Ungrateful from Blang! by Lach

Song Notes: I wrote this on stage at The Fort at Sidewalk Cafe. I was pissed off at moneymen telling artists to be grateful when the artists were actually being fucked by the whole deal. I had several scenarios and I improvised them over a few weeks at the Antihoots. It didn't crystallize into the insect collector, sculptor and songwriter until I had to teach it to the band and stick to one thing

Studio Notes: This song needed a 12-string electric Byrds-like sound. It's hard to find those guitars. The studio had one which was awful. At an Antihoot, I was standing next to Craig Gordon and on a whim I turned to him and said "Do you have a 12-string electric guitar?" He did and graciously lent it to me. I planned to use it for the arpeggio section but I ended up doubling the organ lead. Our motto for this record was "no lead guitars" and this was the closest we came to crossing that line. The cello part, played wonderfully by Lisa, echoes back to her part on "I Love Them." In both instances the playing reflects the lyrical entrance of a girl and her effect on the songwriter.

Tracklist

3.	Ungrateful	3:51

Lyrics

Ungrateful

You found a slug, it was a bug, you took it up to your bedroom
Pretty soon, a cocoon, and then a couple of months go by
A butterfly like a psychedelic balloon around your room
But at the window they take a photo and then the next thing you know
They put you on the cover of Insect Weekly
And say,"Come on, we'll make some money."
The big boys say, "Now, Sonny, don't be ungrateful."

You found some clay, the other day,
You took it home, you started to play
No thought of the future, you made a sculpture,
You just like to play that way
The local press was so impressed they called you the next Henry Moore
And what's more they wanted more and more and
They put you on the cover of Sculpture Weekly
And said,"Come on, we'll make some money."
The big boys say, "Now, Sonny, don't be ungrateful."

You met this girl, you like this girl, man, you really like this girl
You write her a poem, becomes a song, you take it up to her bedroom
Her brother Joe has a college radio show, the next thing you know,
It's in the air, it's everywhere and no one asked you if you care
They put you on the cover of Musician Weekly
And say,"Come on, we'll make some money."
The big boys say, "Now, Sonny, don't be ungrateful."
Well . . .Be ungrateful!

©1998 Lach

Credits

from Blang!, released November 11, 2013
Lach - Guitars, Organ, Vocals
Geoff Notkin - Bass
Billy Ficca - Drums
Lisa Haney - Cello

License