So along with being in a band "Back in the daze", drugs kind of went hand in hand with most of us hippie type musicians at least here in LA LA Land..( Though Zappa WAS NOT A FAN of drugs) I was a major Marahoochie connoisseur and had access to "The Kind" before it it was "The Kine" ...TAE sticks fresh off the boat from Vietnam vets..some of my high school buds were the first Nor Cal "Humboldt"mass producers of killer Bud...Beaver brand
I was a pipe smoker but I lived the smoke two joints mentality / lifestyle...Most often pretty much from when I got going in the morning to when I closed my eyes at night I was staying high most of the time...Built up a very strong tolerance and could function in life quite well as such...wasn't much of a drinker...but I did drink on occasion...Though I dabbled with speed a smidge for a breif period "cross tops" a rack of 10 in foil for $1..I was not into pills, LSD or the like..Totally was OK with naturals like Peyote and Shrooms...but they're not the kinda thing you get hooked on or do every day like Pot
I digress......
So
Unlike myself, a few of my band mates, our semi so called manager and most of the hang arounds
Did like pills, LSD and yes even the evil Cocaine...
I watched all of them do their thing kind of like watching a train wreck in slow motion...
I worried about them..but they knew what they were doing right? ( not so much) OY
So one day while banging away on the old upright a song was dropped into my lap that came to be a pretty good song for the band..It was about how sneaky and debilitating cocaine addiction can be...with several devious metaphors running through it... Mind you I had not ever done a single line of coke prior to writing this song..it was all just observation... As crazy as it sounds....I actually did step right into that stinky dog shit world for a year or so of my life just a few years later...Thank God ( seriously I thank God) that he shined the light for me to get out of that twisted wicked world. Like getting a reprieve from the governor...
Understand I was not the main lyricist nor the lead singer but on this one it was 100% all mine..every part for all instruments mine...and I sang the song...The leader was not real thrilled that it was getting a good response nor did he like the message. We did perform live a few times once at a really big concert at the local college and it got a great reaction there. Some chicks came up to me after the gig wanting to meet me and tell me they really like my voice...cool! Sadly the band took a left turn with that bad ass guitarist leaving...we had to re-configure the whole show and "stop the train" somehow got shelved...
Dang...and it was never recorded..
So the wife who pretty much see's me and my addiction to playing n singin kind of as "the other woman" in our marriage out of the blue tells me I should produce Stop the train and try and "get it out there" because it still is relevant today... Hmmm? weird but I decided to pull it out of the cobwebs and brush it off.....
I owe this thread a recording of "Those were the days my friend"......and to your poor ears and eyes I hereby promise I will do a disgusting live version for ya's and post it here as soon as it cools off a bit...WTF 108 here in Covina today...
In the mean time here's those prolific lyrics I wrote a mere 44 years ago as a 23 year old local rock star...and maybe...just maybe I'll double down and post a horrific live recording of it too!
Stop the Train
Stop the train at the station
Got to get off , now's the time
Then you give me invitation
I can't say no it's the same old line
You know she's not good for you
In fact she's probably very very bad
But the lady's got her hooks in your heart
She's driving you mad
Got to get off
But I just can't find the time to get off
Cause I'm having too much fun while I'm on
Someone help to get off this crazy train I'm riding
Stop the train at the station
Got to get off now's the time
Then you give me invitation
Can't say no it's the same old line
You're penniless and destitute
Psychologically you're broke
But you're hooked all the same
It ain't no joke
Stop the train
Stop the train
Stop the train
STOP!