“When Rock Was Young”

It was the Roll that made the Rock.

Kids could go and do something
Besides watch crusty VFW guys
Bowl and belch and adjust their
Hearing aides then paw spouses.

Having a dance party in the yard

Was cool-cat status, not wearing
A&F or texting imaginary friends
While droning on about the sallow
Emptiness of discarded Starbuck cups.

Before student protesters were

Murdered by Army men or people
Got trampled to death trying to
See The Who and culture gods
Began to self-terminate-Rock Ruled.

Rock and Roll will never die, ShaNaNa.

Ageing voices and strings and flash
Serve as instruments of ego torture for
Great reduced to grey, don’t fade away.
Johnny B. Goode tonight OK?

Old Rockers that can’t play or sing

Have one respite and it’s a doozy.
When the phat kat hoppity hippers
Go AARP old Dre and Suge and
Cube and T won’t have tha’ surge.

Go back to the drive-in days

When the vehicles came from
America and the music came
From a happy place free from
Guilt, remorse, or cutter’s purge.