The music accompanies the story of Strumbozo and Ahklem- a rock musician and an Afghani freedom fighter who cross America heading for Washington DC to change politics forever. They arrive just in time to embark on an outer space adventure.  A synopsis of their story is here. 
 

Tr1- Chapter 1: In the War Zone

Two pairs of songs in this album are musical palindromes. If the President says down can be up, then forwards can be backwards. That means play either song backwards and hear the structure of the other song forwards. But that's not the point. It means that for each pair of songs there will be a single organ track that plays forward in one song and backwards in the other. There will be two grungie chord guitar tracks in each song. One track is the song's guitar part recorded forwards. The other track is the other song's guitar part played backwards. Chapter 1: In the War Zone is Chapter 4: Red Shift backwards. Chapters 6 & 8 are the other pair, which are also heard (boogie section only) in Incidents 2 & 4 actually rolled backwards.

Narration by Ambassador Keyes.
 

Lyrics...

Hey Sailor!
Put on a happy face
'cuz we're gonna win us a war!

Our prayers have been heard
the balloons have gone up
Dash out from the trenches
it can't hurt that much
Real soon we'll have peace and then
we'll have Christmas at home

Like a beacon
these happy face notions
will guide the way

We'll help you put on
your happiest face
if it costs us both an arm and a leg
Receive a welcome rest 
on a hill that overlooks the Parade

Put on a happy face
The walls will come down
the roof will cave and let havoc in
Our lives will be done
and we'll try to run down streets of fire

We've stepped in it now
On this road of no return
Stand down from pen and plough
In the war zone we say let it burn
All the air goes dark with din
Voices call for heads to roll
As angels dance on pins

Cash to ash and trust to dust
and balls to walls

Did you see what it's all about?
say you looked
say you have no doubt
Strike the others from the list
Strike a match if they resist
Prepare to close the open door
if we want things like they were before

We've stepped in it now
We'll never scrape this off our shoes
Happy facedown in the mud
In the War Zone where the titans cruise
We'll fight teeth for tooth when
skeptics threaten a helpless truth
Must keep those angels dancing

Cast the doubters from the list
Cast a stone if they resist
Say the words and we'll forgive
Think these thoughts and you can live

Happy happy happy face
My face is so happy
My happy happy happy face
will keep me safe inside

 

Tr2- Incident #1: The Vapors

The Veep and his pal discuss right and wrong.

 

Tr3- Chapter 2: No Safe Place

The intro skit includes the sound of real PRK missiles taken from their newscast. A translation is provided. 

Lyrics...

There is a place that's warm and cozy
if that is your desire
Those who've seen the dangerous visions
will find it very dire
We find it tough to live there
among the safe and sound
the web has unraveled
and the Heavens have crashed down

Leaving no safe place
This is the story where
we get spaced

I've got no way, no path, no guide, no chase
no up nor down and no safe place

Buzz the bank and say I won't save face
I've stepped out of line in the credit race
Gotta get my shit together in case the missiles fall
Maybe get my sins forgiven
Just in case of a curtain call

This is no safe place
This is the party where we get faced

I've got no creed, no oath, no cause, no case
no mind to change and no safe place

This is the party where we
put on a happy face

No, I know a nomad man as
distinct from a known madman
I have no wish to rile
My fellow rank and file
Don't call me a deserter
I just need space to think
But I'm not holding ground
that is standing on the brink

No safe place this land is lost in space
Just in case, put on a happy face, happy face

 

Tr4- Incident#2: The Fog

The President cautions us about the present future, or is it the future present?.

 

Tr5- Chapter 3: Keep Still 

I was looking for a rubbery, pitch-bendy first half and a crunchier second half. I told myself to go ahead with the plan and don't worry about making something horrible. The arrangement is as planned in 1984. 

Lyrics... 

"People are not, under their own momentum, good people. Though they are quite capable of goodness with some firm shepherding from the community at large, or a single influential person. Once this magnetic alignment is established, the result is an orderly public pulled onto a Vector of Goodness. This common motion must be maintained without deviation. It is the current and the push that allows the Goodness in us all to have a good place to be good in."

This is the way we've gone forever
this is the span of our stride
until we reach the shiny city
this ugly road is our guide
move along

This is the path
this is the way
this is the speed
we travel at today
never deviate a single step
or skip a frame of mind
should anyone lose sight of us
they must be left behind
move along

We are in motion 
we did the deed
a dose of dread
and regret is what we need
to chafe the senses like an ugly melody
we sung into a bottle and cast into the sea
until we reach our point of view 
this the road
this is the way
move along now

"Our Good Place is only there when we move together and at the same pace on the Vector of Goodness. If you move a little bit faster, or a little slower, or turn to the left or right even a smidge, the Good Place will blur and vanish from view. As will you, blur and then vanish from the sight of others who stay focused on The Path and do things at The Pace. This is The Way. Move along now… nothing to see here."

Keep still ya little varmints
we can make this merciful and quick
the speedy bullet is kinder to you
than the old club and stick.
your simian kinetics means
the target is in motion
like the rest of us

This is the road to the shining city
this is the speed of enlightenment
our destination is our nation's destiny
that waits for us forever
this is the path
this is the way
this is the speed
we travel at today
it chafes the senses like an ugly melody
we sung into a bottle and cast into the sea
until the end comes into view
this the path
and the pace
move along now

We are stillness in motion 
you best keep still ya little varmints
like the rest of us

We take the path
we know what to do 
We call it simian kinetics
but it's a vanishing point of view

apes in motion
locked in limbo
always kept safe and sound

Keep the speedy bullet
locked and loaded
the target is in motion 


On to Book One part 2 or 
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