Pussy Cats (2)

While writing the review of the Pussy Cats album I typed the line about 'Johnny making medicine' and it all started...Just what were these sessions like?

Here is my rewrite of Dylan's classic fresh from a warped mind!

 

Sub-alcoholic Home-share Blues

 

Johnny's in the basement

Mixing up the medicine

Keith's on the carpet

Seeing spiders on the parapet!

Harry in his trench coat -

Badge on, cap off -

Says he's got a bad cough.

(Have another brandy quaff!)

 

Look out kid

It's something you did!

God knows how

You're still standing now!

(you better) Try to sing like Danny Kaye

Spit into a Kleenex.

The man in the black shades

Making the mix-down

Don't wanna know if your

Voice left town!

 

Ringo comes: face clean,

Fingers stained with nicotine,

Talking bout how Keith ate

All the jar of nitrate!

The phone rings anyway

(What's that that Alice say?)

"Meet me in the alley way  

By Rainbow Rooms in old LA."

 

Look out kid

God knows what you did!

Just keep yourself on your toes,

Sing the polyphonic prose.

Better stay away from those

Who'd infect your fire hose!

Keep a clean nose

And forget the UFO's!

You need to be together man

To know which way the song goes!

 

Get sick, fart smell,

Make the house a stink well!

Susie Bell, hard to tell

If this LP'll ever sell!

Get hard, get barred,

Get back, coke trails

White powder, Black Sails

Major diatonic scales

 

(Look out kid

You're gonna get your hit

But users, cheaters

End up losers.

Thrown out of theatres.

Girls from a type pool,

Lookin' out for any fool,

Feed us, speed us

Keep singing through the bleeders!)*

 

Ah get born, blow the horn

 Green plants, Romance, Last Dance!

Undressed, (well-blessed?)

Hope I'll be a success!

Please John, play on? Buy gift

Don't run, get stiffed!

Twenty years of drinking

And a ton of coke that Harry sniffed

 

Look out kid

Better keep it all hid!

Snort in a manhole,

Inhale by a candle,

Sing like a man who'll

"Croak, f**k, fangool!"

Don't wanna be a bum,

Drink 'til your throat's numb!

The voice don't work!

Just can't handle all the scandals!

 

*bracketed verse not in Nilsson's version

© HarryMusic 2007

back to poetry

back to Nilsson menu

Home