From the new (2018) Walter Ehresman album "South of the Wall": https://walterehresman.bandcamp.com/album/south-of-the-wall

A song I wrote and recorded that's dedicated to Walter Becker who, as you know, was one half of Steely Dan and who died last year. I think the pretty jazz melodies came from Fagen, and the grit and lyrics about faded hipsters came from Becker. I knew I wanted to do a tribute song for him. On the "Two Against Nature" DVD, he and Fagen are in the back of a limo, driving around the streets of New York City, talking about (among other things) the difference between a schmuck and a schmendrick. So that gave me the hook into this little ditty about.....you guessed it......faded hipsters, who despair at their loss of cool in a scene where they may well never have been cool to begin with.

See the video here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsZtxshMHMM

It’s Schmendrick Time (And That’s OK)

(© 2018 Walter Ehresman)

Down on the boulevard, it’s seen a better day,

but the price is copacetic so we moved in Saturday;

A case of Shaefer for the friends who took the call,

and a measure of mood lighting for the writing on the wall.

The games we’re playing are all lacking in cache’—

the retro insufficient to appeal to kids today;

We walk the nightlife in a demographic haze,

and we wreck the cool of places while we dream of yesterday.

[chorus]

Well, it doesn’t bear thinking, and it’s best to look away;

And we’ll never make 5th Street if we carry on this way.

Indulge in introspection, and we can’t go out to play—

‘cause it’s schmendrick time (and that’s OK).

[break]

There was a time (at least we’ll say there was)

we set the latest fashion, and left a trail of buzz;

In the chronicle of lifestyle—No. #1;

What fun!

Our sun

Will never

Set.

Don’t get out much, now the tide is on the turn;

With endless shut-in options, and potato chips to burn;

The signals that we get—impossible to spurn;

Our rejection from the in-crowd is a savage thing to learn.

Walter Ehresman: all vocals, electric & acoustic guitars, keyboards & key percussion, vocoder, electric sitar, chimes, groove box programming, sequencing.

For past releases, see here: www.walterehresman.bandcamp.com; www.cdbaby.com/all/snipe

p. 2018 Walter Ehresman. All rights reserved. Snipe Bog Records.