe ✌️😽🍷🎶 #meow
--
Piano EPx5 @bananasutra #lyrics

[Intro]
We know drama begets drama,
We know trauma begets trauma.

[Verse 1] 
If we let pain justify cruelty,
If we let fear multiply tragedy,
If we let facts deny kittens die,
Woes of war will only amplify.

[Chorus]
We know drama begets drama,
We know trauma begets trauma…
Round and round the pain parade,
Different mask, same old charade.

[Verse 2]
Why do we choose not to ask but to fight?
No one wants children to suffer, right?
What happened to leading by love, not might?
And where the freakin’ fck is this going, right?

[Verse 3]
I’ve hurt, been hurt, denied my part,
Built a cage and called it “heart.”
But pain’s not truth, it’s just a clue,
To heal myself, I must heal you.

[Bridge]
Beyond the wounds, it’s the walls we build,
Beyond the loss, it’s the blame we wield…
Why preach revenge like a holy skill,
Then wonder why the world won’t heal?

Your cynicism sure beats mine…
But(t) where’s the cruelty victory line?
A rabbit hole of self-foolfilled prophecy,
Vengefool honor, endless atrocity.

[Outro]
We know drama begets drama,
We know trauma begets trauma…
Silence begets silence, too, 
'Til someone breaks the loop… maybe you?
--
#savethekittens (damn it)?!


[05] Trauma Begets Trauma • KNOWsutra Whimsical Gipsy Peace Kitten Dream Piano INDIE

Just another WTF song, I reckon 🍌 EPx10 flows Accordion 🪗 ❯ Cello Bass Guitar 🎻 ❯ Piano 🎹

Please pardon my French, and enjoy the absurd waltz circus des secrets de polichinelles--it's like a gipsy burlesque chanson show, a story about  dystopian abuse (of all kinds) is increasingly being normalized, here and there and again, as we (the people, women in particular) are being dehumanized... yet (the worst part) people be like shhh 🤫

🎪  🎪 
@bananasutra #lyrics

[Intro] 
Chut... 
Fais comme si t’savais pas, 
Fais comme si t’voyais pas, 
Le roi est nu, mais quelle classe, n’est-ce pas ?

[Couplet 1] 
Sous la dentelle des fashos, 
On cache les corps, on cache les mots, 
On peint la guerre couleur d’amour, 
Et les bourreaux jouent les troubadours.

La foi prêche la décence, 
Les fous vendent la délivrance, 
Et les rois font la révérence 
À leurs propres violences.

[Refrain] 
C’est un secret de Polichinelle, 
Le monde tourne à la ficelle. 
On bénit l’ordre, on brûle l’ciel, 
Au nom du bien, des seins, oh hell…

C’est un secret de Polichinelle, 
Tout l’monde ment, tout l’monde est belle. 
On rit, on pleure, on s’fait la belle, 
Sous la loi des criminels.

[Couplet 2] 
On dit “paix” pour vendre des bombes, 
On dit “mère” pour taire les tombes, 
On dit “libre” pour mieux soumettre, 
Et “Dieu” pour justifier le maître.

Les hommes de loi, les femmes de honte, 
Les vieilles idoles qu’on remonte, 
Les dieux, les lois, les vieilles montres, 
Tous décalés d’un monde qui s’démonte. 

[Refrain] 
C’est un secret de Polichinelle, 
Le monde tourne à la ficelle. 
On bénit l’ordre, on brûle l’ciel, 
Au nom du bien, des seins, oh hell…

C’est un secret de Polichinelle… 
On s’embrasse, on fait la belle, 
Comme des culs qui se querellent, 
Danse ma sœur, pense infidèle.

[Pont] 
Fais-moi croire encore un peu, 
Que le silence est vertueux, 
Que l’obéissance est glorieuse, 
Et que la foi n’est pas dangereuse…

Mais chut... le cirque recommence, 
Marionnettes en transe, 
Et sous la piste, les consciences 
Qui s’embrasent en connivence. 

[Refrain final] 
C’est un secret de Polichinelle, 
Qu’on s’aime fort, mais à genoux, 
Et qu’le courage des demoiselles 
Fait trembler tous les vieux papous. 

C’est un secret de Polichinelle… 
Sous la jupe du mensonge universel, 
J’cache ma rage et mon appel, 
Pour un monde moins artificiel.

[Outro] 
Chut... 
Tout le monde sait, Mais personne ne dit rien. 
C’est bien plus commode… Et puis, plus inhumain...

🃏🍌

[04] Secret de Polichinelle - French KNOWsutra Keep It Real Psychedelic Gipsy Circus Jazz Chanson BURLESQUE

[03] Secret de Polichinelle - French KNOWsutra Keep It Real Psychedelic Gipsy Circus Bass Cello BURLESQUE

[07] Secret de Polichinelle - French KNOWsutra Keep It Real Psychedelic Gipsy Circus Piano BURLESQUE

The Conquest of Happiness is a 2-songs EPx10 inspired by Bertrand Russell’s 1930 masterpiece—a philosophical field guide for ordinary people trying to build a life that feels real, meaningful, and free. This EP is an homage to Bertrand Russel, and a soundtrack for anyone who’s trying to stay awake, stay kind, stay curious, and stay human… Think of it as a humble and grateful love letter to curiosity, emotional honesty, and the kind of philosophy that makes you sit up straighter and breathe easier… with humor, compassion, and just enough sASS :)

WHAT IS THE CONQUEST OF HAPPINESS?
Bertrand Russell wrote this book  because he saw ordinary people suffering unnecessarily—not from tragedy, but from habits of mind, toxic social pressures, and self-inflicted misery. He argued that happiness isn’t a mystery. It’s not a miracle. It’s a skill. And he gave us a map. This EP is my humble attempt at translating that map into music.

SIDE A : “THE UNHAPPINESS DANCE”
A song (x5) songs inspired by the forces that drain joy and distort the mind, i.e. the reasons why people tend to feel unhappy—namely, the emotional chaos, the self-sabotage, and the absurdity of modern misery.
Russell’s #unhappiness list, simplified:
1. Competition: Always comparing yourself to others. 
2. Boredom / Excitement Extremism: Swinging between “numb” and “thrilled” without ever landing in contentment. 
3. Fatigue: Overwork, stress, and no margin for joy. 
4. Envy: Measuring your worth by what others have. 
5. Guilt & Moral Self-Torment:  Beating yourself up for being human. 
6. Fear of Public Opinion: Living your life under imagined surveillance.

SIDE B : “THE CONQUEST OF HAPPINESS”
A song (x5) about what actually creates lasting well-being, what makes people truly happy. These songs waltz through the antidotes: curiosity, connection, creativity, pleasure, laughter, kindness, courage, and the everyday magic that makes life feel like life.
Russell’s #happiness list, simplified:
1. Zest: Being genuinely interested in life. 
2. Affection: Love given and love received. 
3. Meaningful Work: Not necessarily glamorous, but engaging. 
4. Wide Interests: Multiple passions, not one obsession. 
5. Effort & Resilience: The willingness to grow, to try, to adapt. 
6. Impersonal Interests: Joy in things outside the self (nature, ideas, art). 
7. A Sense of Purpose: Living for something larger than ego.

WHY THIS MATTERS NOW?
Because we’re living in a time of distraction, polarization, loneliness, and algorithmic noise that quietly eats away at our sense of self… Because people are anxious, burnt out, overstimulated, overwhelmed, and under-nourished in the soul. And because Russell’s wisdom—nearly 100 years old—feels like it was written yesterday, for the world we’re in right now.

☰☰☰
NOTE: Lyrics matter, and I’d gladly share mine upon request, as always. But Soundcloud description length is limited, and for this EP, I wanted to tell you more about Bertrand instead of sharing lyrics, because he is a gift to humanity… and, in a world gone unhappy bananas, I hope he may help inspire you to find your path(s) to #happy, too. Look him up <3


Side B [04] EP Bertrand - The Conquest of Happiness - GROWsutra Indie Folk JAZZ

… 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?

Side B [04] EP Bertrand - The Conquest of Happiness - GROWsutra Indie Folk JAZZ

bananasutra

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