FAWM: "Menagerie (Cabaret Theme)"

Menagerie (Cabaret Theme)

3 weeks ago by @abudabard12514

Skirmish: Behold! (@jlampson)

Menagerie (Cabaret Theme)

abudabard12514

00:00

Liner Notes

Every week I host an open mic at a Game Store in Berkly MI called Gate Keeper Games. We call the show the GateKeeper Cabaret and it boasts an endless parade of wacky characters. I try to cultivate a safe space for creators to make and perform their art, speak out about issues that they feel strongly about, and gas themselves up to take action in this world of ours.

Every show is also a fundraiser for the PCRF (Palestinian Children's Relief Fund) https://www.pcrf.net/ We've been raising thousands of dollars in protest of the genocide, and encourage you to donate as well.

I had a lot of damn fun singing this song. It'll be cleaner in the future, for now its hair remains uncombed

Lyrics

Menagerie (Cabaret Theme)
c2/1/2025 Abud Music

Come be part of the menagerie!
It’s really quite a spectacle to be together.
Aren’t you glad you took a couple minutes to let go!?
Let go! Let go! Let go! Let go!

‘Cause Everybody’s Free Here!
Everybody’s Free Here!
Everybody’s Free Here!
Everybody’s Free Here!

Seems like everything is rushing forward.
Life’s a giant race to be the most productive.
Hey! There’s gotta be a better way,
Come and listen to the lovers at the cabaret! Hey!

Say revolutionary things and
Give yourself the space to make a new tomorrow
I think, and I think and I think and I think and i think and I’m
Tired of thinking too much and I wanna be open to trying a different way
And I’m ready to hear something somebody new has to say!
Hey!
Change!
Hey!
Safe!
Hey!
Everybody’s welcome at the cabaret
And I’m really glad I took a couple minutes to let go!
Let go! Let go! Let go! Let go!

‘Cause Everybody’s Free Here!
Everybody’s Free Here!
Everybody’s Free Here!
Everybody’s Free Here!

So let go and let go and let go
Of the face you really think you need to show
You’re fine and you’re safe and you’re free
There ain’t no special way you need to be

So bring that love and beauty that you are
Be a snowflake, be a flower, be a star!
Be organized be anarchy be rest
Be the ruthless wind of change we need to liberate the west!

So Let it go! Let it go! Let it go! Let it go!

‘Cause Everybody’s Free Here!
Everybody’s Free Here!
Everybody’s Free Here!
Everybody’s Free Here!
Everybody’s welcome at the cabaret
The gate’s always open at the cabaret!

Comments

@rbachman 1w

New SHIT!!

@philnorman 2w

The stylistic jumps are an open mic night in one song. The songwriting craft in me wants you to focus on some of the sections more than others, but that's entirely missing the point of this song, isn't it? Hair? Uncombed it is!

I was just having a conversation about the feeling of not doing "enough" and balancing that with the idea rest as resistance. Your line about productivity and especially "Be organized be anarchy be rest /
Be the ruthless wind of change we need to liberate the west!" really stood out because of that timely conversation. It feels like a lot of this political moment is spilling out of a lot of us this FAWM, and I love it.

Thank you for movement work that you choose to do by hosting the open mic. What a wonderful way to celebrate our collective creative spirits, and bring people together when we need community more than ever.

@jeremykazoo 3w

Good open mics can define and embolden a good arts community. This brought to mind my favourite Monday night haunt that I've always wanted to write a song about. Perhaps I'll go tomorrow and be inspired to follow your lead.

This is a track I'd love to hear with its "hair combed". So much potential.

@tseaver 3w

Fun write! The shift in feel between tiptoe to out-loud is super.

@greenglacier 3w

I can hear this playing as a party enters the local tavern!

@sarahdevalliere 3w

So much good stuff here. LOVE the section starting at “seems like everything is rushing forward” ending with “and I’m ready to hear what somebody new has to say”. It sort of reminds me of Tenacious D… crossed with Tom Waits or something. Really fun and I could see people shouting along to some of these lyrics. So good!

@oaksnprairie 3w

The first few controlled lines could be part of the musical Cabaret but then the song opens up into full flowing Abudabardiness.

@cmharwood89 3w

Love the sense of barely-contained sonic chaos in the delivery - the jumps from muted picking to wide-open strumming, the start-stop, rapid-fire delivery of the verses. It sounds like a great space you've cultivated, and I give you a double thumbs-up on the PCRF mention. Some friends recently started a PCRF chapter in Iowa, and a couple of our city's biggest venues hosted benefit shows that raised something like $20k for the PCRF. Awesome to see the ways people raise funds/awareness.

@andrea 3w

Sounds like a wonderful safe haven of acceptance. Love the energy in your performance. Good stuff!

@sienamoves 3w

This song is so delicious contagious. I am on the wavy gravy train of the Abud energy ! I feel so free listening to this!

@youraveragejoe 3w

Wow, I really enjoyed your performance and energy on this! What a unique sound, and your story and setting is really special. Nice variations in your playing and singing, great!