Name: The Decline And Fall Of Practically Everybody
Duration: P00H06M32S
Description: This song was inspired by the book by the same title by Will Cuppy. It is a history book that was meant to be funny and entertaining, but when Davis read it she pointed out that all the stories in it are about genocide, which led to the writing of this song.

The Decline And Fall Of Practically Everybody

from Civilization by Civilization

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about

This song was inspired by the book by the same title by Will Cuppy. It is a history book that was meant to be funny and entertaining, but when Davis read it she pointed out that all the stories in it are about genocide, which led to the writing of this song.

lyrics

Hauling stones for Khufu
Under the Egyptian sun
So he can live forever
And keep the peasants busy
Onions, radishes, and garlic
Castor oil for our skin
We build a shrine for future thieves
To sell off to the Rosicrucians

We lived and died in 3050 BC
The sun sails across the sky in a boat
Every month a pig eats the moon
You know the king’s name but you don’t know ours.

The “greatest man the human race produced”
Graduated from his lessons in Ethics
And began a campaign of extermination
Spreading culture to the survivors
Proclaimed the brotherhood of man
With an army and a sword in hand
Died at 32 of ennui
His empire fell apart instantly

We lived and died in 330 BC
F.A. Wright didn’t tell our story
The pretty boss of a massive crime wave
In his wake they built a cool library.

From barbarian Europe
There did emerge a king
Who created French culture
With German discipline
54 holy wars
Unity, morals, and order
Baptized the heathen Saxons
And pocketed their treasure

We lived and died in 800 AD
Negotiating tricky loyalties
Put our finger up to measure the wind
Hope we picked the right god so we can live again…

What is a king for?
What is his purpose?
What are his duties?
How did he get this job?
Who does this history serve?
Who blows the whistle when he goes too far?
What is the meaning of good and evil?
What questions should we keep to ourselves?

This is the story of borders and walls
The global sweep of history
A long epic of slapstick murders
All the vaudeville power and glory

Who cracked the code of cultivation?
Who catalogued all the herbs and mushrooms?
Who invented the written word?
Who built and played the first trumpet?
Kings, warriors, and thugs
Get their names in the schoolbooks
Raise a glass for the unsung
Who invented civilization.

credits

from Civilization, released September 24, 2023
(J Neo Marvin-Davis Jones-Leslie Medford)

Leslie Medford: Trumpets, shakers
J Neo Marvin: Lead vocals, instruments, and programming

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about

Civilization San Francisco, California

Civilization is a musical environment where Ear Candle Productions opens its doors to various friends and neighbors to create new songs that delve into language, philosophy, existentialism, and the meaning of civilization itself. The music is eclectic with unexpected twists and turns, and promotes goodwill and paradox. ... more

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