(c) 2016 by Joseph Panno and Lewis D'Aubin
Published by Lab Rock Music
Released 5-6-16 on The Fump
Time ticks away with such wretched finiteness
What are you worth? Well apart from your life it's
About thirty bucks of atomic debris
But your worth would increase if you're useful to me
We live in a country whose leaders are vetted
By contests in which popularity's peddled
The process and practice called democracy
Must like all things be crushed scientifically
Vote for me
Vote for me
Yes a vote for Milo T. Pinkerton
Is indeed a vote for me
Vote for Milo T. Pinkerton
For he is the one you deserve
Yes it's true and correct if it's him you elect
Then he shall be the one you shall serve
announcement: "Pinkerton's Science Party Platform calls for the deportation of all extraterrestrials and time travelers from this planet! A planet which I vow to forever unite by uploading MY thoughts into the minds of every world leader. So, countrymen, lend me your hearts and brains. (Especially your brains; it's not like you've been using them!)
Now here is a secret that I'll let you in on
Your vote isn't actually what I demand
I need your obedient minds joining with me
To conquer the world I need more than two hands
That's right, I admit it; your lives have a reason
An army of followers acting as one
So pull on that lever this election season
You'll have neither regrets nor thought when I'm done
Vote for me
Vote for me
Yes a vote for Milo T. Pinkerton
Is indeed a vote for me
Vote for Milo T. Pinkerton
Cause it's slightly better than being dead
You tried 'Faith' and 'Hope'... did they help you? Nope!
So now cast your vote for Dread.
This song went through a lot of changes and even several sets of lyrics before it was ready! Recycling some of the riffs from the 'Tenacious D' contest song a few years back, Joe Panno had the basic structure of the piece down by February 2016, and as usual I had to screw everything up by writing lyrics that inverted the verse and the chorus - hey, I had gotten away with that on 'Think Tank' (At the time it was called 'It Was I', with lyrics taking credit for all kinds of dastardly things.) The band rejected this approach outright, and for good reason!
So back to the drawing board I went. With things heating up for an especially screwy election year, I decided that after 16 years it was time to mine that rich vein of stupidity yet again, and started rewriting the lyrics. This proved to be the ticket, as the words erupted into place rather spontaneously. The vocal was pretty easy too (I went into 'Bruce Dickenson' mode for this one, and vocally that's a pretty comfortable place to be.)
As usual, we took several sessions to get the guitars just right. Joe used his ESP guitar into his Engl amp, which had recently taken up residence in the Secret Lab. The amp was miked as usual with a Shure 57 up close and a condenser mic farther back. The bass was dubbed on in the pretty standard way (back to direct recording on this one). Billy, already caught up in work to the point of not being able to attend regular rehearsals, mailed me the synth and sample tracks (the 'Hey!' sample was his contribution.) By demand I polished it off with electric kazoo and at the very last minute, I put down the comedy intro between Pinkerton and a hapless roadie whom I guess represents myself.
Credits
Lead vocals......Lewis D'Aubin
Drums............drumbot
Guitars..........Joseph Panno
Bass.............Jim Fairchild
Synths...........Billy Riecke
Electric kazoo...Lewis D'Aubin
Backing vocals...Lewis D'Aubin, Joseph Panno, Billy Riecke, and Judith McGee-Panno
Recorded and mixed March 2016 at C.O.G. Secret Lab, Harahan LA