Firing cannons in the desert heat
What a way to spend your summer, oh yeah
Firing cannons in the desert heat
What a way to spend your summer, oh yeah
But Shabbat on the base, darling
There’s no bigger bummer, oh yeah
When the segel plays the Boss, man
I have to strain hard to hear the sound
When the segel plays the Boss, man
I have to strain hard to hear the sound
But we’ll listen to the music all we can, baby
When that vacation comes around
Writing blues songs on guard duty is not beseder, oh no
Writing blues songs on guard duty is not beseder, oh no
But I gotta write it all down now ‘cause I’ll forget them later, oh no
They play that ZZ all the time, but I just can’t hear that sound
They play that ZZ all the time, but I just can’t hear that sound
But we’ll boogie to those three boys from Texas
Soon as that vacation comes around
I’m standing by the highway trying to hitch a ride
I’m standing by the highway trying to hitch a ride
I’m trying real hard to get home now
Please, people, don’t just pass me by
I’m one half of Heshy and Isser, man
But I never get a chance to make a sound
I said I’m one half of Heshy and Isser, man
But I never get a chance to make a sound
But we’ll blow that big beautiful world in half, mister
Soon as that release date comes around
©2023 The Hesh Inc.
This is one of the dozen or so songs I wrote during basic training, to vent my frustration and to keep myself sane. I can even remember where I was when I wrote it ... on guard duty around the perimeter behind my platoon's tents that surrounded the base's quad, early on a Friday morning, while anticipating being let off base for a weekend's leave in a few hours (I was). Few things are as maddening as being "chosen" to stay behind for the weekend, whether as punishment or just because manpower needs require the drawing of what is popularly called the "number of death" from a hat in order to choose who gets to stay on base.
The Springsteen and ZZ Top name checks come from the times I would pace back and forth on guard duty late at night while the officers and NCOs blasted said acts' songs from the stereo in the staff club. It was like the "real world" was right there, but just out of reach. In the last verse, I yell out to the world that my musical partner and I are waiting for the day when we both finish our respective stints and get to make some noise again.
I mention ZZ Top, but musically speaking, I was thinking more in terms of a Captain Beefheart riff ("Sho' 'Nuff n'Yes I Do"). I never recorded this song, but if I ever get around to recording my army songs, this is sure to be on the track list.
Beseder=in order, in shape. Segel=staff, consisting of officers and NCOs.
Shabbat=lit. “Sabbath,” i.e. the weekend, when a soldier would normally have leave.
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