Friends,
Tomorrow I will be publishing a substack for my paid subscribers. It will include a recording of a new song called Not This Pig. Here’s a little sample of the writing. If you’d like to be come a paid subscriber, the cost is $5 USD per month. That gets you everything I substack. Thanks. JP
I remember when you spoke with gravitas, with care and eloquence. It's so embarrassing to hear you now. Once an undiscovered star you're just another clown crammed in a tiny car. It's so embarrassing to see you now. How weird to think we once believed a rib might cleave and grow into you and me. Your pigeon lighted on my limb as I was grieving and read me poetry. All the best, old friend. You'll never lead this pig to market with a pen. It's so embarrassing to see you now. La, la, la-la, la-la, la La, la-la, la-la....
Words and music by Joe Pernice, Bony Gap Music (BMI). Admin by BUG/BMG.
For many of you reading the this, you’ll recognize the title of this song from the last breathtaking line of the poem Animals Are Passing From Our Lives by Philip Levine. I was on the fence about lifting the line from his poem for my title. The theft is not subtle. (I resist calling it ham-fisted.) So, I texted my old friend the fantastic poet and professor Matthew Zapruder and asked his advice. I think his reply was, “I don’t see any problem with that.” Still not convinced, I dug a bit deeper into the poem, and learned that its title was lifted from an Isak Dineson interview Levine had read. Well, hell, since we’re all stealing and nodding to our heroes, it was game-on.
I’m sure I wrote this song early in the pandemic. I’m not exactly sure why—and I know I’m not alone in saying this—but the isolation time the pandemic imposed on me turned out to be a very creative period. One of the most creative I’ve had in years. I wrote a lot of songs. I might investigate why that was at some point, but probably not. And at the time I was mostly grateful that I had something (besides my loved ones) that defanged my neuroses and kept me from spiralling beyond reach.
So, I don’t remember the exact day I wrote this, which is unusual.
Like most of my tunes, the progressions are pretty straightforward. Unlike most of my tunes, the verses and choruses start with the same chord. On the studio recording for the the upcoming Pernice Brothers album, the key is E. On the recording you hear today, the key is D. Why? Because today I picked up a guitar that I’d detuned a step. My tuner was upstairs, and today started off with so many minor annoyances (lost my keys down a crack into hell, lost a receipt I need, gate latch broke, parking meters and parking app were crashed, brought wrong headphones to work) that I dared not try negotiating a staircase. Fuck it. Key of D it is.
I won’t say much about the lyrics. They’re printed above, and I think the message is clear. I didn’t name names so that you may make this song your own and conjure the face(s) of your choice. My small gift to you.
Woof. That is a day. Sorry about the wackness.
Can't wait to hear it!