Sex and Work – Careers in Science track #6

[In the coming weeks, before The Longwalls release "Careers in Science" TOMORROW, we will be posting short notes on the concepts behind each song on the record. For the most part, we each had very clear ideas in mind before beginning to write. Each song has a little story to tell, and we'll do our best to explain them each leading up to the release.]

Track 6, Sex and Work, was written by Dan.. Take it away Dan!

I was reading Star Island by Carl Hiaasen - a crime novel/ social commentary/ satire about a Britney-type singer who can’t sing and lives in Miami – it got me thinking about Madonna and Lady Gaga but mostly I was playing guitar – strumming the beat – the 1 the 2 major the 4 – used many times in rock songs – uplifting church chords really – staring at my bookcase.

My wife used to edit books for a lesbian erotic press in Pittsburgh – we’ve got Dyke Strippers – Switch Hitters – a bunch of Susie Bright stuff – and there was a book called Sex, Work : Writings By Women In the Sex Industry – next to a book called Madonnarama – Sex – Work it’s all the same to me – Madonna, La Gaga it’s all the same to me – the lyrics have since changed but that’s all it takes to have a song sometimes.

Keep playing and rhyming to figure out what it means as I go along – I like the idea of the sex worker – or porn star – or pop star – so strung out on there job that it’s all the same to me – the American dilemma – too much sex except where you need it – there’s a window to this world that tempers everything we see – sure the tv – the flash player – quicktime – nothing groundbreaking but it worked and felt true to the song – skins vs skirts replaced the Madonna Gaga rhyme – quick lyric bursts – harmonies – major chords then the minor 6′th – power pop – Cheap Trick singing about Kiss records and their mom and dad.

The evolution won’t be on tv – the internet and new paradigms don’t ring as true as they once did – it’s still entertainment – turns out the revolution was tweeted since then but Stephen Sodenburgh making a movie with Sasha Grey doesn’t strike as me an important social phenomenon – more like Milli Vanilli winning a Grammy – there was a moment when an institution told the absolute truth about itself by vote – democracy that made Ben Franklin smile.

I’m a mirror to the world – I always loved the last lines of Kundun – something like I think i’m a reflection like the moon on the water – when you see me and I try to be a good man you see yourself. I gave the pop star her due – don’t blame me if you don’t like what you see.

I had a lot of fun writing and singing this song – loved Alan’s whistling – Brandon’s harmonies and harmony guitars – Kurt’s cow bell.

Get the real thing tomorrow!!

For now, my original demo (and lyrics) below…

Oh my duodenum!! Or as Alan says ‘Owww!’

Lyrics

Sex Work – it’s all the same to me
Skins vs skirts – it’s all the same to me
There’s a window to the world that tempers everything you see
Sex and Work – it’s all the same to me

Text flirt – it’s all the same to me
Wet t-shirt – there ain’t no shame to me
There’s a window to this world the evolution won’t be on tv (not any time soon)
Sex and Work it’s all the same to me

I’m a mirror to this world
Don’t blame me if you don’t like what you see
Sex and Work – it’s all the same to me

Dan London – Sex and Work (DEMO ’10)

–Dan