Barking Eternally

from 6+5+2 by vonHummer

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I remember "Barking Eternally" being horribly popular, and it was often demanded at live shows. It's a very hard song to play well live in a solo arrangement. Sounds great on this record, though, in a three piece, plus choir.

Ideally, I would have had Queen doing the chorus background part, but it didn't seem realistic at the time. Instead, I opted to try and recreate the sound of the choir in the Presbyterian church of my childhood.

It was common as dirt in the 80s to have a black gospel choir singing on your record, but who ever dared have an all-white suburban choir...?

I'm not at all sure what this song was supposed to be about. Contrariness? A declaration of independence in service of orneriness? No matter. Once again, I managed to shoehorn some pretty big words in there! I'm especially proud of the pun at the end, involving the Hilltop Singer's only hit. Or is it a play on words?

lyrics

"Barking Eternally"
[vonHummer]

Join the swelling chorus of the jealous dogs, barking eternally up the wrong tree…

Not me, I’ve never been East of the Chesapeake Bay,
Not me, I’ve never been West of L.A.,

I’ve never been anywhere unexpectedly, Stuck on free will, like a porcupine stuck on his quill,

Join the swelling chorus of the jealous dogs, barking eternally up the wrong tree…

I’m gonna sit right down and write myself a book of universal laws, a book about effect and cause, ‘cos it’s mutable,

I’m gonna sit right down and write myself a march about the March of Bone, and call it “She’s a Grand Old Clone,” After all, anyone can be inscrutable…

And me, I’ve always been hammer unto the nail,
And me, I leave myself just enough time to fail,

I’ve never been anyone who’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony, I leave it to euphonies,*

Join the swelling chorus of the jealous dogs, barking eternally up the wrong tree…Not me.

credits

from 6+5+2, released April 16, 2002
Produced by Clark Kent for Therisno Records.
vonHummer: drum guitar and other percussion, bass drone, high guitar drone

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about

vonHummer Portland, Oregon

vonHummer is a Portland music/cable access legend whose career spanned from Fall of 2001 to Fall of 2011, during which he recorded a hundred or so songs for use in his absurdist show (and feature film) and played only a handful of concerts. Currently retired, his work shines on for the ages. Or will he someday return...? ... more

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