From the recording THE MARIONETTE: This & That from Hither & Yon
I know you are not supposed to say you have a favorite child, but I have a favorite child. Of course, I love all of my “children” but this one has made me especially proud. In 2014, I was cast as a middle-aged, pot-smoking hippie father in A Little Help, a student web series at Missouri State University. I had the absolute joy of playing opposite Beth Domann, of Springfield Little Theater, who played my equally weed-addled wife. It was a blast! This was the theme song for the four-part series, which was screened at several festivals, including the 2015 L.A. Webfest where this song was awarded a certificate of “Outstanding Achievement.” This proud papa was also nominated for “Outstanding Actor in a Web Series.” It was a very good year.
Lyrics
A little help will help a lot if you can get it
A little potted plant will be your bud if you can dig it
It’s such a lovely life if you just live it
It’s not too much to take if you give it all you got
When you’re starting out to stand up on your own
You might not know which way you’re going,
but you never go alone
The hearts of those that love you tag along
Even if they’re only tripping back at home
So your folks have always been a little batty
Daddy always said that “grass is greener in a baggie”
He swears that he saw Jesus once, rolled up in a fatty
He found on the ground when they were
layin’ ‘round the shanty
But you don’t get to pick your parents,
and your parents don’t pick you
We just end up here together in this maze we muddle through
Some days we all just need a little help
To get a handle on the hand that we were dealt
But love is not enough all by itself
It demands your heart’s attention, can’t just keep it on a shelf
It needs to be embraced not compelled
Nine times out of ten it’s gonna need a little help
These days, love is war and those afflicted
Get rigid if a romance isn’t instant, so they nix it
But a little helping served with love is just the ticket
To fix the little divots in our hearts that try to kill us
So, buy your baby’s papa, if you wanna
Just pick a frozen bun and pop it in the oven
Hassle-free, but also free of lovin’
You could use a little help, but you’re gonna screw yourself
But you don’t get to pick your children,
and your children don’t pick you
We just end up here together in this maze
we muddle through
Some days we all just need a little help
To get a handle on the hand that we were dealt
‘Cause love is not enough all by itself
It demands your heart’s attention,
can’t just keep it on a shelf
It needs to be embraced not compelled
Nine times out of ten it’s gonna need a little help
A little help will help a lot if you can get it
A little potted plant will be your bud if you can dig it
It’s such a lovely life if you just live it
It’s not too much to take if you give it all you got
Music & Lyrics by David Greathouse
© 2014, Sourdough Music, ASCAP