“Vengeance of the Rat King”

Tragedy when party’s over
All your friends are short long-goners
Memories of camaraderie have flip-flopped, turned and now are soured
Like the hope that once did dope you
Some half-baked, du jour worldview
That was your highbrow breakthrough
—With inside jokes and ego strokes and grandiose retorts

The party’s over
Nothing to see here
Just a stopover . . . to the future!

What’s that scurrying in the wainscoting?
Must be the Rat King!
Who’s that wheeling on a head of cheese?
That must be him!
The one to incite all the mice
The one to knight the pawns
The one whose bite has a devastating price
The one whose nails are always drawn
—And he has come for you, dear!

Who’s that handing out the rotted cheese?
Of course it’s the Rat King!
Who’s that riling up the young mice-ees?
(That’s him, too!)
He’s got no scruples ‘bout beguiling young dupils 
He’s got a flexible spine
He’s got no thought but to choke you with his garrote
He’s got a steely twine
—And he has come for you, dear!

The carpet of mice ripples as they wriggle
Erecting with their bodies a pelt dais
Shocked, you scramble up upon your table
To hear the raised Rat King launch his dispraise
His topic is the failings of your being
His words hurt, but there shall be no appealing
For now the mice are on the dash for vengeance
As one the mischief rises like a god’s hand
And strikes with bites of wrath which is your sentence
As with your tongue are you gagged
And then they scurry sated back to their holes
Back to their holes

Tragedy when party’s over
All your friends are short long-goners
Memories of wrathful feasts that never ceased have now turned bitter
Like the joke that now has laughed you
From the clique-clack of the who’s who
To the oblivion of your fall-through
Shamed and shunned and smeared and jeered and devoured full alive

- - -
Music by Corey Ball
Lyrics by August Lysy

Mastered by Spencer Martin

Vengeance of the Rat King

At some point, a long time ago, I gave up on creating a "new" musical language. It was still possible, in the late nineteen eighties and early nineties when I came of age, for me to see music as a linear progression. In my early twenties I would compose pieces that I thought of as new jazz. Of course they weren't. Just very individual songs in older styles with some ideas for other styles. A dash of Duke Ellington arraignment, a snippet of Monk perhaps a teaspoon of Syd Barrett mixed with some rock and roll harmony. Eventually, after a long pause in playing at all, I came to make music, I see as, more in line with the pop artists like Warhol and, especially Lichtenstein. My own musical ideas are still there but slyly inserted into pieces that are consciously, imprecisely, modeled on other works or styles. Anyway I went to see the new version of West Side Story with my wife the other day. The original show made right before that "pop" era. It was so sincere. No irony with an honest attempt to bring musical theater "forward". I so enjoyed it even if it's a bit middle brow Americana. I'm writing this description in hopes of being equally sincere. The melody borrows a bit of "Somewhere" as a tip of the hat. I hope. My big musical ideas, besides that, are as follows. The key may sound a bit vague at times but floats between B major, E major and A major so that classic one four five, if somewhat buried. the time signature changes a few times, briefly, and syncopates when it doesn't. There's the Syd Barrett influence for those keeping score. There's also some willful changes from major to minor in the harmony that are classic rock ideas. Even if, in this context, they eventually become key changes. Well that's enough sincerity. Oh except for the photo. It's Miss Place. My wife maiden name and me back when I would have written something like this. ;)

Miss Place

My friends
Let our friendship last
May it last us until the end
Let nothing happen
That we all see together
The sun dawn

And we will give an example
To friend and foe
Love will go with you
Love will go with me

And we will give a message

To all the people
Of the continents
Like real friends

And we will share
The good and bad
Like real friends


And listen to me please
That there is nothing better
Than a handshake
That we are all brothers
God told us


And we will give a message

To all the people
Of the continents
Like real friends

And we will share
The good and bad
Like real friends

And we will share
The good and bad
Like real friends
Friends…

Amigos Mios

Composed, arranged, performed, and produced by
Carlos Vivanco

Far And Beyond

Encrucijada

Outside and In

Twiggy

A song originally written for cancer victims that took on a much bigger meaning when Covid came to town.

Evil Came to Town

Got to work with Marc Freak @marcfreak on this one after he foolishly offered to, in a comment on a track of mine. I spent a bit of time in London in the late eighties. Boy George was king, the food was still mostly bland and there were a million different rules for dress depending on where you went. Funny how sometimes things can be so foreign and familiar at the same time. I have lots of thoughts but I won't bore you. Oh and the music. I knew most of the bands but it did change my perception a bit to hear them in context. Thanks so much Marc for the singing, melody, lyrics and maybe some context. ;)
Lyrics:

PERFECT DREAM
Jumping out of the frying pan into the fire
Like a drug bust with a visible wire
But its worth it for the time that we spend
And I pray they don't end

All I crawled through has the skin busy itching
And my internet is permanently glitching
But I cannot bare the time we're apart
Its a trial of the heart

CHORUS
Is this just a perfect dream that's coming true?
I want to spend the whole of my brief life with you

When you're standing in darkness and a glimpse of light shines through
When you're lit up like a beacon
And although you are freaking I'm loving this dream come true
With you

And the time I have left grows ever shorter
I am drowning in invisible water
Its a failure on my part I can't swim
And the prospects look grim

There's a torch that ever shines in the distance
Hold my hands up - show no signs of resistance
I'm a prisoner of love 
I don't mind in fact I'm pleased to do time

CHORUS

When you're standing in darkness and a glimpse of light shines through
When you're lit up like a beacon
And everyone's peeking 
I'm loving this dream come true

Perfect Dream (A Marc Freak Collaboration)

1Lastsong (Problematic album)

Track 9 of the Album soundcloud.com/user-461764443/sets/the-firm-dark-orchestral-suite

Since the Firm new twisted credo is “From the Grave to the Cradle”, Aaron E. Must, the new director of the Electric Car business unit, has the mandate to manufacture the cheapest and most profitable electric car on the market. It will be manufactured using cars recycled from the Scrap Yard Business Unit in New Mexico and cheap batteries made in the totalitarian republic of Nicha. “Spit it out on the market as fast as possible” the CEO said. “Whatever happens, we will fix it later”. “Just put those stupid gadgets everybody wants in those cars such as GreenTooth, a giant screens to view reality shows while driving, a dummy pilot system that can crash your car should you want to suicide and it will sell like cupcakes”. Since it was also made in New Mexico the car was called sarcastically the Cojonas model FU. Shortly after it was on the market, the Lithium ion battery of the cars started to set houses on fire during the recharge at night. The cars would suddenly set on fire in parking lots for no apparent reasons. The worst was the battery would be set on fire after a car accident while the passengers could be trapped inside the car. It is never a good sign when a CEO smiles when everything goes wrong because it means he knows on whom he will put the blame and he did. “Aaron E. must resign immediately” said the CEO to the press. “I would have never approved such a bad design on one of my product and since he is accountable for this business unit he is the one to fire” said again the CEO to the press. However, deep in his mind he was thinking about his Firm doctrine “In Fraud We Trust”.

“This is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events, is purely coincidental.”

Music Notes: Some of you may have recognized a very disturbed version of Gary Numan “Cars” at 0:35 played by the Doublebasses and the Beatles “Baby you can Drive my Car” at 1:50 played by the strings in spicatos. Indeed it was used as a subliminal recall of cars in order to mesmerize you. However, if you can find where I hidden the “Crash And Burn” song by the Pat Travers Band you’re a king of the rock culture. Good luck ;o) 

Music and Production: Syrel
Photography: Syrel (1984)

The Firm

The Firm Electric Car Business Unit - The Cradle

White Sky

Muchas gracias a todos los que escuchan y comentan mis canciones. No tengáis la menor duda de que les devolveré el favor.

Amigos Mios

Belmar2