SIGNED

You and your buddies, all weary and ragged,
playing wherever you can –
you can only do this another few years,
playing for losers who clap between beers
and touring in a junky old van.

The girlfriend wants you to quit,
stay at home, settle down, and just be a dad.
Either persist 'til you make it,
or your aging body can't take it
anymore, and you wish that you had.

Put that ideal of integrity
out of your mind –
you may have a vision,
but don't be blind:
you gotta get signed
if you don't wanna be left behind.

The Label Guys see this gang of you bands
as one big alternacrowd
to market to a new demographic,
and make a lotta bucks from the traffic,
'cause kids wanna turn it up loud.

Your friend's band's star is rapidly rising,
while yours is not even cruising.
Hitchin' your wagon to his star
would be like a jump-start from his car,
so you won't feel like you're really using.

Put that crap about integrity
out of your mind –
you may have a vision,
but don't be blind:
you gotta get signed
if you don't wanna be left behind.

Decades later, if you are remembered
among the alternalegion,
You'll be featured in some retrospective
film from historic perspective
about prominent bands from your region.

In your house that you bought with the money
you got from your one hit in heavy rotation,
the interviewer asks you to impart
your wisdom to bands before they start
touring all over the nation:

"Put the ideal of integrity
out of your mind –
you may have a vision,
but don't be blind:
you gotta get signed
if you don't wanna be left behind."

© 2013 Steve Fitch