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Live Nude Humans: Songs by Brian Madison (Free MP3 Music).
Anger, madness, and hope.


"I see my life in terms of music."
                       --Albert Einstein


(Note: Zen Master This has generously donated server space to our webmaster, Brian Madison, so that he may make his unique contribution to the important work of Saving Humanity from Itself.)


DISCLAIMER: Is the music in my head bothering anybody? The following songs generally depict fictional characters and events created out of my overactive imagination. Except where otherwise noted, none are intended to be (auto)biographical.  If any of them hit a little too close to home, that's your trip, not mine. These songs are mostly mini-commentaries on the potential and limitations of personality types, relationships, and institutions. Please make special note of the psychological, anthropological, and memetic threads which run through these lyrics.

These recordings are "demos." When listening to these tunes, please endeavor to put appreciation of the lyrics ahead of my musicianship, vocal technique, recording technique, etc. Oldest (roughest) songs are at the top of this page; latest are at the bottom.

I hope that all who listen will find these Folk-Punk ("cog rock?") tunes therapeutic in some small way. Thanks.



Holden's Farewell is based (loosely) on the character of Holden Caulfield from "Catcher in the Rye," but as a grownup. Influences: Tom Waits, Bruce Springsteen, Jim Croce, Willie Nelson. [MP3] [Lyrics]


 The character in Want comes from my own twisted imagination ... explores personal desire, unhappiness, unreason, and degeneration from the personal into the group "entitlement mentality." Fans of The Who may recognize a couple lines adapted from "The Seeker." Special thanks to Brian R. for the lead guitar fills! Influences: The Doors. [MP3] [Lyrics]


 Nature Is is one of my favorites. This is a naturist song about escaping the winter doldrums, and having a springtime frolic with the one you love. I keep a mini-notebook and pen in my pocket at all times to capture snippets of song lyrics (and other things). Usually it takes me a long time to collect enough material to actually complete a song. Most of the words to this song, however, came to me over the course of about a day. Influences: James Taylor, Jimmy Buffett. [MP3] [Lyrics]

Pocket Memo

I wrote Superhero for my 8-year-old son, and performed it with several other parents at a Parent/Faculty talent show at his school. This is the "studio" version. Influences: Ziggy Marley. [MP3] [Lyrics]


 Will to Passion explores human nature and individuals' struggle (or lack thereof) to overcome their personal inertia, just create for creation's sake, and share their gifts. Needs to be re-mixed; somehow I screwed-up the stereo image. Influences: Squeeze, XTC, Modern English. [MP3] [Lyrics]


When I Listen to the Jam is both a tribute to one of my favorite bands, and a story loosely based on actual events between an old former friend and me. Ironically, The Jam (a band we both held as favorites) had several songs which included themes of deteriorating friendships. This song borrows from The Jam's "Away from the Numbers," "Burning Sky," and "Thick as Thieves." Influences: The Jam. [Lyrics]


Charette I (August, 2003)
Goddess is a T.Rex-like ode to the "evil narcissist" personality type as described in M. Scott Peck's "People of the Lie."  Influences: Lenny Kravitz, T. Rex, Sweet, Soup Dragons, Collective Soul. [MP3] [Lyrics] [Revised Lyrics (not recorded)]

Evolution is about memes and growing and thinking for yourself. Influences: Ziggy Marley. [MP3] [Lyrics]

Bless. Influences: Brian Eno and John Cale, The Church, The Byrds, Volcano Suns, Peter Gabriel, Weezer. [MP3] [Lyrics] [Revised lyrics (not recorded)]

Trouble. Influences: Tom Waits, Bruce Springsteen, Willie Nelson, Jim Croce, James McMurtry. [Lyrics]


 Your Song. Influences: Eno and Cale, New Order. Written in a pub in San Francisco while traveling on business. [Lyrics] (March, 2004)


Charette II (May, 2004)
Not Much. My current favorite. This would be a good duet for Lou Reed and Iggy Pop. Influences: Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Talking Heads, Cake, Warren Zevon, David Johansen. [MP3] [Lyrics] [Revised lyrics (not recorded)]

Enough. Influences: NoFX, Bad Religion, Soul Asylum, The Monkees. [Lyrics] [Revised lyrics (not recorded)]

Thrown (Freddy's Song). Influences: The Clash, The Jam, The Alarm, Graham Parker. [Lyrics]


Charette III (February, 2005)
Don't Remember Me is about breaking old patterns of behavior crossing generations.  Influences: Moby, U2, Jesus Jones, Big Head Todd and the Monsters. [Lyrics]

Headcase. Influences: Barenaked Ladies. [MP3] [Lyrics]

Tangle. Influences: The Tragically Hip. [Lyrics]

Lexus.  Influences: Every country blues song ever written. [MP3] [Lyrics]


Two Questions. Influences: ? [Lyrics] (September, 2005)

 The Paranoid Song. Influences: Jimmy Buffett [Lyrics] (November, 2005)


Charette IV (May, 2006)

    Bodies. Influences: ? [MP3 (Acoustic Demo)] [Lyrics]

    You Don't Even Know What You're Sayin'. Influences: ? [MP3 (Acoustic Demo)] [Lyrics] [Revised lyrics (not recorded)]

    Compassionate Coercion. Influences: Rolling Stones, Steve Earle, Rush. According to my friend Max,

        "This is good. But to be honest, it's such a bitter unpleasant song,
         that I don't think I'd want to listen to it, which ironically is just
         a testament to how good your words are."

         I'll take that as a rave. [MP3 (Acoustic Demo)] [Lyrics]


Apology. Influences: Nils Lofgren, Steve Forbert, The Clash. [Lyrics] (October, 2006)

Toynbee Idea. Regarding Toynbee tiles. Written as I imagine the tiles' creator might have written a song. Sort of Monkees-meets-Talking-Heads, with a dash of The Byrds and R.E.M. [MP3 (Acoustic Demo)] [Lyrics]

If Everyone Wore Burqas. To the tune of "Imagine," by John Lennon. My first song parody. Not sure what inspired this, although I was reading "The End of Faith" by Sam Harris at the time. Influences: John Lennon, National Lampoon. [Lyrics]

It's a Wonderful Life. Influences: Graham Parker, James McMurtry. [Lyrics] (April, 2007)

Between Identities. Influences: The Alarm, XTC, Graham Parker, Joe Jackson. [Lyrics] (August, 2007)

Vanity (Tattletale). Influences: Kevin Gilbert, Cake, Mark Knopfler. [Lyrics] (October, 2007)

What Happens in Vegas (Ends Up on the Internet). Influences: Hank Williams, Jr. [MP3] [Lyrics] (December, 2007)

Baby You Already Know. Influences: Richard Thompson, Bob Dylan, Willy Nelson. [MP3] [Lyrics] (December, 2007)

I Walked Away. Influences: Simon and Garfunkel, Nick Drake. [MP3] [Lyrics] (January, 2008)

I'm Not Lazy. Influences: Tom Petty, ZZ Top. [Lyrics] (October, 2008)

 I, Hypocrite. Influences: Bob Dylan. [Lyrics] (October, 2008)

 I Still Believe in Love. A work in progress; still needs a chorus and/or bridge. Regarding child or spousal abuse. Influences: Orchestral diva ballads. [Lyrics] (October, 2008)


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