Oh my, could this be the end of the MPulitzers? It is a dark day in

MP-land. This week the awards go to:

Britney and Elvis C.

Two of the least esteemed winners ever, though IMO Elvis is deserving -- I

voted for him. Mine and only 3 others was enough to take the vote in MP #

12. At least Britney got 6 votes in MP #11. And about the six votes,

please everyone submit proof of age to me at once lest you lose your voting

rights. You must be 18 to vote for MP's. Surely Britney couldn't have won

without some 7th graders voting.

Soon we will restore all glory to the MP's with an Old School edition or

two. Look forward to that.

# 12 #

[7/12/04]

**Watching The Detectives by Elvis Costello

The Logical Song by Supertramp

Tangled Up In Blue by Bob Dylan

Solsbury Hill by PETER GABRIEL

Empty Spaces / What Shall We Do Now by Pink Floyd

Voila! MP #12 This is high quality stuff.

Note how similar the last line in Solsbury Hill is

to Carole King's Tapestry. *And* it doesn't make

any sense either, though I admit it seems like it

would be easier to figure out than Tapestry.

Will Peter G take home an MPulitzer?

I personally am a sucker for Reggae by Elvis when

you have a line like, 'Red Dogs Under Illegal Legs'

Now *that* I understand.

So who's your winner? To vote now, click [here].

Winners for MP 11 & 12 to follow soon.

Watching The Detectives by Elvis Costello

=================================================

Nice girls not one with a defect,

cellophane shrink-wrapped, so correct.

Red dogs under illegal legs.

She looks so good that he gets down and begs.

She is watching the detectives.

"ooh, he's so cute!"

She is watching the detectives

when they shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot.

They beat him up until the teardrops start,

but he can't be wounded 'cause he's got no heart.

Long shot of that jumping sign,

Invisible shivers running down my spine.

Cut the baby taking off her clothes.

Close-up of the sign that says,"We never close"

You snatch a tune, you match a cigarette,

She pulls the eyes out with a face like a magnet.

I don't know how much more of this I can take.

She's filing her nails while they're dragging the lake.

She is watching the detectives

when they shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot.

They beat him up until the teardrops start,

but he can't be wounded 'cause he's got no heart.

You think you're alone until you realize you're in it.

Now fear is here to stay. Love is here for a visit.

They call it instant justice when it's past the legal limit.

Someone's scratching at the window. I wonder who is it?

The detectives come to check if you belong to the parents

who are ready to hear the worst about their daughter's disappearance.

Though it nearly took a miracle to get you to stay,

it only took my little fingers to blow you away.

Just like watching the detectives.

Don't get cute!"

It's just like watching the detectives.

I get so angry when the teardrops start,

but he can't be wounded 'cause he's got no heart.

Watching the detectives.

It's just like watching the detectives

The Logical Song by Supertramp

=========================================================

When I was young, it seemed that life was so wonderful,

a miracle, oh it was beautiful, magical.

And all the birds in the trees, well they'd be singing so happily,

joyfully, playfully watching me.

But then they send me away to teach me how to be sensible,

logical, responsible, practical.

And they showed me a world where I could be so dependable,

clinical, intellectual, cynical.

There are times when all the world's asleep,

the questions run too deep

for such a simple man.

Won't you please, please tell me what we've learned

I know it sounds absurd

but please tell me who I am.

Now watch what you say or they'll be calling you a radical,

liberal, fanatical, criminal.

Won't you sign up your name, we'd like to feel you're

acceptable, respectable, presentable, a vegetable!

At night, when all the world's asleep,

the questions run so deep

for such a simple man.

Won't you please, please tell me what we've learned

I know it sounds absurd

but please tell me who I am.

Tangled Up In Blue by Bob Dylan

=============================================================

Early one morning the sun was shining; I was laying in bed

Wondering if she'd changed at all, if her hair was still red

Her folks, they said our lives together sure was gonna be rough

They never did like Mama's homemade dress, Papa's bankbook wasn't big enough

Me, I'm standing on the side of the road, rain falling on my shoes

I'm heading out to the old east coast, lord knows I've paid some dues

Getting through; tangled up in blue

She was married when we first met, soon to be divorced

I helped her out of a jam, I guess, but I used a little too much force

We drove that car as far as we could, abandoned it out west

Split up on a sad dark night, both agreeing it was best

She turned around to look at me as I was walking away

And I heard her say over my shoulder, we'll meet again some day

On the avenue, tangled up in blue

I was living in the great North Woods, working as a cook for a spell

But I never did like it all that much, and one day the axe just fell

So I drifted down to New Orleans, where I happened to be employed

Yeah I was working for a while on a fishing boat, right outside of Delacroix

And all the while I was alone, the past was close behind

I've seen a lot of women, but she never escaped my mind

And I just grew tangled up in blue

She was working at a topless bar, and I stopped in for a beer

I just kept looking at the side of her face in the spotlight so clear

Now, later on the crowd thinned out, and I was just about to do the same

She's standing there in that back of my chair, she said, don't I know your name?

Well I muttered something underneath my breath, she studied the lines on my face

I must admit I felt a little uneasy when she bent down to tie the laces

Of my shoes; we were tangled up in blue. I know, I know, I know....

She lit a burner on the stove and offered me a pipe

I thought you'd never say hello, she said, you look like the silent type

And then she opened up a book of poems and handed it to me

Written by an Italian poet from the thirteenth century

Every one of those words rang true and glowed like burning coal

Pouring off of every page like it was written in my soul

From me to you; tangled up in blue

I lived with them on Montague Street

In a basement down the stairs, yeah

There was music in the cafes at night

And revolution in the air

That's when he started into dealing with slaves

And something inside of her died, just died

She had to sell everything she owned

And she froze up inside

And finally, when the bottom feel out, I became withdrawn

The only thing I knew how to do was to keep on keeping on

Like a bird that flew

Tangled up in blue

Now I'm heading back again, I got to get to her somehow

And all the people that I used to know, they're an illusion to me now

Some are mathematicians, some are carpenters' wives

I don't know how it all got started, I dunno what they're doing with their lives

But me, I'm still on the road, headed for another joint

We always did feel the same, we just saw it from a different point

Of view, tangled up in blue. I know, I know, I know....

Solsbury Hill by PETER GABRIEL

====================================

Climbing up on Solsbury Hill

I could see the city light

Wind was blowing, time stood still

Eagle flew out of the night

He was something to observe

Came in close, I heard a voice

Standing stretching every nerve

Had to listen had no choice

I did not believe the information

(I) just had to trust imagination

My heart going boom boom boom

"Son," he said "Grab your things,

I've come to take you home."

To keepin' silence I resigned

My friends would think I was a nut

Turning water into wine

Open doors would soon be shut

So I went from day to day

Tho' my life was in a rut

"Till I thought of what I'd say

Which connection I should cut

I was feeling part of the scenery

I walked right out of the machinery

My heart going boom boom boom

"Hey" he said "Grab your things

I've come to take you home."

(Back home.)

When illusion spin her net

I'm never where I want to be

And liberty she pirouette

When I think that I am free

Watched by empty silhouettes

Who close their eyes but still can see

No on taught them etiquette

I will show another me

Today I don't need a replacement

I'll tell them what the smile on my face meant

My heart going boom boom boom

"Hey" I said "You can keep my things,

they've come to take me home."

Empty Spaces / What Shall We Do Now by Pink Floyd

=================================================

What shall we use to fill the empty

Spaces where we used to talk?

How shall I fill the final places?

How shall I complete the wall?

What shall we do to fill the empty spaces

Where waves of hunger roar?

Shall we set out across the sea of faces

In search of more and more applause?

Shall we buy a new guitar?

Shall we drive a more powerful car?

Shall we work straight through the night?

Shall we get into fights?

Leave the lights on?

Drop bombs?

Do tours of the east?

contract diseases?

Bury bones?

Break up homes?

Send flowers by phone?

Take to drink?

Go to shrinks?

Give up meat?

Rarely sleep?

Keep people as pets?

Train dogs?

Race rats?

Fill the attic with cash?

Bury treasure?

Store up leisure?

But never relax at all

With our backs to the wall.