Commentary

AI Music

© Copyright 2021 Peter Lloyd

I was feelin bout as groomed as Genghis Kahn
When I came across a place called Saul’s Salon
I walked in and said, “I need a haircut, Saul”
He said, “Sit on down, neighbor, and I’ll cut em all!”

He tossed a sheet across me and said, “I’m Bob
“It can get a little hairy, but I love my job”
“I believe you, Bob, but as I recall
“The sign on your window says your name is Saul”

“Well, what is truth,” Bob philosophized
“Is there really any difference tween truth and lies?
“Can you prove that E equals M C squared?
“When the Rapture comes will you be prepared?”

“The thing about it is, Bob, facts are facts
“And what you believe determines how you act”
I said, “There’s only one reality”
That’s when Bob interrupted me

“Everybody’s got their own reality
“I got mine and it’s right for me
“Does it really matter if I’m Bob or Saul
“Long as I answer when you call?”

Lie lie lie lie, lie dee lie
Oh, so sad to see truth die
They twistin it, bendin it, fixin to be endin it
Come on, people, time to start defendin it

I saw no use confronting Bob’s insanity
So I decided to ignore him and watch TV
Looked up on the wall and there on the screen
Was the spookiest creature I’ve ever seen

Her eyes were blazing, what she said, absurd
Though the sound was down, I could read every word
The more I read, the more I realized
What got into Bob was a shitload of lies

I said to Bob “I think I know what’s up with you?
“You been watching too damn much Fox News
“It’s no good for your brain, it’ll sicken your soul
“In the middle of your heart, leave a gaping hole

“Well,” Bob replied, “I got news for you
“Covid’s a hoax and global warming too
“The election was stolen, nine-eleven was staged
“The Clinton’s eat babies, but no babies were caged

“Obama’s from Kenya, and masks don’t work
“Sleepy Joe Biden is a socialist jerk
“The earth is flat and the moon is too
“I know cuz I watch — Fox News”

Lie lie lie lie, lie dee lie
Oh, so sad to see truth die
They twistin it, bendin it, fixin to be endin it
Come on, people, time to start defendin it

Bob’s not a fool, he’s just misinformed 
Like in Orwell’s story, nineteen-eighty-four
Took a little longer but it’s coming true 
And the people behind it — Fox News

No respect for the truth, don’t even know what it means 
Nothing but a clusterfuck of lying machines
First they lie, then you catch em, then they start denyin
If their lips are moving, you know they’re lyin

Lie lie lie lie, lie dee lie
Oh, so sad to see truth die
They twistin it, bendin it, fixin to be endin it
Come on, people, time to start defendin it

Even if you don’t believe the Earth is round
I think we can still find common ground 
Cuz there’s one thing we can never deny
If we hear it on Fox, it’s a goddamn lie

Lie lie lie lie, lie dee lie
Oh, so sad to see truth die
They twistin it, bendin it, fixin to be endin it
Come on, people, time to start defendin it
Come on, people, time to start defendin the truth

Fox News Blues

© Copyright 2020 Peter Lloyd

I’m so damned depressed. I’m white and I’m oppressed
Can’t say what’s on my mind. Last time I did, hell, I got fined
Can’t lead a prayer at school, can’t burn no fossil fuel
Can’t smoke in public places, can’t mock folks to their faces
What's the Constitution for? Who threw freedom out the door?
Can’t use the n-word anymore

 We used to be so great, when we were free to fight and hate
Now what’s the point of life, you can’t even smack your wife?
Just try and quote the Bible, you get sued for slander and libel
Soon they’ll come and take your gun, spoil all your fun
What's the Constitution for? Who threw freedom out the door?
Can’t use the n-word anymore

You can call me whitey, ofay, cracker, honkie, gringo, hick
Redneck, hillbilly, peckerwood... Just don’t call me racist
So why the hell can’t I use faggot, dago, coon, raghead, sissy, spick, pouf, heeb, limey, nancy, mackerel snapper, fairy, frog, wetback, fruit, wop, homo, mick, kike, beaner, dike?
Did I miss any?

If only I could be as brave as great grandpa, he owned slaves
But those days are long forgotten. Now he’d have to pick his own damn cotton
They had a colored maid, used to call a spade a spade
Used to call a queer a fruit, now it’s L-G-B-T-Q
What's the Constitution for? Who threw freedom out the door?
Can’t use the n-word anymore

Can’t use the n-word anymore
But I can sure as hell try
Who wants to hear me?
N- n- n- ni- ni- ni-
Fuck it!

White Man's Lament

© Copyright 2023 Peter Lloyd, Image by LORRAINE DAY 

remember ex-prez donald j trump
took us all for a nation of chumps
stole top secret docs and done got caught
he tried hard to deny it 
the jury did not buy it
they showed him that he’s not above the law

he’s in the jailhouse now
he’s in the jailhouse now
it comes as no surprise 
he’s outa luck and alibis
he’s in the jailhouse now

back when trump was commander in chief 
he made his goons give us all kinda grief 
we’re lucky they were all so goddamn dumb
under trump's direction 
they failed at insurrection 
we shoulda hung them all up by their thumbs


they’re in the jailhouse now
they’re in the jailhouse now
it comes as no surprise 
they’re outa luck and alibis
they’re in the jailhouse now


ya drank the kool aid and followed a fool
he made ya look like pitiful tools
you turned around and came right back for more
whatever you were drinking
whatever you were thinking
ya got exactly what you bargained for


you’re in the jailhouse now
you’re in the jailhouse now
it comes as no surprise 
you’re outa luck and alibis
you’re in the jailhouse now

Jailhouse Dreams

Queria hablar español, and so
I wandered my way to Bolivia 
Now from my cell in the heart of La Paz
I pine for my lovely Olivia

Olivia appeared like a long-lost dream
From Heaven she said God had hastened her
“Sip my elixir of love,” she implored 
 My trust then I readily placed in her

We sang to the stars of the southern sky
And sipped sucumbé, tea and lemonade
Danced to the whims of her passion until
Polícia cut short our escapade

O-li-iv-ia, if God sent you down from the sky to me 
O-li-iv-ia, when I asked you your age, why’d you lie to me?    

My sentence may outlive my life, but now
I must not let misery harden me
Locked in La Paz for the rest of my life 
I pray presidente may pardon me

O-li-iv-ia, if God sent you down from the sky to me 
O-li-iv-ia, when I asked you your age, why’d you lie to me?    

My lovely Olivia. Of course, I forgive ya
Olivia, I give ya my love    
Olivia, te doy mi amor    

© Copyright 2025 Peter Lloyd
Music composed with Suno AI

Olivia

Another November I stand with the trees
Their black branches robbed by a mean autumn breeze
I lean on a tall oak, my cheek to her bark
And mourn my companion as the woodland grows dark

Oh, I miss my companion, always more, never less
As the years wrap around me, they embrace my distress
I return to you empty. Speak again what you teach
From the ages inside you round and as wide as my reach

Then the oak speaks for hours and her wisdom I heed
I hear in her silence all the solace I need
"Stay standing, she minds me, "let death do its worst
"Welcome each sunrise as if it's your first"

Yes, another November I stand with the trees
Their black branches robbed by a mean autumn breeze
I must leave you again now with tears on your bark
But I'll come back each autumn till my memory goes dark

© Copyright 2025 Peter Lloyd
Music with Suno AI

Companion

Justine, you make me feel so clean
Justine, you make me feel so clean
You took my love and run it through the washing machine

Justine, I hate to walk with you downtown
Justine, I hate to walk with you downtown
You talk so loud and you're always putting me down

Justine, you make me feel so clean
Justine, you make me feel so clean
You took my love and run it through the washing machine

Justine, you wear your clothes inside out
Justine, you wear your clothes inside out
Your hearts so full of anger and your heads so full of doubt

Justine, you make me feel so clean
Justine, you make me feel so clean
You took my love and run it through the washing machine

Justine, come and get your cigarets
Justine, come and get your cigarets
You left them on the table and I'm trying to forget

Justine, you make me feel so clean
Justine, you make me feel so clean
You took my love and run it through the washing machine

© Copyright 1976, 2000 , 2025Peter Lloyd
Music with Suno AI

Justine

Well, I never climbed a mountain, no, I never even tried
What’s the point of crawlin halfway to the sky? 
When everything I wanna see is somewhere in your eyes
And I never have to ever leave your side 

No, I’ll never solve a mystery or cure a rare disease
My face will never grace Time magazine 
And though I try to please you and keep you trouble free
I can never ever give you guarantees 

But every day I try to make you smile and never cry
Help you soothe your wounds and chase away your blues 
I’ll never get it all right and always come up shy
But I’ll never ever give you alibis 

Oh, there’s so much more I haven’t done and so much more to do
To be the man you hoped that I would be 
But there’ll always be one promise you can count on comin true
I will never, no not ever, not love you 

And every day I try to make you smile and never cry
Help you soothe your wounds and chase away your blues 
I’ll never get it all right and always come up shy
And I’ll never ever give you alibis 

Oh, there’s so much more I haven’t done and so much more to do
To be the man you hoped that I would be 
But there’ll always be one promise you can count on comin true
I will never, no not ever, not love you

No, I’ll never, no not ever, not love you 

Words © Copyright 2014 Peter Lloyd
Music with help from Suno AI

Never

let’s remember Alice Ball, long unrecognized 
found a cure for leprosy, so long ago   
Alice died at twenty-three      
white men called her work their own
I think we all know why
I think we all know why

let us give Charles Drew his due, long unrecognized
taught us how to share our blood, so long ago
volunteered to donate first
white men turned charles drew away
I think we all know why
I think we all know why

where have all the lepers gone?
Alice healed them all
blood banks save so many lives
Charles made it so
why were they not recognized?
jealous white men feared their fame

I think we all know why
I think we all know why

© Copyright 2025
Music with Suno AI

We All Know Why

Dropped on this planet without our consent
We've been charged to perform at our best
But as I look around us, I'm inclined to resent
That the folks who ain't trying seem blessed

It ain't fair, it's not right that cheaters succeed
While we work hard for all that we're worth
Giving more than we take as we cry and we bleed
And imposters inherit the Earth

The emptiest barrel makes the most noise 
The hollowest head sounds the loudest
The boisterous baby takes home the most toys
And the purplest peacock seems proudest

But we must keep our heads as the rest our kind
Lose their minds and blame me and you
Gotta trust in their value and not leave them behind
When that's just what we wish we could do

We must field all their lies and not fall back on lies 
Let them hate us without giving back hate
Share what wisdom we glean without acting too wise
Do what's right without thinking we're great

The emptiest barrel makes the most noise 
The hollowest head sounds the loudest
The boisterous baby takes home the most toys
And the purplest peacock seems proudest

So let's dream without letting our dreams take control
Bend our rules without letting them break
Turn to reason and right without losing our soul
And do good for goodness sake

Let's be good for goodness sake

© Copyright 2025 Peter Lloyd
Music by suno.com AI

The Emptiest Barrel

Words, music, and performance © Copyright 2017 Peter Lloyd

This song is brought to you by Amerikoch
And now a word from our sponsor

Everything we own must go
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Your every need and craving

Back to our song

I’ve been told
The roads of Hell are lined with gold
The rats dress up in pinstripe suits
And tom cats prowl in combat boots

And now a word from our sponsor

Buy yourself a congressperson
Buy one for your cousin
Buy eleven, get one free
They’re cheaper by the dozen

Back to our song

Tell me why
When camels spy the needle’s eye
They turn away, begin to cry
And start to sing a sad goodbye

And now a final word from our sponsor

Buy a slice of Uncle Sam 
Yes, now’s the time to order
Operators standing by
Somewhere beyond the border

That’s our song. See you next time

Welcome to Amerikoch

© Copyright 2017 Peter Lloyd

If my president declares it, then it’s true
If my president declares it, then it’s true
Yes, I take him at his word. Even when he sounds absurd
If my president declares it, then it’s true

If my president believes it, so do I
If my president believes it, so do I
You can call my brain a dumpster. I don’t mind, cuz I’m a Trumpster
If my president believes it, so do I

If my president is for it, so am I
If my president is for it, so am I
We don’t care who disadvises. Cuz we welcome freak surprises
If my president is for it, so am I

If my president says do it, then I will
If my president says do it, then I will
We don’t care who might attack. We know Putin’s got our back 
If my president says do it, then I will

If my president says mock ‘em, then I will
If my president says mock ‘em, then will
All you retards, gimps, and fags, fuck your rainbow-colored flag
If my president says mock ‘em, then I will

If my president says grab it, then I will
If my president says grab it, then I will 
I’ll just walk right up and grab it. Even if she wears a habit
If my president says grab it, then I will 

He will always be my hero, though his IQ’s seven-zero
If my president is for it, so am I

Follow The Leader

Songwriter since 1966. Can't believe I still have to write protest songs. Prefer writing love songs and songs of praise for stand-up women and men, parodies, lyrical nonsense, blues and adaptations.