WorldVision--asexy songs?

[primeideal]

Over the last few years, I've written several sets of lyrics as part of a series of competitions called "WorldVision." (It's based on the real-life Eurovision, only for fictional countries.) Many of them are not my best work, but I've been thinking about them in terms of poetree 's queer poetry week. See, a lot of the songs are written to use some of the language or structures of pop songs (which are, to my disappointment, disproportionately romance-based), but are actually about very different sets of relationships. My way of playing with the genre, if you will.

The first of these could probably be reinterpreted as an asexual character's voice, in my opinion. Maybe some of the others too.

#1: Double Helix (March 2007)

"Your heart is entwined with another

I don't want to usurp your love

But knowing that you're right beside me

I know that I can rise above

 

(Chorus)

Any challenge I face

Since with you it's a race

To the stars

And no passion could best

The skill at any test

Which is ours

I hope you see

You're life to me

 

I'd never consider disturbing

You, yet I appear to have done

So, since you smile when you see me

And that tells me that I've half won

(to chorus)

 

Spiraling skyward, never look back

I'm left defenseless, there's no attack

Shadow, reflection, glimpse or a blink

Our minds surge as one, you drive me to think

 

You're able to connect with others

But somehow, I'm still linked with you

And we've just begun, so I hope

You'll be next to me the way through

(to chorus)

 

#4: Happy Boredday (December 2007)

Midnight and the world dreams on

So begins your special day

Sleeping through it, don't complain

When the year turns out this way

 

So all I wish for you is a happy boredday

May the dream you dream sustain you till you wake

You'll wish you could sleep through days that will come

(Those that start out with a break.)

 

Your eye's fixed upon the clock

Where is its exactitude?

If you miss the "precise" time

Will you sink into a mood?

 

So all I wish for you is a happy boardday

In the hope that you're not so rigid and tense

Wood may float, but you're just treading water

Although at least, you're not dense...

 

(Key change!)

 

Twilight and the time's flown by

Will this year outshine the last?

Let your future be your goal

Don't be hampered by your past

 

So all I wish for you is a happy birdday

Spread your wings and fly above and beyond here

Soar into the sky, face the horizon

Look ahead into the year.

 

#5: Scene of the Pain (April 2008)

It's been a long road to come this far

And I'll never be quite where you are

But that's okay with me.

It's been a long road, but the higher I climb

The lower I can fall, and I'm

Doing so today, I see.

 

But I'll gladly return to the scene of the pain

If I have one last chance to see you again

Though I dreamed I would never look back

I'll do my best not to distract

You as I

Whisper my final goodbye

 

It's been a long time since last we met

If I were you, I might forget

The spark in me you saw

It's been a long time, but I've channeled that spark

And you have left a lasting mark

I'll never inspire awe,

 

But I'll gladly return...

 

It's been a long day, I'm ready to leave

My face is blank, I won't blink or grieve

And I step into the street

It's been a long day, but a minute or so

Shouldn't hurt, I pivot and go

Back to the site of defeat

 

And I'll gladly return...

 

#8: Never Had Nothin' (January 2009)

Baby don't you know what you mean to me?

You turned me into what I never thought I'd be

I used to be all on my own

And I don't want to be alone again

Like I was back then

 

But baby, now I'm feeling fear

Cause I know that we won't be here forever

I don't wanna leave you behind

There's something in my mind that never

Wants to let you go, oh no

 

Chorus:

I looked at all the lovers and I looked at all the friends

I didn't know that all good things must come to an end

But I won't look at no one else but you no more

Cause I never had nothin' worth missing before

 

Someone's out there staring now at me and you

Wishing he could have someone to be with, too

But all the staring I ignore

Just like they did to me before, when they

Had nothing to say

 

I don't have enough time to waste

Thinking of being in his place. I'll spend all

The time I have right where you are

Before we go so far, and end all

That we ever had. It's sad!

 

(chorus again)

 

 

#11: If I Had Known (August 2009)

If I had known all that you were

Would I have cared? Would it have mattered?

If I had known all that you were

Would I have dared to change a thing?

 

Now I'm looking back at everything you said.

Should I have been cleverer, could I have read

Between the lines? What would I find?

 

Because you taught me to see

Monsters in the closet, ghosts down every hall

Bogeymen under the bed, witches on the wall

You taught me so much that I never knew

I learned nothing about you.

 

If I had known all that you were

Would I be scared? Would things be different?

If I had known all that you were

Would I have stared and wondered more?

 

Now I'm looking back at everything you did.

Should I have looked deeper, discovered what was hid

Between the lines? What would I find?

 

Because you taught me to see

Monsters in the closet, every sheet a casket,

Heaven in a smile, hell in a handbasket

You taught me so much that couldn't be true

I learned nothing about you.

 

Do I know now all that you are?

Or is this just another layer?

Do you know now all that I am?

We're in the past, why should I care.

 

You're not looking back at anything I said.

I was clever enough for you, well-read

But that's all past, we're done at last.

 

Though you still taught me to see

Monsters in the closet, ghosts down every hall

Bogeymen under the bed, witches on the wall.

 

But all I want now is to be in the future

All I want is to be away from you.

 

#12: Not Too Far (October 2009)

Let's go on a journey somewhere far away

You'll go to visit, and I'll go to stay

Maybe you won't want to realize where you are

But you shouldn't worry, 'cause I'm not too far.

 

Chorus:

The world is binding us into a net

I can't escape, but I'm willing to bet

That I won't care, though the loonies may doubt

This is the future, we're not too far out.

 

 

Plenty will change from mile to mile

Never you worry, I'll pull out my smile

Though you might wonder if something went wrong

Don't worry too long, I'm not too far gone.

(chorus)

 

This is what we've waited for, you always know

What's going on, so we're ready to go.

Time to meet the future, it's another day

Don't be so afraid, I'm never far away.

(Chorus)

 

#13: Leaving You Behind (January 2010)

You can say anything about me

You know I don't really care

You can say anything about me

Just don't say it when I'm there

 

I would run through the storm and I wouldn't feel rain

If I could believe I was running to find

What I loved, what I could be sure wouldn't bring pain.

But I can't know that, so I'm leaving you behind.

 

You can say anything about me

I know that I'm a disgrace

You can say anything about me

Just don't say it to my face

 

I would run through the storm and I wouldn't feel snow

If I could believe I was running to find

What I loved and didn't hurt, but I'll never know

That is enough, so I'm leaving you behind.

 

And the love that I want, I might find it, I might.

I could find it with the brothas on a Saturday night

I could find it when I'm falling through the looking glass

I'll find it anywhere I go, so I'll give you a pass.

 

And I'll run through the storm, and I'll run through the rain

I don't know what's out there, but someday I'll find

Something better than you, with the love and the pain

So until I do, I must leave you behind.

And you'll never see me again. 

 

#16: Emeritus (October 2010)

This is what you've come to?

This is who you are?

Don't suppose you could've

Fallen very far.

 

These are your remainders?

These are all the rest?

And you claim that's all you

Need to be the best?

 

Listen to your chatter

Plenty to be heard

Nothing meaning something

A word's but a word.

 

This is not my future

This is not my past

You were not the first here

You won't be the last.

 

There's no fear but there's no fire

There is nothing in your eyes

Here's the day to burn away

The corruption and the lies.

 

This is what you've come to

This is who you are?

Don't suppose you could've

Fallen very far.

 

Following in shoes that

Never took a step

Staying close to home, you

Never learned to schlep.

 

Listen to your chatter

Empty words you say

Nothing to believe in

Yelling what you may.

 

Listening to echoes

Telling me you learn,

But not even knowing

How to take a turn.

 

There's no fear but there's no fire

There is nothing in your eyes

Here's the day to burn away

The corruption and the lies.

 

This is what you've come to

This is who you are?

Don't suppose you could've

Fallen very far.

 

Maybe I'm just seeing

What I've seen before

Seeing the names I've seen

But not any more.

 

Listen to the chatter

Listen to the buzz

Just the quiet murmur

Not like it once was.

 

This is not your future

This is not your past

This is all that you are

Now the die is cast.

 

Light your candle from this fire

I'd speak truth if you would hear.

Here's the day to work and play,

Here's the chance for a new year.