The Bonito Blues — Written for and dedicated to Hasheem aka Mahigeer when he had sought out but failed to catch a bonito at the 2006 Catalina Get Together.
Oh, the Dompha, he draws circles
Up and down the Mole.
I'd ask him what the matter was
But I know that he don't talk.
And the anglers treat me kindly
And furnish me with line,
But deep inside my heart
I know I can't escape.
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck in Catalina
With the bonito blues again.
Dompha Ben (Ben Acker)
Up and down the Mole.
I'd ask him what the matter was
But I know that he don't talk.
And the anglers treat me kindly
And furnish me with line,
But deep inside my heart
I know I can't escape.
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck in Catalina
With the bonito blues again.
Dompha Ben (Ben Acker)
Well, Ken, he's in the alley
With his pointed shoes and his bells,
Speaking to some French girl,
Who says she knows me well.
And I would send a message
To find out if she's talked,
But the tackle store’s been stolen
And the tackle box is locked.
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck in Catalina
With the bonito blues again.
With his pointed shoes and his bells,
Speaking to some French girl,
Who says she knows me well.
And I would send a message
To find out if she's talked,
But the tackle store’s been stolen
And the tackle box is locked.
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck in Catalina
With the bonito blues again.
Ken (Ken Jones)
Gordo tried to tell me
To stay away from that Catalina Mole
He said that all those older fishermen
Just drink up your blood like wine.
An' I said, "Oh, I didn't know that,
But then again, there's only one I've met
An' he just smoked my eyelids
An' punched my cigarette."
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck in Catalina
With the bonito blues again.
Gordo Grande (Ross Kestin) in the middle
To stay away from that Catalina Mole
He said that all those older fishermen
Just drink up your blood like wine.
An' I said, "Oh, I didn't know that,
But then again, there's only one I've met
An' he just smoked my eyelids
An' punched my cigarette."
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck in Catalina
With the bonito blues again.
Gordo Grande (Ross Kestin) in the middle
Grandpa died last week
And now he's buried in the kelp,
But everybody still talks about
How badly they were shocked.
But me, I expected it to happen,
I knew he'd lost control
When he built a fire on the Mole
And shot it full of holes.
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck in Catalina
With the bonito blues again.
The kelp at the Mole
And now he's buried in the kelp,
But everybody still talks about
How badly they were shocked.
But me, I expected it to happen,
I knew he'd lost control
When he built a fire on the Mole
And shot it full of holes.
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck in Catalina
With the bonito blues again.
The kelp at the Mole
Now the GDude came down here
Showing ev'ryone his rod,
Handing out free tickets
To the gathering on the Mole.
An' me, I nearly got busted
An' wouldn't it be my luck
To get caught without a license
And be discovered beneath a trunk.
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck in Catalina
With the bonito blues again.
GDude (James Liu)
Now baitfish looked so baffled
When I asked him why he dressed
With twenty pounds of feathers
Stapled to his chest.
But he cursed me when I proved it to him,
Then I whispered, "Not even you can hide.
You see, you're just like me,
I hope you're satisfied."
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck in Catalina
With the bonito blues again.
Baitfish (Adam Cassidy)
Now Mahigeer gave me two cures,
Then he said, "Jump right in."
The one was Persian medicine,
The other was just plain Raki gin.
An' like a fool I mixed them
An' it strangled up my mind,
An' now people just get uglier
An' I have no sense of time.
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck in Catalina
With the bonito blues again.
Mahigeer (Hashem Nahid) pouring his Raki during dinner at Mi Casa
Showing ev'ryone his rod,
Handing out free tickets
To the gathering on the Mole.
An' me, I nearly got busted
An' wouldn't it be my luck
To get caught without a license
And be discovered beneath a trunk.
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck in Catalina
With the bonito blues again.
GDude (James Liu)
Now baitfish looked so baffled
When I asked him why he dressed
With twenty pounds of feathers
Stapled to his chest.
But he cursed me when I proved it to him,
Then I whispered, "Not even you can hide.
You see, you're just like me,
I hope you're satisfied."
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck in Catalina
With the bonito blues again.
Baitfish (Adam Cassidy)
Now Mahigeer gave me two cures,
Then he said, "Jump right in."
The one was Persian medicine,
The other was just plain Raki gin.
An' like a fool I mixed them
An' it strangled up my mind,
An' now people just get uglier
An' I have no sense of time.
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck in Catalina
With the bonito blues again.
Mahigeer (Hashem Nahid) pouring his Raki during dinner at Mi Casa
When Rita says come see her
In her honky-tonk lagoon,
Where I can watch her waltz for free
'Neath her Avalonian moon.
An' I say, "Aw come on now,
You must know about my debutante."
An' she says, "Your debutante just knows what you need
But I know what you want."
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck in Catalina
With the bonito blues again.
Rita (Rita Magdamo)
Now the bricks lay on Metropole
Where the neon madmen climb.
They all fall there so perfectly,
It all seems so well timed.
An' here I sit so patiently
Waiting to find out what price
You have to pay to get new balls and feathers
After losing them more than twice.
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck in Catalina
With the bonito blues again.
The Metropole Market Place in Avalon
With apologies to Bob Dylan and “Stuck Inside of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again"
The original —
Oh, the ragman draws circles
Up and down the block
I'd ask him what the matter was
But I know that he don't talk
And the ladies treat me kindly
And they furnish me with tape
But deep inside my heart
I know I can't escape
Oh, Mama
Can this really be the end?
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again
Well, Shakespeare, he's in the alley
With his pointed shoes and his bells
Speaking to some French girl
Who says she knows me well
And I would send a message
To find out if she's talked
But the post office has been stolen
And the mailbox is locked
Oh, Mama
Can this really be the end?
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again
Mona tried to tell me
To stay away from the train line
She said that all the railroad men
Just drink up your blood like wine
And I said, "Oh, I didn't know that
But then again, there's only one I've met
And he just smoked my eyelids
And punched my cigarette"
Oh, Mama
Can this really be the end?
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again
Grandpa died last week
And now he's buried in the rocks
But everybody still talks about
How badly they were shocked
But me, I expected it to happen
I knew he'd lost control
When I sp— he'd built a fire on Main Street
And shot it full of holes
Oh, Mama
Can this really be the end?
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again
Now the senator came down here
Showing everyone his gun
Handing out free tickets
To the wedding of his son
And me, I nearly got busted
And wouldn't it be my luck
To get caught without a ticket
And be discovered beneath a truck
Oh, Mama
Is this really the end?
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again
Now the tea preacher looked so baffled
When I asked him why he dressed
With twenty pounds of headlines
Stapled to his chest
But he cursed me when I proved to him
Then I whispered, said, "Not even you can hide
You see, you're just like me
I hope you're satisfied"
Oh, Mama
Can this really be the end?
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again
Now the rainman gave me two cures
Then he said, "Jump right in"
The one was Texas medicine
The other was just railroad gin
And like a fool I mixed them
And it strangled up my mind
And now people just get uglier
And I have no sense of time
Oh, Mama
Can this really be the end?
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again
Now when Ruthie says come see her
In her honky-tonk lagoon
Where I can watch her waltz for free
'Neath her Panamanian moon
And I say, "Aw, come on now
You know you know about my debutante"
And she says, "Your debutante just knows what you need
But I know what you want"
Oh, Mama
Can this really be the end?
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again
Now the bricks lay on Grand Street
Where the neon madmen climb
They all fall there so perfectly
It all seems so well timed
And here I sit so patiently
Waiting to find out what price
You have to pay to get out of
Going through all these things twice
Oh, Mama
Is this really the end?
To be stuck here inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again
In her honky-tonk lagoon,
Where I can watch her waltz for free
'Neath her Avalonian moon.
An' I say, "Aw come on now,
You must know about my debutante."
An' she says, "Your debutante just knows what you need
But I know what you want."
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck in Catalina
With the bonito blues again.
Rita (Rita Magdamo)
Now the bricks lay on Metropole
Where the neon madmen climb.
They all fall there so perfectly,
It all seems so well timed.
An' here I sit so patiently
Waiting to find out what price
You have to pay to get new balls and feathers
After losing them more than twice.
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck in Catalina
With the bonito blues again.
The Metropole Market Place in Avalon
With apologies to Bob Dylan and “Stuck Inside of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again"
The original —
Oh, the ragman draws circles
Up and down the block
I'd ask him what the matter was
But I know that he don't talk
And the ladies treat me kindly
And they furnish me with tape
But deep inside my heart
I know I can't escape
Oh, Mama
Can this really be the end?
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again
Well, Shakespeare, he's in the alley
With his pointed shoes and his bells
Speaking to some French girl
Who says she knows me well
And I would send a message
To find out if she's talked
But the post office has been stolen
And the mailbox is locked
Oh, Mama
Can this really be the end?
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again
Mona tried to tell me
To stay away from the train line
She said that all the railroad men
Just drink up your blood like wine
And I said, "Oh, I didn't know that
But then again, there's only one I've met
And he just smoked my eyelids
And punched my cigarette"
Oh, Mama
Can this really be the end?
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again
Grandpa died last week
And now he's buried in the rocks
But everybody still talks about
How badly they were shocked
But me, I expected it to happen
I knew he'd lost control
When I sp— he'd built a fire on Main Street
And shot it full of holes
Oh, Mama
Can this really be the end?
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again
Now the senator came down here
Showing everyone his gun
Handing out free tickets
To the wedding of his son
And me, I nearly got busted
And wouldn't it be my luck
To get caught without a ticket
And be discovered beneath a truck
Oh, Mama
Is this really the end?
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again
Now the tea preacher looked so baffled
When I asked him why he dressed
With twenty pounds of headlines
Stapled to his chest
But he cursed me when I proved to him
Then I whispered, said, "Not even you can hide
You see, you're just like me
I hope you're satisfied"
Oh, Mama
Can this really be the end?
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again
Now the rainman gave me two cures
Then he said, "Jump right in"
The one was Texas medicine
The other was just railroad gin
And like a fool I mixed them
And it strangled up my mind
And now people just get uglier
And I have no sense of time
Oh, Mama
Can this really be the end?
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again
Now when Ruthie says come see her
In her honky-tonk lagoon
Where I can watch her waltz for free
'Neath her Panamanian moon
And I say, "Aw, come on now
You know you know about my debutante"
And she says, "Your debutante just knows what you need
But I know what you want"
Oh, Mama
Can this really be the end?
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again
Now the bricks lay on Grand Street
Where the neon madmen climb
They all fall there so perfectly
It all seems so well timed
And here I sit so patiently
Waiting to find out what price
You have to pay to get out of
Going through all these things twice
Oh, Mama
Is this really the end?
To be stuck here inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again
