2025 Competition Entry:

Walking On The Dark Side by Michael Sellers

Genre

Rock

Co-writer(s)

no

Performer(s)

Music and lyrics, vocals: Michael Sellers
Acoustic & electric guitars, bass guitar, musical arrangement, & production: Sergio Aguilar
Drums: Juan Herrera
Harmonica: Edgar Ibarra

Description

The themes of the song include child abuse, PTSD, & patricide. However, let me state firmly that no family members, including pets, were hurt or injured, let alone killed, in the making of this video! As Ottessa Moshfegh puts it in her novel ‘Eileen’, “Some families are so sick, so twisted, the only way out is for someone to die.”

Bio

Michael Sellers is a guitar playing singer-songwriter from England, now living and recording songs in Merida, Mexico. Prior to recording, he was an English language teacher in many Mexican universities, as well as a teacher of Latin American History. He has also worked in England, the USA, and Denmark. He also sang in many rock bands in Guadalajara and Merida, but now concentrates on composing and recording his own songs.

Lyrics

Papa’s got a dark side, just like the moon
Reminds me of an old guitar that’s way, way out of tune
Yeah, Papa’s got a dark side, it can empty out a room
It’s darker than my black thoughts, darker than a tomb

Papa’s got a dark side and he can turn on you
Things can get real ugly, leave your ego black and blue
When Papa’s lost in his dark side, he’s down with Lucifer’s crew
And God and the guardian angels go hide out in Timbuktu

Papa’s got a dark side, Papa’s got a dark side
Remember your blood-red backside?
It was thanks to Papa’s dark side

Papa’s got a dark side, Papa’s got a dark side
Remember when you were last hogtied?
It was thanks to Papa’s dark side … all down to Papa’s …
Dark Side … walking on the dark side

Little Joe lit out for Afghanistan, he said Papa didn’t make him feel safe
He realized, pretty damn quick, Kabul was a Hell of a place
But when the troops returned, of Little Joe there wasn’t a trace!

He was on the …
Dark Side … walking on the dark side

True, Papa’s got a sweet side, like honey from a bee
It can cover you from head to toe in a sticky consistency
Yeah, Papa’s got a sweet side, makes you happy, keen and free
‘Till his dark side rears its fearsome head, wipes out all empathy!

Papa’s got a dark side, Papa’s got a dark side
Do you still dream of patricide?
Well, it’s all thanks to Papa’s dark side … all down to Papa’s …

Dark Side … walking on the dark side

Epilogue
Papa had a dark side, just like the moon
But now we strum our own guitars, sing a different tune …

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