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Chekhov's Rights

from Third Act Problems by Derek Brink

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about

The title of the album comes from this song. I’m using theatre terminology to talk about the gun-problem in America. Surprise, surprise, I’m anti-gun. Whodathunkit?

I thought it was common knowledge, but I’m finding people don’t seem to have heard of “Chekhov’s Gun.” It’s an old theatre/playwriting thing attributed to Anton Chekhov. Basically, the principle of “Chekhov’s Gun” is, “if there is a gun introduced in the first act, someone must fire it in the third.” America introduced a shitload of guns, they’re all getting fired, and the show’s almost over…

The politicians are actors. The gun manufacturers are the fat-cats. The audience is the American people. The show is the country. I assume you’re smart enough that you don’t need me to keep going. Mix that all up and you’ve got this song. My only real lyrical regret is that I couldn’t find a good way to work in “The Scottish Play.” Sometimes you have to let things go. (I referenced that in “Shit About Shakespeare” on the “Something to Look Forward to” album, anyway.)

I recorded the lead vocal track shortly after a school shooting took place in my beloved St. Louis…and a couple of days later a kid was arrested for trying to take a gun into my old high school.

lyrics

Getting right to the fact, 
there’s a problem with the third act.
Too many people are firing a gun.
There’s something funny with the makeup.
The scenery’s all chewed up.
Let’s check-off a few things we haven’t done. 

This could be a great show
if we let a few subplots go.
There’s that whole thing with the funding.
The pocket’s full, but the hand is out.
This could have been perfect
but the fat cats made it worthless.
We lost the plot to the business.
Does anyone remember what it’s about?

Seeing right through the smoke
the cast doesn’t get the jokes.
They don’t know why the audience is laughing at them.
They got used to the same script.
They’ve forgotten why they read for it.
We should take this production back, my friends.

‘Cause this could be a great show
if we let a few darlings go.
There’s that whole thing with the funding.
The pocket’s full, but the hand is out.
This could have been perfect
but the fat cats made it worthless.
We lost the plot to the business.
Does anyone remember what it’s about?
Does anyone know what it’s all about?

To use a simpler metaphor,
America’s a broken door.
No one can get in or out alive.

credits

from Third Act Problems, released March 3, 2023

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Derek Brink St Louis, Missouri

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