Thomas J. (for "Jackson") Guygax, Sr., late of Springfield, Missouri, is credited as lyricist of 10 known song-poem recordings, all cut either by MSR Records or their subsidiary label, Songuild, and each a standout for its broken-field appropriation of accepted English syntax. While poetic license is always conceded to the artist, Guygax consistently goes one better by seeming to ignore the meanings of words altogether or, at least, the order that gives them meaning.
Guygax's greatest achievement occurs midway through the song "At The Time," when lead vocalist Bobbi Blake, fronting The MSR Singers, takes a deep breath and then unfurls a string of verbiage that perhaps only Cummings could approach in divining breathtaking beauty from an apparently random sequence of simple words:
"Along by our knowledge of the well-kept adage by the more of all helpin' with the all of coulds."
And set to a groovy beat, to boot.
Notes and transcription by Phil Milstein
Transcription assistance: Matt Miller, Eric Goulden, Pea Hix, Tiia Reinvald-Sillaste, Irwin Chusid, James Lindbloom
A PET PIGEON
(Thomas J. Guygax, Sr.)
as recorded by The MSR Singers
Right again and this time of year
Perched on the bough, close to the window
We see a pet pigeon, which likes to be near
With a good position, it likes of soul
Along with more, and helped by voice
By placing a tray of seeds near the windowsill
Where it can reach, by their type and choice,
By enough on the plate to help fill bird
Friends and itself among all nearly
While it helps to show its part
By it being around yearly
With some of spring cleaning each year to start
repeat second stanza
AT THE TIME
(Thomas J. Guygax, Sr.)
as recorded by The MSR Singers
Although by the also to have differed with yearly and all known dearly
Throughout and among, we use preferred
By the also of having choicefully
Three times a day, as the average, we use of thee among of our foods
Along by our knowledge of the well-kept adage by the more of all helpin' with the all of coulds
Towards being among our masters and the also by our intelligence while the passin' of time
Decides our manners by the also collectively to being with the tense
Throughout and among, we use preferred
By the also of having choicefully
Three times a day ...
("At The Time" appears on the Carnage Press CD The Makers Of Smooth Music.)
THE SPARROW
(Thomas J. Guygax, Sr.)
as recorded by The MSR Singers
Our good friend and bird
Likes all the bread we spare
With choice crumbs placed outside to be its third
While all the rest, the rest close by
Are flying, soaring in air
Closely with so many others, and the wren
They're busy flying around, while, as they found
To notice while away from close tree and when
They spend hours there among their kind
(spoken:)
All of all are known throughout our continent
With all years and of how many are by working ourselves together
With all annual reports that everywhere are yearly sent
And of all during years we are with our caring
Of all during years, we are with our caring
SUNNY DAYS
(Thomas J. Guygax, Sr.)
as recorded by The MSR Singers
Sunny days
Sunny days
With the more of to say, while often we pause to greet
With the others who we know each day,
While to speak to all we meet
With the more and alike to seek
We read our paper, we carry along
Or through the pages we care to peek
By of all so to help with the song
While the more of each day we know
There is a presently to choose us long
Towards our each day and full of soul
And during our spare time, we might care for a song
And during our spare time, we might care for a song
While the more of each day we know
There is a presently to choose along
Towards our each day and full of soul
And during our spare time, we might care for a song
During our spare time, we might care for a song
Sunny days
Sunny days
GOOD
(Thomas J. Guygax, Sr.)
as recorded by Bobbi Blake
Along through the veil,
And the sunshine by its prominence
With the path along through the dale
While the furthering, with the stance
Comes the time, during the day
While to pass around the of among food
And the year has been nicely, like we say
And the more of helping, which we should
And so we straighten, and work
With thee all awhile, busy by years
And the moral while pert to always maintain
The balance of dears
Comes the time, during the day
While to pass around the of among food
And the year has been nicely, like we say
And the more of helping, which we should
(repeat stanza twice more)
TIMES ABOUT
(Thomas J. Guygax, Sr.)
as recorded by Dick Kent
Among our language the word is: "Tiger" (background vocals echo: Tiger)
For among much of our travel (bg vox: Travel)
Many could have also bought (bg vox: Also bought)
And with more to notice and by thought
Every day, and with all good (bg vox: Good)
To also be with enough to do (bg vox: To do)
Much can also keep beside searching further
Further through the deep (bg vox: Further through the deep)
(spoken:)
There in with flowers of choice among
By all the male around
We'll bring with more of agriculture
To work about our grown culture
repeat first stanza
PARADISE PUDDING
(Thomas J. Guygax, Sr.)
as recorded by The MSR Singers
By the choice of recipe
With its whipped cream, alright with me
And dessert, by the choice of theirself
While ever worked with, by its acclaim
Racin' to the refrigerator, on the shelf
By the choice of itself, assembled upon the shelf
Nice to notice some goblets there
With the top of what we have read
Very nice for the dinner table
Round the table, we like it to know
By the more of our meals to balance, it's waitin' there
And their likeness being there is by the plans