Theatrical Muse; 383, What is your opinion on capital punishment?
"What is your opinion on capital punishment?"
Now, why would I have an opinion on a subject like that?
I’m a singer, a dancer, the star of the show.
I bring in the fun and I dance and I go.
The truth that you sing Is the truth that you see.
Deciding the blame? That ain’t no job for me.
I may bring the music and set loose the truth
But I just hear the songs, I don’t ask them for proof,
It may be they’ll warble that their life’s just swell,
Or sing to their love that they’re under her spell.
I may add the tune, but they know what they mean,
I’m only the one that’s there setting the scene.
The melodies give the confessions a nudge
But when the smoke’s blowing, I wasn’t the judge.
If you’re seeking the fault, then it’s usually the same,
You look for the one who was laying the blame.
That’s usually the way when the numbers turn hot.
Way back in the past someone blame-laid a lot.
And the …
Hey, wait a minute. You people have trials and formal executions and all that, don’t you? Yeah, you must do; it’s been in every society so far - wasn’t it in the laws given to Noah after the floods went down? I wasn’t around for that one and I don’t know anyone who was, but I think I got that right.
Capital punishment works in some places, sometimes - but if you’re asking me, I’ve seen witch-trials. They used to tie the suspects hand and foot and throw them in water. If they drowned they were innocent; those could be buried in consecrated ground. If they floated they were guilty, and they got burned alive. (It takes a lot longer done your way, too.) There’s been trial by ordeal, trial by combat - that used to mean the accused hired the best champion they could afford to fight on their behalf - hey, haven’t you people gone back to that, now? Whatever, it almost always comes out that the ones with the most money can get away with almost anything. (What gets me is, now some places have got the mojo to do the trials right. You’ve got lie detectors and more, and they ain’t being used. )
When I hear hot numbers they tend to be about guilt; guilt and pain and wanting it to be all over with no more work to do.
Sure, there are some people that ought to be gone, dust and ashes, for the sake of the rest, but those ain’t usually the ones that give themselves hot numbers. There’s some folk out there that are as much use to the world as a rabid dog in a school playground, and those’re usually trying to focus the blame onto someone who ain’t got the power to dodge the backlash. That kind ain’t into guilt, I can tell you that.
The trouble is, before those folk can be cleaned away you’ve got to be perfectly sure. It’s got to be proven that nothing good’s ever going to come of them. You need perfect knowledge and perfect justice before you can make that kind of a law.
I ain’t got it; I ain’t never seen it and I ain’t expecting to see it any time soon.
Muse, “Sweet” the Singing Demon,
Fandom, BTVS
Words, 555
Now, why would I have an opinion on a subject like that?
I’m a singer, a dancer, the star of the show.
I bring in the fun and I dance and I go.
The truth that you sing Is the truth that you see.
Deciding the blame? That ain’t no job for me.
I may bring the music and set loose the truth
But I just hear the songs, I don’t ask them for proof,
It may be they’ll warble that their life’s just swell,
Or sing to their love that they’re under her spell.
I may add the tune, but they know what they mean,
I’m only the one that’s there setting the scene.
The melodies give the confessions a nudge
But when the smoke’s blowing, I wasn’t the judge.
If you’re seeking the fault, then it’s usually the same,
You look for the one who was laying the blame.
That’s usually the way when the numbers turn hot.
Way back in the past someone blame-laid a lot.
And the …
Hey, wait a minute. You people have trials and formal executions and all that, don’t you? Yeah, you must do; it’s been in every society so far - wasn’t it in the laws given to Noah after the floods went down? I wasn’t around for that one and I don’t know anyone who was, but I think I got that right.
Capital punishment works in some places, sometimes - but if you’re asking me, I’ve seen witch-trials. They used to tie the suspects hand and foot and throw them in water. If they drowned they were innocent; those could be buried in consecrated ground. If they floated they were guilty, and they got burned alive. (It takes a lot longer done your way, too.) There’s been trial by ordeal, trial by combat - that used to mean the accused hired the best champion they could afford to fight on their behalf - hey, haven’t you people gone back to that, now? Whatever, it almost always comes out that the ones with the most money can get away with almost anything. (What gets me is, now some places have got the mojo to do the trials right. You’ve got lie detectors and more, and they ain’t being used. )
When I hear hot numbers they tend to be about guilt; guilt and pain and wanting it to be all over with no more work to do.
Sure, there are some people that ought to be gone, dust and ashes, for the sake of the rest, but those ain’t usually the ones that give themselves hot numbers. There’s some folk out there that are as much use to the world as a rabid dog in a school playground, and those’re usually trying to focus the blame onto someone who ain’t got the power to dodge the backlash. That kind ain’t into guilt, I can tell you that.
The trouble is, before those folk can be cleaned away you’ve got to be perfectly sure. It’s got to be proven that nothing good’s ever going to come of them. You need perfect knowledge and perfect justice before you can make that kind of a law.
I ain’t got it; I ain’t never seen it and I ain’t expecting to see it any time soon.
Muse, “Sweet” the Singing Demon,
Fandom, BTVS
Words, 555