ryan mintz - let me be your monkey

songology

“Beneath my surface, a song is rising” - Indigo Girls

Here, I have posted the lyrics to every song I’ve ever written (60+ and counting!)

Enjoy!

2005 Songs

1.	A Pretty Good Year	A Pretty Good Year © 2005 Ryan Mintz VERSE 1: What can I say to you on this day I haven’t said before? What good are all the words when the feeling matters more? We’ve seen this day for so long now, slowly growing near And as I’m looking back now, I’d say… It’s been a pretty good year CHORUS: A pretty good ye-eee-eee-ear A pretty good ye-eee-ear VERSE 2: It’s 3:51am on 3/25 plus 365 Not knowing what I should do for you, I left it for tonight And though my words aren’t glamorous, I hope message is clear The time since I met you, love, I’d say has been… a pretty good year REPEAT CHORUS BRIDGE: And when I say “pretty good” I really mean “really good” In that poetic sort of “good” And even when it’s not good We work to make it all good And that’s how I know you’re good for me… for good VERSE 3: I can’t wait til tomorrow When we’re in the “now + here” The chaos and craziness over The day that starts… another good year REPEAT CHORUS Another good year Another good year REPEAT CHORUS A pretty good year A pretty good year Lyrics
2.	The Fag & Dyke Song	The Fag & Dyke Song © 2005 Ryan Mintz VERSE 1: We heard it in the schoolyard We heard it in the gym We heard it when you laughed at her We heard it when you teased him We heard it 10 years later when we struggled with your lies For you those words are gone now, (but for us) the echo never dies CHORUS: We’re takin’ back ‘fag’ We’re takin’ back ‘dyke’ We reclaim these words as part of our fight We’re not afraid to redefine your dirty ugly words Cuz when we use them with PRIDE Your words no longer hurt VERSE 2: We hear it on the talk show We hear it on the street We hear it at the restaurant when waiting for a seat We hear it from the windows as a car goes screaming by We hear it muttered under breaths, I don’t understand why (If you want to say it, just SCREAM it…) REPEAT CHORUS BRIDGE: There’s countless slurs and slanders for race and age and sex We try so hard to fight each one, but another comes up next So I say let’s embrace them like our very own pet name “Hello fine fag!” – “Hey, darlin’ dyke!” We beat them at their game! REPEAT CHORUS VERSE 3: So say it at the workplace Say it on TV Say it to my grandma as we’re sitting down to tea Use it in a love letter Or as my nickname too But if you’re gonna use it… I’m gonna use it too! Lyrics
3.	Box of Bitterness	Box of Bitterness © 2005 Ryan Mintz VERSE 1: I have a box Hidden up on the top shelf Inside is you And that certificate from city hall CHORUS: I don’t want to throw away this box Even though I try to trash the memories in my mind But you know, sometimes I like some sadness That’s when I look inside this box of bitterness VERSE 2: I remember when we went to brunch And we came back… married We didn’t mean to It seemed a good idea at the time VERSE 3: Cuz when we walked by city hall The crowd cheered each newlywed couple that came out the door We got choked up Hey… it’s the 16th, so why not? PRE-CHORUS 1: So we got in line to wait all afternoon We’ll have our papers soon REPEAT CHORUS BRIDGE: Sometime around midnight, we got back from brunch With matches from the restaurant and a Polaroid of your mom drunk, Last-minute Hallmark cards, a hand-picked daisy, That pamphlet from City Hall on “How to Start Making Babies” I started printing emails, cuz word had traveled fast While you framed our certificate… so it would last PRE-CHORUS 2: The sky was light when you said, “Let’s get to bed” And here’s a box for this stuff of newlyweds REPEAT CHORUS VERSE 4: 6 months later I drove south for a week When I got back, you and your stuff were all gone The note said “You can have what’s left… I just can’t do the monogamy thing” PRE-CHORUS 3: As I looked around, my heart began to ache There’s one thing you didn’t take… REPEAT CHORUS (2x) Lyrics

This is a year of wide variety in style. A Pretty Good Year is an anniversary song. The Fag & Dyke Song is a country song (yes, country) urging people to embrace those taboo words, so they aren’t seen as hurtful anymore. And Box of Bitterness is a story song, where I took on the “character” of a friend, and wrote his story of getting married and dumped in the same year. It’s the one song that made Anna Maria cry when I played all 50 songs for her one afternoon to help select tracks for the debut album! As twisted as it may sound, I love it when my songs make people cry.

“Please be careful with me

I'm sensitive and I'd like to stay that way” - Jewel

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songology