In case anyone did not have a chance to read the post from yesterday, yes, I do understand that the above title says Lyricist #97. #97, as I am sure everyone can remember was Don McLean, but due to a radical list change-around I am promoting McLean (and his corresponding post) to #92. This post below will cover #97.
Harmonica, Mouth Harp, didgeridoo, drums, 12-string guitar, 6-string guitar, resonator lapsteel and Weissonborn lapsteel, Baritone tricone resonator guitar, Acoustic/amplified open back banjo, Nylon string acoustic guitar, Ukelele. There are several instruments on this list. What the heck is a Bariton Tricone mumbo-jumbo guitar? I prefer my six string acoustic variety (with whatever strings I tie on). So, what do the instruments on this loaded list of crazy rock combinations have in common. They all can actually be linked to the Australian-American musician who can play them all (rather well may I add). His name is John Butler and his skill with musical instruments (while amazing in its own right) is not what we will be discussing today. It simply was acting as a smoke screen to misguide you readers down the wrong musical track. Hahaha (make believe that was an evil laugh). Okay, I will just get to why we are reading this thing, John Butler’s lyrics.
John Butler began his young music career as a busker (street musician) in Fremantle, Western Australia. This added fuel to the lyrical fire, for while street performing Butler was able to get a glimpse of the main subject of any good lyric, people. How people walk, talk, and get seemingly addicted to anything and everything. This prompted the first lyrics that we will be discussing today from his 2007 hit “Used to Get High,” off of Grand National.
” I used to get high for a living
Believing everything that i saw on my tv
I used to get high for a living
Eating all the bullsh*t food that they sold me
I used to get high for a living
Thinking that my destiny was out of my control
I used to get high for a living
There’s lots of different reasons and i’ll tell you so
Super size, large fries, big mac, coca cola
Go on man, pick your poison
Speed, weed, ecstacy, LSD
Man, it don’t bother me cos we’re all on something
Caffeine, cigarettes, alcohol
You know i’m clawing at the walls trying to get my fix
Prozac, ADD tablets, coke, smack
Now you know i am turning tricks cos”
The lyric is deceptively clever. It does not try to hard and remains rather fun (Butler practically raps the catchy verse). The reasoning behind my pick of Butler can be best described by this lyric above. Truthful and down to Earth observations hidden 
underneath his exciting musicianship. The first lyrics of the verse demonstrate this.
Super size, large fries, big mac, coca cola
Go on man, pick your poison
Speed, weed, ecstacy, LSD
Man, it don’t bother me cos we’re all on something
He portrays addiction in two lights. What is worse, being addicting to fast food or drugs, or is it all the same in the end. Yes, they do vary greatly in their effect but man, it don’t bother me cos’ we’re all on something.
When Hurricane Katrina struck Louisiana and Mississippi in 2005 the United States Government was criticized for managing the relief and rescue operation poorly and, in many cases, completely neglecting those who were dying of starvation and thirst. John Butler, after seeing the response to the destruction scripted “Gov’ Did Nothin’, which also appeared on Grand National. Here are some lyrics.
“Way on down where they’ve been forgotten
city just sinking with the whole world watching
wading waist deep in water, living on my roof in the land of forgotten
hey, to the deaf giant with the big muscles why ya moving so slow
con, conquer and dividing, hole in the bucket got nothing to show”
Not a tough lyric to unravel now that you know what it is about. It is pretty clear that the city that is sinking and being forgotten about is New Orleans. I enjoy how Butler refers to the United States as a deaf giant with big muscles that do not move. It is clever and that is what Butler does best. Clever, catchy, inspired lyrics. Enjoy the videos of the songs posted below
“Used to Get High”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yI0_w9aV8G0&feature=PlayList&p=1C6403914C47406B&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=12
“Gov Did Nothin”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNs7QcLaCeE
The Music Court 
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