Well you know, it`s been a long winter
Hearts & minds all covered in snow
Some got hot, but some turned colder
Some stayed home, while others turned foes
Some got young as some got older
Some went up while others came down
Livin` on the edge of desire
Some went crazy for all we might know
There`s a long hair on my pillow
How it got there, I don`t know
Livin` on the edge of desire
Hidin` wounds that are startin` to show–
Some came slow, but some came runnin`
Some lived dreams while others stayed home
Some gave up & some got bitter
Some got free while others got ‘owned’
Some got light though some got heavy
Some killed love they thought they might gain
Livin` on the edge of desire
Various persons goin` stark ravin` sane
There`s a long hair on my pillow
How it got there, I don`t know
Livin` on the edge of desire
Hidin` wounds that are startin` to show–
Some got reborn & some got smothered
Some of us here don`t remember our names
Some went down to check out the river
All of us here got caught in the flames
Some got cut & some got wounded
Some got burned while others got maimed
Livin` on the edge of desire
Certain people have died in this game
There`s a long hair on my pillow
How it got there, I don`t know
Livin` on the edge of desire
Hidin` wounds that are startin` to show–
…………………………………………………………
Phil Ochs–“So good to be alive when the eulogies are read”. This song lyric about relationships process covers and illustrates the ironies, ambiguities, contrasts, juxtapositions, and paradoxes . To some extent, ‘you had to be there’ circa 1990 when this wrote itself as a rock (or country-rock) song. I have performed it a number of times live, most memorably at Cafe la Gare in Edmonton with my Fudge band cohort Ken Klause.
(some musical notes: I first sang in operettas at my high school, including a lead role in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Trial by Jury. I played coffee houses, churches, community clubs, and on campus as a solo folk singer-guitarist in addition to folk groups during my university years. One gig was as the first act in front of a thousand people at the Voyageur Festival in Winnipeg. In the Grand Centre-Cold Lake area in the early ’70s, I was in a folk duo as well as a country-rock group, in which I was leader, lead singer and rhythm guitarist. We played a 100 gigs easily in three memorable years and 4-5 thousand people. From 1975 to 2003, I formed several teacher bands which played for several thousand more people in various high school functions. In addition, I have written about 30 songs which have been praised by the likes of Glen Campbell’s manager, the Guess Who’s producer Jack Richardson, and Rita McNeil!)
(one of my bands: Betty Plus Four, Cold Lake, AB, 1975)