Beware the Short Story (2:48) – up tempo with steely vocals, driving guitars, and expressive fiddle. Cautionary song about shallow thinking, social media, human nature, celebrity culture, and the war on facts.
Lyrics
Beware the Short Story
Words & Music by Joy Zimmerman
Beware the short story
Easy glory, shallow quarry
Simple truths, simple folly
We like our news quick and glossy
Use no care in what you say
Words travel fast either way
Easy come, easy go, just proclaim it so
Quick and glossy
We hear she left him—au revoir
Boil this down to one sidebar
No question marks, no wait and see
For a backstory, a mystery
Get to the point, make it sharp
Why pull details apart?
Only headlines, not the facts
Who wants to overtax?
Give it to us quick and glossy
The shortest line leads to truth
Lenses thick with muck that’s spewed
Emperor’s clothes might be a hoax
Step on that gas, go for broke
Shifting sands sinking fast
Emboldened lies flying past
Kindling lies in wait for a sanction
A match of hate
We declare a lost cause, a house of cards
The winner gets our applause until the downfall
We love to celebrate a free fall
You know there’s gonna be a downfall
Look no further, no finesse
Open, shut, put to rest
Pick a side, let the surface be your guide
Quick and glossy glorified
Beware the short story
We might become that short story
Beware