You and What Army

"Won't Get Fooled Again" TRANSLATED

    We shall clash in the roadway, with our sons and daughters looking on, and previously held standards of acceptable behavior and beliefs will be obsolete.  The gentlemen who incited us now adjudicate disputes and settle them violently.
    I will salute the set of principles upon which the new state is founded, accept credit for the overthrow of the previous regime, feel joy about the pervasive transformation, and seize my six-string and perform music as I once did.  And then I will genuflect in the fervent hope that we shan't be deceived once more.
    Transformation was imperative and we were well aware of that the entire time.  But all that really happened was that we were freed from the previous establishment.  Circumstances seem absolutely identical and things are just as they've always been because we're still upholding the same old values.
    If, perchance, my family survives this upheaval, I'll keep them and myself out of all this.  I'll have all my official forms ready for inspection and look up, beaming with the knowledge that the mesmerized are always truthful.  Are you aware of that fact?
    Yes!  The roadway is unchanged, as far as I can tell.  Incidentally, all the propaganda has been removed.  The progressive factions have now become conservative and everybody's facial hair is lengthier than it was yesterday.
    Yes!  Allow me to introduce you to the new supervisor, who is no different from the previous supervisor.

"You Shook Me All Night Long" TRANSLATED

    She was a high-velocity vehicle and maintained an immaculate engine.  I have not witnessed a finer lady.  She had profound visual impairment and always told me the truth.  I was greatly impressed by her thighs, which could only have been a product of the United States.  She was so selfish that it was suffocating.  She summoned me but I had already arrived.  The room began to vibrate on all sides — in fact, there was a temblor.  My consciousness experienced a dull pain and we were having sexual relations.
    And you convulsed me throughout the evening.  Yes, you convulsed me throughout the evening.
    She toils at twice the standard hourly rate at a facility dedicated to enticing people to engage in sexual relations.  She is unique and I maintain sole possession of her.  She did not desire an ovation, only the next portion of the meal.  She devoured me and called for seconds.  But in order to accommodate her wishes, I first had to regain my, shall we say, composure.  I have now reentered the metaphorical boxing match and am prepared to continue the bout.
    And you convulsed me throughout the evening.  Yes, you convulsed me throughout the evening.  I really was quite impressed that you convulsed me throughout the evening.  It left me quivering.  And you convulsed me throughout the evening.  Yes, you convulsed me.  You possessed me.
    I really can't stress enough that you possessed me and convulsed me throughout the evening.  You convulsed me throughout the evening.  Yes, yes, you convulsed me throughout the evening.  You truly captured me and you convulsed me throughout the evening.  Yes, you convulsed me.  Yes, you convulsed me.  Throughout the evening.

"Help Me, Rhonda" TRANSLATED

    Since my former lover dissolved our relationship, I have been getting very intoxicated.  I go out drinking and invariably return to my residence deep into the evening, then sleep in the following day.
    Rhonda, you are very attractive and I'm quite confident that you could quickly assist me with forgetting my former lover.
    Assist me, Rhonda; assist, assist me, Rhonda.  Assist me, Rhonda; assist, assist me, Rhonda.  Assist me, Rhonda; assist, assist me, Rhonda.  Assist me, Rhonda; assist, assist me, Rhonda.  Assist me, Rhonda; assist, assist me, Rhonda.  Assist me, Rhonda; assist, assist me, Rhonda.  Assist me, Rhonda, yes, with forgetting my former lover.
    We were engaged but she cheated on me, so that ruined everything.
    You prompted my attention, Rhonda, and I would be happy to enumerate the various qualities which prompted my attention.  You simply must assist me, Rhonda.  Assist me with forgetting my former lover.

"Imagine" TRANSLATED

    Here is a thought experiment: there is no hereafter.  That's a pretty simple concept.  So there would be no sweltering underground realm inhabited by the spirits of the damned, and nothing overhead but the earth's atmosphere.  If everyone rejected the idea of a hereafter, they would exist in the here and now, and behave accordingly.
    Here's another thought experiment: sovereign states don't exist.  That's not difficult to conceive of either.  That would obviate war and other forms of mass violence; so would the abolition of spiritual belief systems.  Consider how many human beings would live in harmony as a result.
    You could credibly accuse me of being an impractical idealist for proposing these things but a lot of other people think about this stuff too.  If only everyone would see things our way — then we'd have a state of global unity.
    OK, another thought experiment: no one owns any material objects.  See if you can get your head around that one.  Such a paradigm would preclude everything from avarice to starvation and, again, foster comity throughout humankind.  One more thing: visualize everyone on the planet partaking equally of its resources.

"Black Magic Woman" TRANSLATED

    I have a Satanist lady friend.  I have a Satanist lady friend.  I have a Satanist lady friend who has impaired my vision to such an extent that I am unable to discern that she is a Satanist.  She is attempting to turn me into an evil spirit.
    Do not ignore me, dear.  Do not ignore me, dear.  Indeed, do not ignore me, dear.  Cease your dabbling in your wiles.  Do not ignore me, dear — you risk taking possession of my enchanted twigs.
    You have bewitched me, dear.  You have bewitched me, dear.  Indeed, you have bewitched me, dear, and you are petrifying the hollow muscular organ that pumps blood through my circulatory system.  I yearn for you deeply, my Satanist lady friend.  I'm incapable of abandoning you.

"Me and Bobby McGee" TRANSLATED

    I was in Baton Rouge, I was destitute and I was anticipating the arrival of a locomotive.  My morale was nearly as threadbare as my denims.  Then I found myself hitchhiking with a fellow named Robert.  Fortunately, a trucker picked us up not long before it began to pour.  We stayed for the entire hour-and-a-half-or-so ride southeast to New Orleans.  Along the way, I retrieved my harmonica from my filthy red handkerchief and played at low volume while Bobby vocalized on various blues songs; the windshield wipers functioned as a metronome.  Throughout, I held Robert's hand.  Remarkably, we were able to play every song that the truck driver requested.
    Self-autonomy is a euphemism for being completely bereft.  Materialism is meaningless.  I felt an effortless sense of wellbeing when Robert McGee sang twelve-bar songs with a I-IV-V chord sequence, and a sense of wellbeing was all I required, as it was for Robert.
    For the duration of our journey from a bituminous coal extraction facility in Kentucky to the Golden State, with its abundant solar radiation, I vouchsafed all my personal intimacies with Bobby.  Through the full gamut of meteorological conditions, as well as during our various activities, he protected me from hypothermia.  Unfortunately, I erred badly at one point and we parted ways in the vicinity of Salinas.  Robert seeks domestic tranquility and, while it is my most fervent wish that he attains it, I would nonetheless gladly exchange my entire future existence for even one day of closely embracing him.
    Self-autonomy is a euphemism for being completely bereft.  Which is just as well since Robert didn't leave me with anything whatsoever.  I felt an effortless sense of wellbeing when Robert McGee sang twelve-bar songs with a I-IV-V chord sequence, and a sense of wellbeing was all I required, as it was for Robert.
    La da da la da da da, la da da da da da da.
    La da da la la la la na Robert McGee yes.
    La da la da la da, la na na na da.
    La la la la la Robert McGee yes.
    La da da la la la la la la la la la, la na na la na na la na.
    Hey now, Robert, hey now, Robert McGee yes.
    Lo la lo la la lo la la.
    Lo la la lo la la lo la la lo la la lo la la.
    Hey, and a Robert, lo, no Robert McGee, yes.
    Oh heavenly father, I deemed him my sexual partner, I deemed him my beau.
    I say once again: I deemed him my sexual partner, I tried my utmost, come on.
    And a Robert no, and a Robert McGee yes.
    Lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo.
    Hey, hey, hey, Robert McGee, la.

"Truckin'" TRANSLATED

    I'm traveling, having pocketed some financial rewards to which I was due.  I travel like the do-dah man, whatever that means, and in general accordance with societal norms.
    I see very little practical difference between the illuminated public signage of small towns and that of, for example, Chicago, New York or Detroit.  They're all conventional urban centers predicated on conventional fantasies.  In my view, the people who live there would be well advised to abandon those fantasies and see what happens.
    Dallas has what I euphemistically call a "soft machine."  Despite being over 300 miles away, Houston is in uncomfortable proximity to New Orleans.  New York City has tremendous financial influence but is inimical to personal freedom.
    You will encounter many people who expound about "true love" but in reality they're probably spending the majority of their time in the same place and being unhappy.  They're all too aware that they should get out into the world and find themselves.
    Yes, I am traveling in the manner of the aforementioned "do-dah man," who once advised me that you cannot win if you do not play.
    Now and then, I have moments of almost overwhelming clarity.  Then there are periods when I don't know what to do at all.  I recently realized that my life has been a lengthy and bizarre journey.
    I can only speculate about what happened to Jane, who is a very nice person.  These days, she is listless and subsists on Seconal, ascorbic acid and blow.  My friend feels only pity for her.
    Now I'm traveling to Buffalo, New York.  I've come to the conclusion that one shouldn't be in a rush to slow down, which makes total sense when you think about it.  A great deal of deliberation should go into choosing a destination and continuing to travel.
    From my chair, I look out the window of my hotel room, awaiting an imminent police raid.  I would have preferred to get some rest before hitting the road again but there is nothing I can do to forestall a judicially sanctioned search of my person and belongings.
    I was just arrested in the French Quarter of New Orleans.  Someone ratted on me.  I'm getting really tired of being persecuted.  The authorities are intent on harassing me.
    When one stays in one place, one gets wanderlust; on the other hand, being on the move all the time will inevitably prompt an urge to settle down.  But there's no harm in getting out there and seeing what there is to see.
    Now I'm traveling back home, where I'm most comfortable, if I'm being honest.  There, I'll recuperate for a while — and then I'll go back on the road.

"Baba O'Riley" TRANSLATED

    Here on the farm, I rely on my agricultural skills to obtain sustenance; I toil strenuously.  It is unnecessary for me to come to blows in order to establish my rectitude, nor do I require any absolution.  Yes, yes, yes, yes.
    Do not weep or cringe: it is merely a devastated tract of land populated by adolescents.
    Let us conjoin our palms, Sally, and traverse the countryside in a southerly direction.  Extinguish the campfire and follow my lead unquestioningly.  Everyone is beginning to leave and we are in the vicinity of joyful individuals.  We ought to commune ere we age any further.
    A devastated tract of land populated by adolescents, it is merely a devastated tract of land populated by adolescents.
    A devastated tract of land populated by adolescents, indeed.
    A devastated tract of land populated by adolescents.
    And each of them is highly intoxicated.

"Band on the Run" TRANSLATED

    I am permanently imprisoned in this room and will never again encounter kindly people such as you, Mother.  You, Mother.  You.
    In the event that I should escape I have considered bequeathing my estate to an organization set up to provide help, and raise money, for those in need.  I merely require sixteen ounces of beer a day.  In the event that I should escape.  In the event that we should escape.
    The downpour detonated resoundingly as our party tumbled into the fiery center of our solar system.  One of our party remarked to another, "I trust you are quite amused by this."
    Fugitive rock group.  Fugitive rock group.  The turnkey and Seafaring Samuel were both frisking all and sundry for the fugitive rock group.  Fugitive rock group.  For the fugitive rock group.  Fugitive rock group.
    The mortician groaned because attendance was quite meager.  Meanwhile, the carillon in the town center was chiming for the fugitive bunnies.
    At dusk, the barren landscape started to calm.  The authorities are looking all over the city for us but they will never succeed in their mission.
    Fugitive rock group, fugitive rock group.  The vengeful provincial magistrate will eternally seek the fugitive rock group.  The fugitive rock group.  The fugitive rock group.  Fugitive rock group.

"The Joker" TRANSLATED

    There are those who identify me as the Interstellar Gaucho.  Others identify me as the Amorous Racketeer.  Still others, in view of the fact that I address the magnificence of love, refer to me as Maurice.
    My dear, there are those who gossip about me and claim that I am unfaithful to you, unfaithful to you.  Well, fear not, my dear, fear not: for I am now in this place, in this place, in this place, in this place, i.e., our shared living space.
    I play stringed instruments, I smile, I am a partner in a sexual or romantic relationship, and I transgress religious codes of behavior.  I perform my musical compositions al fresco.  I am a humorous person, I enjoy cigarettes and, very late in the evening, I consume marijuana.  I am an avowed pacifist.
    In case you missed it the first time: I play stringed instruments, I smile, I am a partner in a sexual or romantic relationship, and I transgress religious codes of behavior.  I perform my musical compositions al fresco.  I am a humorous person, I enjoy cigarettes and, very late in the evening, I consume marijuana.  In addition, I perform sexual acts while in transit.
    Whoo.  Whoo.
    You are the most attractive person I have ever met.  I very much enjoy your stone fruits and would like to cause your tree to quiver.  Constantly affectionate, affectionate, affectionate, oh, my dear, I will ensure that you are highly entertained.