Only the good

 Only the good die early 

If only the good die early

Even as the old turn ugly 

Singing the songs they first sung

Back at least half a century. 

What is this mad obsession

With rockstars one foot in the grave?

Are we to dig them up in two decades

And persuade them to sing again?

One time handsome young rebels

Now old men in loose baggy jeans 

Have become what once they sneered 

Surely we can find some new talent?

Every dog should have his day

Then every dog should check out. 

If rock and roll is about rebellion 

Then what is this all about? 

Nostalgia demands a heavy price

Aging rockstars don’t come cheap

Who is dumber, them or us?

Seems like madness, all this fuss. 

There is no fool like an old fool

Few voices sound good at eighty

Let’s clear the stage and turn the pages 

And make a space for newer faces. 

Let’s shrink the stages

And increase the venues

Encourage talent young and fresh

And realize that more makes less. 

So now the Emperor wears blue jeans.