Miserable Failure - Week 3 - Art of Possibility Ch. 2

Welcome to the dark side... we have cookies.

The second practice in The Art of Possibility is "Stepping into a Universe of Possibility." It's a step, not a full immersion yet. But it begs the question, Step INTO this universe, from where?

Most of us live in a world of measurement; or as I call it, a world of competition. This is a world where we judge our own worth based on grades, assessments and comparisons to other people. This creates a feeling of scarcity, and a survival mentality. I CERTAINLY exist in this world, and most of my angst and negative feelings come from this. Recognizing this is a first step towards opening yourself up to more possibilities. Also, I've found that rejecting this measurement is very empowering.

The problem with writing a song about this chapter, is that I sort of already did, last week, when I wrote "It's All Invented." But I thought about the measurement world, and how it can lead to "downward spiral thinking." And I remembered how often exploring and expressing that negativity can purge it from your mind. (This actually works, because I've sung this song in some of my darker moments, and it really helped.)

So, I tried expressing what goes through my mind when I'm in panic mode. It's about as close as I'll ever get to writing rap lyrics. It also gets more and more extreme, paranoid, and rather silly. That's how it works. When I take it to it's logical conclusion, the result is so ridiculously out of touch with reality, I can see why I should opt for this other option. Good to get this out of me at the start of the project, don't you think?

The riff is one I've been toying around with for years. It started as a song called "Content with Mediocrity." That never panned out, so I kept it around until a good vehicle for it came around. It's in e minor, which means I'm basically grumbling, which is why the capo is up to a whopping 5th fret! This also brings the chorus to a good level for my voice.

Enjoy my pathetic desperation!

Miserable Failure - Music and Lyrics by Carl J Ferrara, (C) 2009
As the downward spiral begins, everyone's competing but nobody wins,
Half the world's doing better than me, and the other half's the half that I never see
And I PANIC! And I'm filled with dread, impending doom looming over my head,
From the left and the right it's fight or flight as I scramble for an answer that'll make it all right.
I'm a Miserable Failure, just like everybody said.
I'm a Miserable Failure, the tape keeps looping in my head.
See, I've got this delusion that I'm OK, I'm at the top of my game, and understand the way,
A good father, provider, and husband too, then a voice in my head screams, "That's not true!"
I'm walking on glass as I tiptoe around, one wrong step, I've let everyone down,
One misunderstanding can become a brawl, As a million people come to kick me when I fall.
I'm a Miserable Failure....

CHORUS
I don't measure up, I'm just not good enough!
If I don't succeed, then I'm dead.
This pathetic lie that keeps me terrified
Only exists in my head.

As the downward spiral continues, everybody ridiculing everything in you,
Why didn't you do that, What did you do? Why didn't you know that? What's wrong with you?
Everyone you love, Everyone you trust, makes it their mission to remind you you suck, 
From the minute you're born, and every minute since, They keep on berating you til you're convinced
I'm a Miserable Failure....
CHORUS

As the downward spiral abates, you're reminded again how no one is safe from
The Liberals, The Criminals, The Commies, or from Taxes, Terrorists, Thugs, or from another attack.
They're better than you, smarter than you, hotter than you, 
They're trying to take your daughter from you.
You try to keep it positive, but they just laugh, and make you forget just how much you have,
You're a Miserable Failure...
CHORUS