"The 'Geisters" is based on David Nickle's novel of the same name. Dave approached me in the spring of 2013 to ask me for a song to be released alongside his book. More specifically, he asked me for a love song. This may not seem like an unusual request until you realise that The 'Geisters is actually a work of horror involving a secret society devoted to dominating--in every sense of the word, including sexually--poltergeists. This domination involves the men attaining absolute control over the women associated with the poltergeists. Let's just say that the young female protagonist is not in a happy place. Like all Dave's books, The 'Geisters pushes the envelope a tad.
So the song is, indeed, a love song, but there may be a certain amount of creepy irony there. I wrote it from the perspective of one of the 'Geisters (i.e., the poltergeist-obsessed cultists), whom Dave has written as chillingly well-meaning, despite the fact that what they're doing is, well, not very nice.
lyrics
The 'Geisters
Don’t misunderstand
What I am wanting here.
People call us a cult,
Say we yearn for control,
Exercise that control through fear.
But everything that I’ve done,
Everything that I want to do
Is explained by the pure,
Purifying emotions
I always have felt for you.
You say you had no choice?
Well, you should rejoice.
You have power beyond
What I have ever seen.
I worship that power
Through your total subjection;
There is no in between.
If I left you alone,
How could anyone call that praise?
I enslave you because
I respect you so much.
I’m respecting you with my gaze.
Despite what’s happening here,
My motives are clear:
I did it for love.
I did it for you.
It’s strange that you claim
You didn’t want me to.
In the end, this will be
Win-win...well, mostly for me.
But come on: you gotta agree,
I did it for love.
Okay, I’ll admit
I aim to dominate
You, for if you are mine,
If your greatness is bent
To my will, then I must be great.
You should be very proud,
For clearly, you have been sent
To provide me the means
To start on the path,
The path to enlightenment.
I am quite under your spell.
You say it hurts you? Oh well.
I did it for love.
I did it for you.
It’s strange that you claim
You didn’t want me to.
In the end, this will be
Win-win...well, mostly for me.
But come on: you gotta agree,
I did it for love.
[Bridge]
You have made it clear
That you are quite upset.
You have bided your time,
Taken bloody revenge,
But I’m not discouraged yet.
For the more you rebel,
The more satisfied I will be
When I finally break you.
Believe me, I will.
You are meant to belong to me.
You had better give in.
It’s clear you can’t win.
Sure, evidence suggests
That you have won this round.
I’m surrounded by corpses,
Lying twisted in pain
In a wretched heap on the ground.
It is sweet that you think
That you have the power here.
See, since you are mine,
Your power’s mine too.
I’m revelling in your fear.
You should really have guessed
You’re built to be possessed.
I did it for love.
I did it for you.
It’s strange that you claim
You didn’t want me to.
In the end, this will be
Win-win...well, mostly for me.
But come on: you gotta agree,
I did it for love.
I did it for love.
I did it for you.
It’s strange that you claim
You didn’t want me to.
In the end, this will be
Win-win...well, mostly for me.
But come on: you gotta agree,
I did it for love.
I did it for love.
I did it for love.
credits
from Everybody Hates Elves,
released April 8, 2015
Written and performed by Kari Maaren, based on the novel The 'Geisters by David Nickle. The associated video, which was shot and edited by Carlos Parra (carlosparra.ca), is available here: youtu.be/QrSAlt8tXv8
Kari Maaren is a Toronto musician who plays geeky ukulele songs about monsters and superheroes. She isn't sure why, but it amuses her, so that's all right.
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