Funny
The travails of youth teach us the lessons that make us who we are. Dennis Bland’s tragedy made my life a comedy. And vice versa.
It’s fitting that this is the last Previous song on record. I started Mr. Jones & The Previous in the wake of The Boon because I wanted a band that didn’t have to end if any member left, but this is a song that would evaporate if I played it solo on my guitar, or with any other musicians.
My vocal performance is a dance with Johnny Nason’s guitar and Colin Mahoney’s drums. When these two Dartmouth boys joined the band for “Porch Music” we were pretty rootsy. At first I struggled with Johnny’s inclinations toward Phishy Garcia guitar noodling and Colin’s world beat rhythms, even as these qualities expanded the sonic scope of the band in ways I’m grateful for now. This is what bands do. They grow together, onstage and off. On this song, more than any others, I can’t hear where I stop and where the band begins. We are the song.
By the time we laid down the bulk of the record Marshall Thompson had already left the band with his pregnant girlfriend. I think he played his parts when we were mixing down at Earle Mankey’s place in Woodland Hills. Colin and Brian Schey would soon be joining Dan Bern’s band and moving to Lawrence, Kansas to build a studio. Johnny stayed in Olympia and we played for a couple more years together with him on bass and our friend Chad Austinson on drums but The Previous never really felt cohesive after that.
And what about Dennis Bland? There’s a part of him and a part of me that will always be fighting a losing battle with bullies in Olympia. Go on and laugh…
Lyrics
Funny
Well you laughed ’cause you thought it was funny
but it’s not funny
No it’s not funny
Well you laughed because you thought it was funny
but it was not
No no
Go on and laugh
Well, when you laugh you got no choice
You betray your real voice but
when your mask comes crashing down
then we’ll see who is the real clown
You laughed ’cause you thought it was funny
but it’s not funny
No it’s not funny
I mean you laughed ’cause you thought it was funny
but it was not
No no
Look who thinks he’s a comedian
Thinks he’s a goddamned comedian
You rush to the punch
and it sounds so dumb
You laughed cause you thought it was funny
but it’s not funny
No it’s not funny
I mean you can point your icky finger if you want to
but that don’t make it funny
No no
Go on and laugh
Go on and laugh
Go on and
Go on and have yourself a good laugh
Go on and laugh and laugh and laugh
Go on and
Go on and
Go on and…
Go on and laugh ’cause the jokes on you
You can keep laughing ’cause it’s still true
Laugh because ya got no choice
Yeah when you betray your real voice
Laugh because the joke’s on you
You laughed ’cause you thought it was funny
but it’s not funny
No it’s not funny
Aw, just because your mama and your papa
and all your little scenesters
are just laughing at you going
“Hoo hoo hoo”
“Ain’t he funny”
“Don’t you think he’s funny?”
“He sure is funny”
Well the fact is
The fact is if you think about it
Aw just think about it
Everybody you know could be wrong
and that’s why I’m telling you
’cause I’m your only friend
You’re not funny at all
Credits
Written by Andras Jones
Andras Jones – Lead Vocals & Electric Rhythm Guitar
John Nason – Lead Guitar & Vocals
Marshall Thompson – Keyboards & Vocals
Brian Schey – Bass Guitar
Colin Mahoney – Drums
Recorded at Stepping Stone in Seattle with Kevin Suggs
Additional tracking with Earle Mankey & Tom Weir in LA
Mixed at John & Stu’s in Seattle with Kevin Suggs
Purchase
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