The Movie

The Movie was written in the early ’80s as part of The Rock and Roll Wedding project. It’s now on my album, Love Seeds. The song suggests that Life is a movie. You write the script and play the part.

Here’s the 2022 version:

And here’s a Latin version produced by Denny Randall:

Credits:

Originally recorded, mixed and mastered by Jack Barr in the early ’80s at High Tech Recorders, then remixed and remastered in 2022.
Composers- Seymour Lovejoy, Allan Gunter, John Ryan
Publisher: AyaRTee Music (BMI)
Mixing: Seymour Lovejoy & Nettleingham Audio
Mastering: Nettleingham Audio

In 1982, the core group was called Fantasyband and consisted of me on guitar and vocals, Allan Gunter on bass and my best bud John Ryan on drums, or “Smurd” as he liked to called them. As I recall, Allan and I were on Kauai visiting my guru, Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, and we wrote the majority of the words one day at Poipu beach.

Horn section parts were crafted by Larry Dunlap, and beautifully charted by Carl Smith. A “crack” horn section was put together by trombonist Jeff Uusitalo . The tenor sax solos are by Doug Smith. Per Jack Barr’s suggestion, I hired Quarterflash’s Brian Willis to learn John’s drum parts and re-record the drums.

For all you music theorists, the guitar solo at the end is a “2-part invention”.

The lyrics are rather esoteric. Besides reflecting our divine creative abilities and the moment-by-moment opportunity to use them, they express an ancient perspective called Advaita Vedanta wherein we place our consciousness at the ultimate destination and, by that focus, expedite the physical manifestation of ourselves at that destination.

Lyrics:
Welcome to the Movie, the only show in town.
Might as well get into it now.
No, you don’t need a ticket.
You can be producer, director and the star.
Use the props around you here, now.
You write the script and play the part.

You may choose the city, or a tropic isle.
Pick the scenes you really want to play.
It can be quite amusing.
When we’re all in costume we’re masters of disguise.
Maybe you’ll remember who you are.
And maybe I’ll remember me.

Who am I? You’re another actor, baby.
Where did I come from? From another scene.
Where am I going? Anywhere you want to, baby.
How do I get there? You’re already there.

You may be a merchant, a beggar or a king.
Be the one you want to be, now.
The film is always rolling.
You can win an Oscar, Academy Award.
You can live forever on the screen.
Just be the best that you can be.

It’s a movie.
It’s a movie.
It’s a movie.

You write the script and play the part.