Library Rock's Backpages

John D. Loudermilk

Gene Guerrero, The Great Speckled Bird, 20 October 1969

The brother runs the camera, and the sister gives the cues/
The uncle is the producer, and the old man writes the news/
This family named Jones
That comes into our homes.
And tells us what to wear, and where.
And tells us what to drive, and why.
And tells us what to smoke, and vote.
And tells us what to drink, and think.
To think we listen, and try to be like them.
On late night shows they take scholars, and with a sarcastic grin/
They ask him to explain his philosophy before the sponsor breaks in/ (chorus)

The in-laws run the paper, and print whatever they please/
And Pap don't believe in politics, he just knows what the masses need/ (chorus)

They're hip and they're slick and they're flashy, sophisticated and they're cool/
To them the clerk and the worker are just rednecks and clods and fools/ (chorus)

Total word count of piece: 2392

Subscribe

Becoming a member is easy. Membership gives you access to all the thousands of articles in the library.

Click here to go to Subscribe page.

Click here for academic and other group subscriptions.