[spoken]
During the Eighties, I had a band called Pleasure Cruise
I guess you could call us frat rock
Though we’d never gone to college
Though we did play in a college town
State College, Pee Ay, home of Penn State
I did the lead vocals, played lead guitar, and wrote all the songs
Okay, most of the songs
I did write one about an actual toxic waste site in the news
But the band hated that song
’Cause they thought the subject matter was a little too dark
They wanted me to tone down the lyrics
But I refused
I wanted to make the band more, I dunno, socially conscious?
To move beyond our party-hearty image?
As it turned out, the party-hearty side won
We never performed that song, either in concert or in the studio
Today I consider it, the song, a lost treasure
And as part of this subscribers-only podcast
You know, with the exclusive content?
Well, I’d like to perform this song live
The first time I’ve ever performed it for anyone
It’s called “Times Beach”
One two three four!
[Beach Boys-style, on acoustic guitar]
We got the sand
We got the sun
We got the radio right within reach
We got everything we need for fun
Right here on Times Beach
There’s a guy
He’s my best friend
He’s on his surfboard hangin’ ten
Right here on Times Beach
There’s a girl
She’s lookin’ fine
You know I’m gonna make her mine
Right here on Times Beach
Hey hey
It’s a great place
And that’s no lie
But steer clear
Of the toxic waste
Or you’ll get cancer and die
Cancer and die
Cancer and die!
Yeah, I know
Toxic waste blows
But where else you gonna go?
To the library?
…Yeah, I thought so
Times Beach
Gonna catch me a wave on
Times Beach
Gonna find me a babe on
Times Beach
Not gonna turn into a freak on
Times Beach
I already turned into one last week on
Times Beach
I grew a pelican’s beak on
Times Beach
But at least I don’t look like a geek on
Times Beach
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
[Repeat last two lines over and over as song fades out]
Original version: May 24, 1985
Extensively revised version (the one you see here): June 10-11, 2023, and June 20, 2023
DAVID V. MATTHEWS 