Willie Simpson, Funeral Business


I first wrote this song when I was a senior in college in 2006.  I had it kicking around until this past Spring when I decided to revive it.  I brought in my friend and musical genius Ian Wehrle to help me flesh out the lyrics and the bridge, and then I brought in guitar genius Andrew Lee to lay down one of the most exciting guitar solos I’ve ever heard.  The image above is taken from some website I found long ago which shows you pictures of tombstones with your name on it.  I think this one was from England.  It was rediscovering this image, lost somewhere on my hard drive, that was also a motivating factor in me bringing this song to life, and I hope you enjoy it.  Remember to vote for me as CBS’s best local NYC Blogger by clicking here! 

 

Oh, here are the lyrics.

You gotta degree
and now you need a career.
You studied philosophy
so whats it gonna be?
Lets get in the funeral business
there’s money in your buddy’s bones,
or your brother or your mother
or any kind of sucker
don’t you know they’ll all need a home.
See the skeleton playin piano
with a rhythm and a grace untold .
His hollowed out eyes are no disguise,
he’s laughin right in your soul
your soul

I think I finally picked a career
I haven’t had any luck, but its a whole new year
read the lines on my palm, and just look in my heart
where your life ends, is where my life starts
YEA!
(solo)
Lets get in the conjurin business
just waitin on a tax free loan
i got an old curse from a crooked nurse
who i married by the sacred stones

A skeleton sang at the wedding
with a voice broken like a ghost.
He put a vestment on when the sun was gone,
you could tell he was the perfect host
The perfect host

I dig my shovel in the dark wet earth
to another fresh grave I’m a giving birth
I guess I’m just a man who spends his days in a morgue
His nights in a crypt with the gutted and gored
yeeaaaa
(repeat first verse)