It Was LAST Month? (third entry)

Here we go with the third entry -- another song -- in our salute to National Poetry Month... which was last month. Sue me.

This was written for a friend named Robin -- a Scorpio, like myself -- who literally asked me to write a song for her. I said I would, on one minor condition: If she'd give me the title, I'd tailor it to the goings-on in her life.

She did so, and I ended up writing a so-called "advice song," the kind of song my friend Dave always said he hated, for some strange reason.

But it didn't matter if Dave liked "advice songs" or not. It wasn't written for him.

Robin loved it.

The first line of the song, "Never step on a scorpion," was from the title of a 1965 Spider-Man story written by Stan Lee, believe it or not!

* * * * *

Games (12/08/1978)

Never step on a scorpion, people.
No, never mess with its head.
If you're heartless, you'll wind up a'suffering,
If just careless, you'll "just" end up dead.
When a wound's deep, its healing takes longer,
And its bleeding alarms all your friends,
But there's method to all of this madness,
More like means justifying the ends.

CHORUS
It's a shame when you see friends with problems,
And you're buffeted 'round in their wake,
But first, look to yourself,
Rest your friends on the shelf,
And avoid all these games for your sake...
All those games that are making you quake.

Find a way to back off from surroundings.
Find a listener who also can talk.
Take advice only if it's worth something.
If a ride comes along... try to walk.
No one knows more than you what upsets you.
Only you have to deal with such stuff.
Don't find solace in false ways of dealing
Or the going gets rougher than rough.

CHORUS
It's a shame when you see friends with problems,
And you're buffeted 'round in their wake,
But first, look to yourself,
Rest your friends on the shelf,
And avoid all these games for your sake...
All those games that are making you quake.

REPEAT FIRST VERSE AND CHORUS

* * * * *

I couldn't resist a private joke -- in addition to the Spider-Man reference -- when I wrote "Games."

When I write a song, I often picture a certain celebrity singing it.

"Don't Let Me Love You on the Rebound" -- from my last post -- was written with Jerry Reed in mind. Another song, "The Life You Never Find" -- which I wrote years ago and recently included in a story called "Angelina" -- was composed "for" Barry Manilow.

The tune I attached to "Games" was tailored to Jimmy Buffett... hence my use of the word "buffeted" in the second line of the chorus.

Hey, what can I say? These little things keep me amused.

(Now let's wait to see if I just "cursed" Jimmy Buffett.)

Thanks for your time.