Song Lyrics

Keep it Simple

album: Camel Rock (1995), track 7 of 13
author: Chuck Pyle
publisher: Bee 'n' Flower Music BMI

Well I woke up this other morning
To this meeting in my head
My ego had formed a terrorist group
And I knew what lie ahead
There'd be death threats on my confidence
And extortions of my heart
And I'd have to remain in control
So as not to fall apart

So I called my new-age girlfriend up
She'd self-helped herself for years
And asked her how to overcome
All my unrest and inner fears
She said force'd drive it deeper
I needed to love my fear away
She sounded so together though
I was kind of ashamed of being afraid

So I called my local talk show
radio therapist of the air
She told me to write myself little love notes
and paste 'em up everywhere
She said it was not good to be ashamed
That I should get therapy or maybe meditate
And right then I realized I felt guilty
That I was ashamed of being afraid
   She said thank you for sharin'
   And put me on hold
   But not before I could tell her
   To quit calling me Sharon
   I got right off the line, 'cause of course
   I knew she was tracing the call
So I said, "I know I'm in there."
And I walked over to the mirror to see
"If I don't come out with my hands up,"
I said,"I'm coming in after me."
I know my inner child's enraged
But all my outer man can say
Is that I'm angry that I feel guilty
That I'm ashamed of being afraid
   Right about then my committee kicked in
   And there I was on the streets of Boulder, Colorado,
   The Cosmic center of the known self-help universe,
   With thought waiting
   Not being totally present
   A guy could get busted here for that, you know
   I ran home, turned off the phone
   And changed the machine
   "Hi, this is Chuck, and your call means a lot to me!
   And if I should return while I'm gone
   Please detain me until I get back."
So I called this twelve-step
cowboy friend of mine
I thought might maybe know
Why I was so crazed these days
Like this psycho-desperado
He took me to his support group
And I shared about my rage
They said everyone's addicted to anger
It's the rage this day and age
   I said "You mean I'm addicted
   To being angry for feeling guilty
   That I'm ashamed of being afraid?"
   He said "Yeah!" and he started to walk away
   As he left I think he said "God be with you"
   But I'm kinda hard of hearing
   He might have said "God, you're pitiful"
   And I said "Hey, what about 'Keep it Simple'"?
   He said, "Easy does it."
   I said "Hey, what about 'Let go and let God'?"
   He said "One day at a time"
   So God grant me the serenity to accept the things
   That just might take awhile to change