The Music Biz: Walk On Water

Thelonious Monster: Walk On Water [purchase]

Bob Forrest (pictured far right), lead singer and principal songwriter for Thelonious Monster ... and one of the patron saints of The Adios Lounge ... wrote this one over 20 years ago and I'd say it's as relevant now as it was then. Songs about the evil machinations of the music industry are legion, but rarely are the artists themselves held accountable. This is why Bob was one of the best songwriters (and most engaging frontmen) at Thelonious Monster's artistic peak, roughly 1986-93.

"Walk On Water" ... produced by Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers ... isn't just a song about a guy being wooed by the music biz. This is a song about a guy WANTING to be wooed by the music biz. He wants to believe he's as good as the suits, the groupies, and the music press say he is, that he's the next John Doe or Paul Westerberg. The irony is that at Thelonious Monster's best, they were every bit as good as X and The Replacements. Unfortunately, between the band's drug dependency, a constantly rotating cast of members, and Bob's legendary career sabotage, the Monster ended up as a footnote in rock history. Too bad, but then again, that's why blogs were invented, right?

Well, they keep telling me
Yeah, they keep telling me
That I could walk on the water
That I could walk on the water.

Buy me one drink after another
They buy me one drink after another
Tell me I could walk on water
On water, on water
Walk on the water, baby
Well, I could walk on water.

Well, they keep telling me
And I'm starting to believe
That I could walk on water
Well, I could walk on water.

Ahhh, what an asshole
What an asshole
What an asshole I must be think I could walk on water
Think I could walk on water
Take a walk ...

Walk on the water
Well, I can walk on the water
Me and John Doe and Paul Westerberg
Walking on the water
Walking on the water
On the water, on the water, baby
I can walk on water
Well, I can walk on water
Yeah, I can walk on water.