Marionette Soldier
This is a set of lyrics which I wrote to portray the "typical" person: unable to think and act for themselves.
Marionette Soldier
When your strings break just call it over
Lying on stage, acting sober
Wishing to find a four leaf clover
Dying life of a Marionette Soldier
Get up and go, go go go go go
The Holy Bible your only armor
In the breast pocket of your supporter
Seeming so easy to be a news reporter
No time to think as a Marionette Soldier
Just get up and go, go go go go go
Go------________---------_________
Go------________ and find your way home
Riding in a camo stroller
Being pushed by the high roller
Played your hand and forced to fold her
Losing your name Marionette Soldier
Just get up and go, go go go go go
Hey there kid, come on closer
Are you lost? Where is your mother?
Forget about you, to me a roamer
Brainwashed mind of a Marionette Soldier
Just get up and go, go go go go go
Go------________---------_________
Go------________ and find your way home
It’s what is dealt, you’re made a fighter
Attempts to get shot just dig you in farther
These strings attached stick like a mortar
Dreadful fate of a Marionette Soldier
Just get up and go, go go go go go
All it takes is one revolver
But my hands are tied to a controller
Can’t break free, will only grow older
Every day a Marionette Soldier
Just get up and go, go go go go go
Go------________---------_________
Go------________ and find your way home
Comments
So what kind of music would you set these lyrics to? The repetition of the word Go always reminds me of Early Rock/Rockabilly but the lyrics are touch more biting, maybe some West Coast Punk pre-Hardcore, so Dead Kennedys or X. I did like that the line early on about broken strings in a musical context makes use of double meanings. What words did you elide in those blanks? 4.75/5
Posted by: r. | March 29, 2009 7:28 PM
You hit the music pretty dead on - it's more punk, but I there is a hint of Rockabilly in the "go go go go go" phrase. It is being vocalized to match the downward strums of the guitar, bass, and the snare-tom-kick build up (5 accented eigth notes) - immediately followed by a stop and a quick guitar slide to continue the song. The song is also very upbeat and full of quick strumming to fulfill the intensity behind the lyrics.
I'm proud of these lyrics, especially with the double meaning lines, sometimes having the two two confict with each other. The line "Get up and go, go go go go go" was intended to be contrasting in meaning:
1) The "marionette soldier" yelling at himself to leave, escape, run away and find home.
2) The ruler or "sergeant" of the "marionette soldier" yelling at him to push harder and do what he's supposed to be doing (which can be a direct reference to war and the higher ranking officer commanding the private not to think, but to just do. Or it could be a generic reference to any official, whether it be a boss, parent, etc. telling someone what to do.)
The dashes are probably pretty confusing, but they simply are trying to show that the word "go" is being held and varies in pitch over a certain amount of time. It's merely a reference for myself as well as to help others see that there is more to the chorus than just a quick 1.5 line phrase.
Posted by: David Kerber | March 30, 2009 4:23 AM