Call Me Ishmael

I’m taking a holiday break from Moby-Dick.

For obvious reasons, visiting my parents reminds me of my childhood. Our family photo albums include a pretty awesome sequence documenting my first (bowl) haircut at the barber. We were living in Montana at the time, which I remember very little of, but the woman who cut my hair looks wonderfully patient and sympathetic with the steady stream of tears running down my face.

I’ll leave you this week with a song I wrote some time ago, inspired in part by that sequence of photos.

Best wishes for the holidays. See you next week.

Haircut

I’ll still recognize you
After your haircut!
I’ll still call you by name,
And know who you are.

You’ll look different, it’s true,
But that’s okay!
I’ll still like you the same,
In each and every way.

Let’s go walk down the block
And get us a haircut.
Clip, clip, snipity-snip,
You look like a star!

Turned the chair and I look into the mirror,
Rub my eyes so I see a little clearer.
I stick out my tongue, and so does my reflection —
I guess that’s me to perfection.

I still recognize you
After your haircut.
I still call you by name,
I know who you are.

You look different, it’s true,
But that’s okay!
I still like you the same,
In each and every way.

I’ll still recognize you
After your haircut!

(c) and (p) 2008 Patrick Shea
Words and music written by Patrick Shea summer, 2007
All parts performed, arranged, and recorded by Patrick Shea December 10, 2008