From the recording Light of Day
TK/Tom Prasada-Rao
–When TPR and I write we usually come up with something unlike anything either of us have written before. We had a lot of fun writing this as the verses kept coming and the spoken word part just fell out for us. This work tape for me really captures the good time we were having finishing it up. [That’s Tom playing the groovy guitar.]
Lyrics
It’s hard to be a whore for no money
A thief with no silver to steal
A player with nothing to wager
It’s hard to walk out on a deal
Well I’ve sold my poems for pennies
And sung in the subway for meals
I’ve painted the town for a pittance
It’s hard to walk out on a deal
If I’m true to myself is there anyone else
In this big stupid world who would care
And if I sold out cause I knew it would work
Would it sting, would it hurt, would I feel like a jerk?
If Shakespeare were alive today would he be writing for Ally McBeal? How about Picasso? If he were living might he be selling signed and numbered lithographs for the National Football League? And what about Mozart? Would he be scoring commercials for Coke and Toyota? Would Rodin be commissioned by Microsoft to sculpt a building-sized bust of Bill Gates? And would they each contribute their own design for a limited edition Mercedes or Lexus automobile? Would they have their own websites? Would they perhaps incorporate and sell futures in their work? I don’t know. What do you think?
If I could tap in to a fortune
What would temptation reveal?
When money’s laid out on the table
It’s hard to walk out on a deal
If I’m true to myself is there anyone else
In this big stupid world who would care
And if I sold out cause I knew it would work
Would it sting, would it hurt, would I feel like a jerk?
It’s tough to think straight when I’m hungry
And luxury has its appeal
And when I look up from the bottom
It’s hard to walk out on a deal
It’s hard to walk out on a deal
It’s hard to walk out on a deal
words & music: Tom Kimmel & Tom Prasada-Rao
©1999 Maverick Music Company / Drala Music / WB Music Corp. (ASCAP) / Simple Gift Music (BMI)