Curt said to me, "Let's write a song where the chorus is 'let's build a city with our bare hands and our bare feet.'" I thought that was hilarious, not to mention strangely representative of our general attitude. Besides the fact that Jo's afraid of trees, we're all a bunch of fun-loving hippies with titanic ambitions, and I think Curt hit the nail on the head with this one. 

But writing a song starting with nothing but lyrics was foreign to us. We tried finding a melody to match for a hot second, but decided to try starting with a beat. Curt and Jo developed the intro/verse beat, but we still had trouble fitting it with the words. Having had the Best of Sly and the Family Stone CD stuck in my car stereo for several months prior, I suggested a classic Motown beat with the snare keeping the pulse. From there the chorus chant was born and everything else fell into place. We threw a tiny bit of guitar/bass/keys in, but this one is all about drums/percussion and vocals. The idea was to have a chorus sung by the 3 us with each verse sung by a different singer, a la The Band's "The Weight". While Curt and I saw eye to eye with our verses, A.J. ended up taking an entirely different route with his, leading to "La Piedra de la Iguana."

Let's build a city with our bare hands and our bare feet

Verse (Curtis)
Pick a place on a hill
Choose a spot on the beach
It's all within reach
Let's start it!

The tallest trees out front
A chicken coop in the back
Nobody's needs in lack
Let's start it!

I'll wind power my hips
I'll solar power my soul
Now we're on a roll
Let's start it!

A feast every night
A festival every week
If this is what you seek
Come on!

Let's build a city with our bare hands and our bare feet

Verse (Jack)
Muevete güerita
Ponte a bailar
Ponte a trabajar
Let's start it!

Mueve el culito
Quítate el vestido
Todos somos amigos
Let's start it!

Cerveca fría in one hand
Hammer in the other
Get started with your brother
Let's start it!

Hey Curtis
Hey what?
Hey AJ
Hey what?
Hey Jo
Hey what?

Let's build a city a with our bare hands and our bare feet
Let's build a city

love,
jack