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I wrote this one about Reagan, years ago. As I've watched presidents come and go, only the technology and cultural references have changed.

lyrics

It's puppet's day with the press corps,
they've written a speech for the people.
They cover him with cosmetics
to make him look less evil.
They fill his eyes with cue cards
and pray he won't ignore them.
Advisers he can't fathom
surround and try to coach him.

He's been acting strangely
there has been some concern
there's talk he might be reworked
before he ends his term.

The teleprompter's humming
as puppet, he sits staring.
The faces of his cabinet
observe with vices glaring.
As anchormen announce him
the sleazy sitcom ceases.
He'll tell us pleasant untruths
and anything that pleases.

Alive he does his act now
pretending that he leads us
the strings that keep him moving
held by corporations that bleed us.

All is going well now
his speech is very clever
yet somewhere in his framework
a single nerve has severed.
In the corner of a dead eye
a drop of oil is dripping
and suddenly he's twitching,
he's contorted and he's slipping.

Then out of his mouth-hole
(full of rust and errant springs)
in a cracked and unused true voice
he speaks revealing things.
The plainclothes cops around him
hear the words and block the way.
They bind puppet and gag him
and drag puppet away.

credits

from Rage (Remastered 2022), released June 4, 2015

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about

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John Ludi Madison, Wisconsin

John Ludi is a musician/singer-songwriter with a wide array of influences and lyrical interests who was "Indie" before the term even existed. Working outside of the music industry by choice has given Ludi the ability to release songs of a level of lyrical depth that are anathema to the minds of the "suits". Ludi lives off-grid in a yurt in the woods of WI and will "fight the power" til he dies. ... more

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