Story Behind The Song
A song from our "Still Upright" album covered by the incomparable Eric Holland, see http://ericholland.co/
Song Description
The lyrical intent/inspiration for the song Playboy is loosely based upon two inspirational sources:
1. the life of an aging Rock music executive called Bernie Salazar depicted in the 2011 Pulitzer Price winning novel by Jennifer Egan called "A Visit From the Goon Squad", described in Wikipedia as follows: "Most of the stories in A Visit from the Goon Squad concern Bennie Salazar, an aging rock music executive; his onetime assistant, Sasha; and their various friends and associates. The book follows a large cast of mostly self-destructive characters as they grow older and life sends them in directions they did not intend to go in. The stories shift back and forth in time, moving from the late sixties to the present and into the near future. Many of the stories take place in or around New York City, although some are set in California, Italy and Kenya.";
and,
2. the life of famous American record Producer Phil Spector (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Spector) who created the "wall of sound" effect in popular music in the 1960's, and more specifically his recent conviction on charges of murder of a female prostitute in his home. The song tells the story of greed, materialism and celebrity staring directly into the face of a suicide by gunshot in his presence - Spector's alleged account of what happened. It was through a combination of watching the 2013 made for TV movie called Phil Spector (see http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1745862/) combined with reading A Visit From the Goon Squad around the same time that the song concept came into my head. Although this was the inspiration, the song is not obviously about him or his experience but rather deals with larger sociological issues of American fame, greed, materialism and celebrity confronting darker realities of the human experience. It is intended to be a morality tale and to get the listener to think more deeply about spirituality.
| Song Length |
4:02 |
Genre |
Latin - Tango |
| Tempo |
Medium (111 - 130) |
Lead Vocal |
Male Vocal |
| Mood |
Disturbed |
Subject |
Existence, Suicide |
| Language |
English |
Era |
2000 and later |
Lyrics
PLAYBOY (Male Version)
© 2014 Transcontinental Musical Conspiracy
GOT A BRIGHT AND SHINY ROLLS ROYCE...GOT A HEALTH SPA IN MY CRIB
TASTY VIEWS ACROSS GREAT OCEANS, GETTING LAUGHS WHEN I ADLIB
I'M A RAPPER, I'M OUTSPOKEN, LIVIN' WAY PAST HAND TO MOUTH
I'M A ROCK STAR AND A POET, LOTS OF FANS FROM NORTH TO SOUTH
I'M THE DEVIL IN THE BEDROOM WHEN MY ANGELS GIVE IT UP
GOT A LOVER WHO'S TOO CRAZY WHEN I'M NOT NUTS ENOUGH
SHE'S AN ACTRESS AND A MODEL, AN EVERLASTING TEEN
I'M A PLAYBOY LOST IN HEAVEN WITH A MISFIT FOR A QUEEN
(CHORUS)
THE BULLET LEFT HER GUN WITH A FORCE SHE COULDN'T STOP
SHE FELL UPON THE FLOOR, SPEWING SPATTER FROM THE SHOT
JUST BARELY 29 WITH A PAIN TOO MUCH TO BEAR
I'M A SELF DELUDED PLAYBOY LIVING A NIGHTMARE
(Bridge)
I'M HANGING ON FOR DEAR LIFE AS THE MOON WRAPS ROUND THE SUN
A PLAYBOY THROWN FROM HEAVEN MY NIGHTMARE HAS BEGUN
(CHORUS)
THE BULLET LEFT HER GUN WITH A FORCE SHE COULDN'T STOP
SHE FELL UPON THE FLOOR, SPEWING SPATTER FROM THE SHOT
JUST BARELY 29 WITH A PAIN TOO MUCH TO BEAR
I'M A SELF DELUDED PLAYBOY LIVING A NIGHTMARE
(TAG)
I'M HANGING ON FOR DEAR LIFE AS THE MOON WRAPS ROUND THE SUN
A PLAYBOY THROWN FROM HEAVEN MY NIGHTMARE HAS BEGUN