David Gans
Who killed Uncle John
And kept the show from going on?
“Not I,” said the nitrous man
Counting money in his van
“The parking lot’s my neighborhood
I’m sure the show inside was good”
“Not I,” said the tribute band
Playing for nostalgic fans
“It’s everybody’s flame to keep
Twice as high and half as deep”
It wasn’t me who stopped his heart
I served the man who served his art
Who killed Uncle John
And kept the show from going on?
“Not I,” said the idiot
Flaming on the Internet
“He owed his wealth to guys like me
I take his work so seriously”
“Not I,” said the completist
Fondling his compact discs
“I’m sorry that he’s gone away
I’ll soon own every note he played”
It wasn’t me who stopped his heart
I served the man who served his art
Who killed Uncle John
And kept the show from going on?
“Not I,” said the mainstream press
“I found his image ludicrous
His followers were so uncool
I made him out to be a fool”
“Not I,” said the publicist
Protecting him from journalists
“I’m writing his biography
I needed him to talk to me”
It wasn’t me who stopped his heart
I served the man who served his art
“Not I,” said the acid-head
“And I don’t think he’s really dead
He served his time in hell on earth
Only I know his true worth”
“Not I,” said the heroin
Slouching into Terrapin
“I helped him to escape his fame
By letting him forget his name”
It wasn’t me who stopped his heart
I served the man who served his art
Who killed Uncle John
And kept the show from going on?
“Not I,” said the engineer
Whispering in someone’s ear
“I woke up worried every day
And went to bed each night that way”
“Not I,” said the kwipment krew
“He loved me and hated you
Guts to open, trips to win
I stayed right in the game with him”
It wasn’t me who stopped his heart
I served the man who served his art
Who killed Uncle John
And kept the show from going on?
“Not I,” said the dharma bum
Speaking through his talking drum
“Not I,” said the entourage
manufacturing mirage
“Not I,” said the man from merch
Selling souvenirs in church
“Not I,” said the radio host
Refusing to give up the ghost
“Not I,” said the DEA
Deploying agents where he played
“Not I,” said the troubadour
“Not I” —
“Not I,” said the dancing girl
Interrupted in mid-twirl
“I’ll show you where the spirit went
I’ll meet you at the Incident”