Misfortunes

One main version:

* (1981) - Chemical Playschool 2 (2:36)

A simple song with few instruments, but all skillfully played. As usual I'm amazed that some of these songs never appeared on later releases.

Unavailable elsewhere.

Instruments: Well-played organ chords; keyboard bassline; keyboard melody; two vocal tracks.

What It's About:

A sociopath -- who confesses that he doesn't understand feelings of misfortune or tragedy -- has sent Blitz-like rocket bombs anonymously throughout the city, simply to enjoy the power of "playing God." He imagines the final minutes of his victims, most of whom do nothing useful with their lives except buy and consume worthless goods. He supposes that at least they'll die happy.

Lyrics (adapted from the Cloud-Zero archive):

Funny, we laugh at our misfortunes.
Tragedy, I don't know much about.
Older folks, they've all been through it.
I suppose they know how it feels.

I wonder if they're feeling it now.
They've seen those clouds before.
As I sit here in my room...alone.

And I'm playing God with your lives.
Don't you care
that you won't even know who sent those bombs
through the air?

And perhaps you'll write a love note.
Desperation
in those precious last four minutes...
but she's not there.

She's not there.

Always looking out with sweet contentment.
And the answer's been inside us all along.
What's worse is when you know it,
and it seems there's nothing you can do,

except smoke and drink and consume
all the latest records, exotic lady's perfume.
It's a stink, little lady fair, a stink.

We're all gonna sink together...
but happy.

Why You Should Care:

One of many LPD songs in which the protagonists have a limited amount of time to live before an apocalypse.

The words "little lady fair" also appear in "You 'n' Me / Waiting for the Call."