Why play rock 'n' roll?
It's a question fundamental:
Take Jimbo from The Doors, you'll find
Which one's incidental;
Take the music from the industry,
You're left with grasping bankers;
Take the "industry" out of music,
You're left with childish wankers.
"If I weren't me", Prince might ask,
"Would women still adore me?
How come no-one's come up and said:
`Your movies fucking bore me'?"
"The priest dances on the seventh day,
Watching the temple fall" -
If Dylan didn't write that line,
Would it still mean nothing at all?
Can we know the dancer from the dance?
Separate thinker from the thoughts?
The song about breaking out of jail
From the singer's dick breaking out in warts?
What if today your band gets acclaim
From the critically judgemental?
Twenty years ago they said much the same
About a Robin Trower instrumental.
Everybody in rock 'n' roll
Claims to be doing it for the Art -
At least that's what their managers say
When the band themselves aren't that smart.
That's sounds very noble and all,
But in my throat it sorta sticks -
We agree with G. W. Mc. Lennan:
We play rock 'n' roll for the chicks.