Pain and Misery

 
This song is played in a marching band style with marching band actions.(Like this one at Festival Mata Air In Salatiga, Central Java).
I can see the band twirling and turning in formation, performing complex combinations. It's a very upbeat feel with lots of percussion,  breaking into a battering samba band feel and rhythm.
The lively way the song is performed reverses the hopelessness of being in pain; the song becomes a celebratory release as the drums beat the hell out of the misery state.

(sung)

Pain and misery

Take your hands off me

Misery and pain

Here we go again

Pain and misery

Take your hands off me

Misery and pain

Here we go again

(spoken)

Misery misery misery and pain

Misery misery here we go again

Misery misery misery and pain

Misery misery here we go again

 (chanted in unison)

I want a pill that I can take

So misery I can shake

I wanna jamu just for me

To take away my misery

I wanna life I can live

So I don’t have to feel again

I wanna place I can go

That doesn’t play the misery show

Pain and misery

Take your hands off me

Misery and pain

Here we go again

Pain and misery

Take your hands off me

Misery and pain

Here we go again

Misery misery misery and pain

Misery misery here we go again

Misery misery misery and pain

Misery misery here we go again

 (chanted in unison)

Maybe I can  meditate

On my painful misery state

You think that will do the trick?

Help me to get rid of it?

Breath in pain, breath out light

Mm, not bad I feel alright

Let me try it once again

Now once more for everyone

We think our pain is our own

In misery no one’s alone

Your  pain is mine, my pain is yours

Lets breath in and out once more

I’ll  take your pain, you take mine

We breath out light to everyone

I feel the soft heart of me

Beating in a space so free

Pain and misery

Take your hands off me

Misery and pain

Here we go again

Pain and misery

Take your hands off me

Misery and pain

Here we go again

Misery misery misery and pain

Misery misery here we go again

Misery misery misery and pain

Misery misery here we go again
(continue as long as you like
until you fade into the distance)

Photos by Vanessa Hyde
Cardboard costume workshop by Rudi Ardianto
at Festival Mata Air 2008,09

(c)Poemsong Jan Cornall Lampung 2005