Punchlines
You got a red tattoo to wear to a rich man’s party
I wore a camouflage beret
We stole the gist from all their cocktail jokes
No one noticed that the punchlines got away.
Hey hey.
I can’t hear it anymore
I gotta quit this cabaret.
I can’t defend my defences through this storm without
Damaging my outfit on the way.

You tried to hypnotise a current in a maelstrom.
I tried to live atop a tree
We planned to euthanize as the holey ship was sinking but we
Misjudged every opportunity.
Hey, hey
Shall we quietly close the door or
might we yet make a dent in the scheme
We’ve tried to justify every tired compromise
But each outcome exacerbates the meme

You danced a tango on a broken escalator
I watched a requiem parade
We followed every clue that hinted at some closure but the 
Evidence won’t rout the masquerade
Hey hey
Why not savor every fault-line
Hoist a banner to the sky?
We'll never catch the wisdom we were seeking but why not
Bite the dust and give it one more try

The Punchlines Got Away

In Chicago band Care of the Cow from 1974 to present. 
Worked in new music for dance and theater in NYC from 1983-1993.
After a 35 year hiatus as a Prof of Artistic Research in Europe, now re-exploring songwriting and re-learning guitar. Site will host archive material from 70’s, 80’s and 90’s plus song sketches from 2023 to present. Currently focusing on queer temporalities and memory as topics of interest.
See also CareoftheCowband on soundcloud and 
Care of the Cow 1983 album Dog’s  Ears are Stupid also on bandcamp, soundcloud and all streaming services.

The Punchlines Got Away

sher doruff