Be a Good Sport

Wabi-Sabi

Dear Beautiful Fauxs,

Today I am adding a song to the “Mixed Up Files” album that I made up on the spot and recorded on my phone on February 23, 2016.

Before Dumb Donald, before Covid— just a happy winter afternoon and a silly song popped into my brain and I captured it.

It’s called “Be a Good Sport.”

You can listen to it here:

I wasn’t planning on adding this song today.

I had a longer bit planned around a different song, but my daughter ended up staying home sick from school yesterday and thwarted every effort of mine to sit down and write a longer piece.

As bedtime approached last night, I realized I was going to have to pick a different song to add.

I pulled up “Be a Good Sport” in Adobe Audition to edit a bit and add meta data for release.

I think of this song as a fun song, though there is mention of a broken heart.

And sort of like on “Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom” when they would just go the zoo and watch chimpanzees ride mini-bikes and Marlin Perkins would say:

“Today’s episode is all about fun!!”

I offer this song.

My daughter walked past the computer where I was editing the bright, colorful wave forms on the screen.

She grabbed the headphones to listen to the song.

“Da-ad¹, you can’t put this song out!"

“Why?” I asked.

“It doesn’t sound right! You’ve got all these good songs that you’re not releasing, and this one you’re putting out there?!”

Japanese characters for Wabi-Sabi.

“Sometimes there is beauty in things that aren’t perfect, or something to appreciate even if it’s a little broken.” I said.

“Nope!” she said.

“In Japanese there’s a word for that called wabi-sabi.”

“Wasabi?”

“No, wabi-sabi. It’s kind of central to the Faux Jean aesthetic of late.”

“Nope.”

So as you listen to today’s song, know that there is a 9-year-old out there who opposed its release with vigor, as I remain your humble servant,

OX&C,

Faux Jean

Here are the lyrics:

I ain't gonna to like you
cause you got a long board
I ain't gonna like you
cause your haircut's short
I'm only going to like you
if you're a good sport

if you're a good sport
well that means you wont cry
when I break your heart
well well yer a good sport
if you're a good sport
you'll get on that board and you will ride

I seen ya hangin'
around my school
I thought you seemed
pretty cool
not with your big board
just seemed like a good sport

you smiled all the time
you chuckled too
you were pulling faces
in the Red Room
and now I know
you ain't a good sport

gotta be a good sport
which means ya don't cry
when I break your heart
you wont cry
just get on your board
and you will ride
you'll get on your board
and you will ride

I thought this garbage can was beautiful. Just sayin’.

1. Two syllable pronunciation on this one