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Outstanding Statesman

from Rome by Matt Wixson

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about

Like I said before, the title of the EP is from this song, and is used to represent 21st century American society. Now, I’m notoriously unreligious, even anti-religious, but I still feel like there are morals and ethics that are inherent in human beings. I believe like we know right from wrong, regardless of the existence of god(s). And it’s from this belief that I came to write a song about how America is, in general, a selfish, greedy, over-indulgent shithole. And I don’t mean on the government level, I mean in the day-to-day lives of everyday people. Much like ancient Rome, we have achieved some technological wonders (aqueducts and the internet, for example). We’re also into mindless entertainment of the masses (colliseum and digital cable, for example)… specifically, we love men brutalizing one another (gladiators and UFC, for example). We, like the Roman elite, can afford to eat way beyond what we need (vomitoriums and epidemic obesity, for example). We are obsessed with physical pleasure (Roman orgies and EVERYTHING IN OUR CULTURE, for example). We still disregard animals as morally considerable (here’s the obligatory one animal rights lyric per album). We’re even trying to create (or trying to maintain?) a global empire. And all I’m saying is that, like Rome, we’re going to be a mere historical lesson somewhere down the line. I realize I sound like a religious fanatic, saying all these things are sinful or whatever, but I think it’s a shitty culture that values greed and gluttony over intellectualism and compassion. Oh yeah, so the lyric “Sit back citizen, joy the ride/times/wine” is actually meant to be “citizen enjoy” but I mashed the two words together to make it fit. I obviously could’ve just crammed another syllable in there, but once I come up with a quirky lyric, I have a hard time letting it go. The title of this song was originally going to be “Rome” but shortly after writing it, I ate some Chinese food. In my fortune cookie was a piece of paper that said simply “You are an outstanding statesman.” I considered it fate.

lyrics

I was born and raised in Rome
Aqueduct and Colliseum
Gonna eat a lot of food
Then I’ll spend the afternoon
Down at the vomitorium

And the world is fine
Cuz I get what’s mine
So just sit back citizen joy the ride
You know there’s never gonna be a decline

I was born and raised in Rome
Orgies and the gladiators
Slaughter animal or man
Conquer everything we can
We’ll be met as liberators

And the world is fine
Cuz I get what’s mine
So just sit back citizen joy the times
Never bother looking into the signs

Rumble rumble it never tumbles
Cuz this is no time for remaining humble
Yeah we stay hopeful, we’re not in trouble
If you think it’s gonna crumble, it won’t

I was born and raised in Rome
But I wish I was in Athens
My method would be Socratic
Over here I look eratic
Tell me everything that happens

And the world is fine
Cuz I get what’s mine
So just sit back citizen joy the wine
We’re striving for the obscolescence of mind

I was born and raised in Rome
Aqueduct and Colliseum
I got people in my home
Who were born and raised in Rome
And I don’t really wanna be ‘em

credits

from Rome, released January 20, 2009

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Open Hand Records Agawam, Massachusetts

Open Hand Records is a donation based music collective spanning across the united states and england. Good music, good people.

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