Lorelei

Damned by a man who cannot stand up straight
I’ll search in vein for the guards who had abandoned the gate
Should’ve known that no good deed could ever go unpunished
In the end Lorelei had decided my fate

Cursed by the purse strings attached to my home
Must wait on line for heir justice with the greasy, black comb
He shouts; “What makes you so sure that your way of life is right?”
I then suspected Lorelei’s silent hand in my plight

You don’t want it? You’ve got to have it and I insist that you grab it!
You don’t see it? But have I chosen to reveal it?
This is the question you’ll have to deal with!

Shin deep in purple, processed, pure grape jelly
The bureau’s witch doctors demand more money
While Mr. Rooooooski charges that I’m a cheat
I won fair and square just accept your defeat!

Scorned by a wench who can’t pronounce my last name
But shattered my faith in the law to assign the right blame
“I’ll have you know mean-spirited remarks will never feed one hungry child”
This smacks of Lorelei’s crass and sinister style

You can’t feel it? Must be too heartless to deal with…
The poor, oppressed, 5th-wheel bits!
You can’t grasp it? Then you’re an ignorant, Christian have-wit!
Obsessed with preparing for the casket

Knee deep in crimson, sticky, entropic, paste gold
The bureau’s alchemists grow crusty and old
While Mr. Rooooooski is chauffered down Nicey Road
And ignores any headline underneath of the fold

Where is the buzz when you need it the most?
Drowned in black coffee, eggs, bacon, & toast

What will the bureaucrat do for Tuesday?
Something constructive, maybe scratch his toupee

Now I was bitten by the dog whose bite was bigger than his bark
Sentenced to civil servitude clearing sidewalks at dark
“You’ll surely loath the black days when your good fortune is repealed…
…To fund some grand new monument down in Lorelei Park!”

You don’t weep for it?
Must be bigoted with deep-knit, soul-less, bottom-feeding wits
You can’t show it? Then how can you be certain you know it?
You’re surely doomed yet to blow it!

Neck high in Honolulu blue river tide
The bureau’s acrobats were doomed to collide
Poor little Rooooooski took it hard when they died
New bureau despot outlawed Lorelei raves
Promoted morons and dismissed the unshaved
Soon even Rooooooski will have to learn to behave
Perhaps then I’ll be moved to re-emerge from my cave

Composition © 2004 Ric Albano
Publication © 2005, 2009, 2011 Cygnus Wave Music

Performers
Ric Albano
Piano, Keyboards, Percussion, Bass, Vocals
Bret Alexander
Electric Guitar

Listener Guide
Grade

Analysis: An odd song with an odd story and odd structure, this upbeat and fun tune with deep philosophical lyrics came together in an odd way. Like most songs on Imaginary Line I, a demo was brought to Saturation Acres where a new, professional recording was initiated. But unlike any other song, the demo version was ultimately included on the album as the studio version was determined to be too slow to capture the mood of this song.

Song Trivia
The original version of this song was written in 1997 and named “Episode IV” as it narrated the story of the first Star Wars film.
The alternate, studio recorded version of “Lorelei” was used for J.D. Cook’s 19th birthday tribute as he had long claimed this to be his favorite Imaginary Lines song.