The United Dictators Of Mars - SONG

Ghostman

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(re-worded)

Music: Harris/Mody, Words: Mody

Awaken and shaken, awaiting to be taken. Locked outside my funeral door oldman won't let me break-in. It's no mistake at every wake I've seen that black suit stare. The Ghostman's been there every time for those I love and care. He's gawking or stalking either way he's just not talking. I know it's complicated man, I just start walking. He seems to me a crazy man but where I turn he's there. Of ties that bind me in this life he is aware.

He shades me like a turban, we drift along the sand. Chanting and panting he lets me know I really am... In a new reality (boy).

I'm channeled and handled and left without a doubt. My family line ain't doing time they're waiting on the mount. The Bossman is a dancin' with Roses at his side. "Sonamagun" the holy one's got the devil towing the line. I'm packing, backtracking, my course is unrelenting. I know it's complicated man, there's no forgetting. That smell of Sunday morning, the bread is baking thin. Still locked outside my funeral door oldman I'm busting in.

I'm tangled in the grape vines. Don't hold me for my sins. Ghostman take my hand I know the walls are paper thin... Of my new reality (boy).

Pounding to the rhythm, hearts that beat as one, Blood lines pumping strong. I've known since I began. I've reached the promised land.

Ghostman is a fun story. Jeff had written the main guitar riff in 1997 on a keyboard and I finished the music from there. The song was called "What's Your Reality" and we played it out often with "End on reality". We knew this was a must for this project. Jeff had forgotten his lyrics but came close in his rewrite. We recorded them and then he wanted some crazy middle eastern chanting but he just couldn't nail it. I'm half Lebanese so he decided to have me try it. He freaked when I did it and insisted the lyrics needed to be scrapped and that I should reword a theme around that chant, potentially about Afghan refuges. That theme didn't work for me, I wanted to write something more personal. Then it hit me! At my grandmothers funeral in 1996 this old man showed up- totally old country, short with spooky ethnic beady eyes and a 40 year old black suit. He scared my sister and I would run up to her and whisper " look out it's the Ghostman". As I though about it, what if this guy shows up at all the Lebanese funerals. So in the song that's the case. I'm dead and I'm freakin because this guy is there so I bolt (in spirit) but he follows me. He shows me my family in heaven. My grandfather was called Boss hence "The Bossman is a dancin" line. That's also his voice from an old tape sampled in the middle and at the end. My Grandmother was Rose so the line continues "...with roses at his side". He always would yell "sonamagum" or "sonama-66" instead of Son-of-a-bitch. so there's that meaning. In the end I realize what I'm all about and need to get back to my funeral so I can pass to heaven. The "New Reality" line was at first rather bland but as I told Jeff, leave it with me and I'll do something. After a quick run through the sampler it's now my favorite segment of the whole project.

If I never lost and forgot the lyrics, I would never have had the fortune of telling this story of Tom's in a song. What a great story. Tom has an interesting family. God love 'em. You can carry a conversation with any member of his family not knowing where it will lead but you will always be entertained. I could talk with his parents for hours. It is my opinion that the diversity of Tom's family translates over to this song giving it life; giving it diversity. Diversity is cool. I wish I had the opportunity to know Tom's Lebanese grandparents. I think I met his grandmother but never really got to know her (my loss). Sitting at the dinner table with them had to be a treat. Tom's maternal grandfather Charlie was a card. Not only was he cool, he had a great sense of humor. He was hilarious. From the audio takes I've heard of his paternal grandfather, it must have been difficult to be serious while around him. I wonder what those two were like when they got together. Tom will have to update me. I'll bet they were the most popular guys in the surrounding areas. I know I haven't written much about the song, but perhaps the song wouldn't have as much meaning without knowing a little bit about the family. If I could have had anybody in the studio at the precise moment that Tom chanted perfectly on a whim, they would have probably pissed themselves as I almost did. I made him keep it. It was perfect. One take. As it turns out, I wrote the original riff for the music and Tom wrote the lyrics. I really dig this song. Of course, this song prompted "Goatman". We had fun with that also.

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