Skip to main content

Song: Elvis Has Left The Building




it was a hot august night on dorinda's couch in allentown
there was a ring around the moon
the man on the tv said "elvis has left the building,
there'll never be another like him soon."

must be a record of his here somewhere
so we can pay tribute to the vegas king
must be an album of his but i can't find it
i guess i never really liked the way he'd sing

but listen,

chuck berry rocked me fats supplied the rolls
from new york to detroit memphis to muscle shoals
make it hot authentic make it black and real
i like the parts that the king could never steal

if all he were known for were those stupid movies
he'd rank right up there with good old sal mineo
but he brought feeling to the music
when he brought conviction to the theft of soul

but listen,

chuck berry rocked me james brown supplied the soul
from new york to detroit, memphis to muscle shoals
make it hot authentic make it rock and real
i like the parts that the king could never steal

it was a hot august night on dorinda's couch in allentown, new jersey
there was a ring around the moon
the man on the tv said "elvis has left the building,
there'll never be another like him soon."

chuck berry rocked me little richard supplied the rolls
from new york to detroit, memphis to muscle shoals
make it hot authentic make it freaking real
i like the parts that the king could never steal

(c) douglas brent smith

Comments

More...

Deep Thinker Thinking

  Deep Thinker Thinking, drawing by douglas Brent smith, December 2001, from Journal #35, Mission Control, Volume Two, 2001 - 2002. Drawing helps me think. Thinking, sometimes, draws me to draw. It amazes me how few adults draw at all. Somewhere along the line in childhood they just stopped.  We should all draw more and more often. Pencil, pen, crayon, whatever you've got. Instead of scrolling tonight, spend that time drawing a picture. Instead of wasting your time and feeling bad about it you've have a picture you can feel good about. It doesn't have to be great, it just has to be yours.

Density

  Density by Douglas Brent Smith

Lighter Than Air

  Lighter Than Air - acrylic painting by Douglas Brent Smith, November 1976. Notes: I don't have every painting I've ever painted. Some years ago I purged many of them. I like this one, though, and have it hanging in my apartment. It's whimsical. It's a painting in a painting. It has a top hat. It has balance, a candle, even a drop of blood.  What else could you want in a painting?

Creating on Illusion

  Creating on Illusion - collage by Douglas Brent Smith Where's the illusion? What sleight of hand do we focus on? I think that I made this collage in 1989. That was so long ago and yet, in terms of illusions, not long at all. What do you think?

Back Inner Cover

  Back Inner Cover of Journal #33, Life In Progress, by Douglas Brent Smith, A collage that's not exactly a typical collage. It's what I often do with the back inner covers of my journals -- simply randomly put stickers, stamps, name tags, and other sticky objects. 

Gears of Joy

  Gears of Joy, collage by Douglas Brent Smith This is page 305 of Journal #33, Life in Progress. 

Note to Self 20230423

If you keep working your craft you will be amazed at how much you've learned and how much more there is yet to learn. -- doug smith  

Better Platforms Coming

  When was the last time that you drew anything? Do you remember how joyful it can be? Let go of any goal in drawing and the drawing will claim you, name you, frame you. I had no idea where this drawing was going. Does that make it a doodle? Does it matter. Draw something. Show someone. Save it. Smile. You do not have to, of course. No one can compel you. But, what if it's fun?  Better Platforms Coming - sketch by douglas brent smith, 1996

Bottle Rocket

 "Is that what I think it is?" (she slams the oven door and grabs the bottle rocket out of the boys hand. She throws it toward the window but it bounces off the screen and lands amid the other fireworks.) "Is that cherry pie?" (she opens the oven and grabs the pie. It's hot and she nearly drops it but manages to set it on the floor.) "Yes. That was a close one." (a chain reaction of fire work sparklers light up the kitchen. Small popping sounds and Gilles. She grabs the boys hand and leads him in a gallop out of the kitchen. They both narrowly miss stepping in the pie on the way out. As soon as they are gone the whole kitchen explodes.) "Shhhhh." (She returns with a fire extinguisher and gets the exploding fireworks out. It's a mess. She picks up the miraculously in tact pie and carries it out. Wisps of smoke float gently around the kitchen. Pause.) "Delicious." -- douglas brent smith - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  Context: ...

How Fast Are You Going?

  i follow the speed limit in my car but emotionally it's usually all going too fast getting where I'm heading just on time. How Fast Are You Going? collage by Douglas Brent Smith, 1997, from Journal #32, Secret Change Agent.