As promised, here's an antidote to the usual Christmas shopping madness; I bring you The Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping...

Shopocolypse
Will you survive the fire? The Shopocalypse, the shopocalypse!
Can you feel the heat in this shopping list.
The neighbors fade into the super mall.
The oceans rise but I – I must buy it all.
Shopocalypse, Shopocalypse…
It aint the blues, it’s convenience

Will we drive fast all night - to wilderness, into the wilderness!
Will we die of fright when the logos hiss
Can we go home, break in our own front door
The TV stops to hear our insides roar
Shopocalypse, Shopocalypse…
It aint the blues, it’s convenience

Will a hard rain we pray confuse the darkest gods,
confuse the darkest gods!
Did Jesus buy on time to improve his odds
The brightest lie it screams into the happy face
The bluest sky betrays, betrays the human race
Shopocalypse, Shopocalypse…
It aint the blues, it’s convenience

Will we sit down and write a blood-stained hit
Will stand and fight, to live without it
We say no, say yes – I’ll love one time well
I take it back, not now, it’s a hard hard sell
Shopocalypse, Shopocalypse…
It aint the blues, it’s convenience

Beatitudes of Buylessness

Blessed are the Consumers, for you shall be free from Living By Products…..

Blessed are you who stumble out of branded Main Streets, for you shall find lovers not downloaded and oceans not rising.

Blessed is the ordinary citizen who holds onto a patch of public commons, for you are the New World.

Blessed is the artist who is not corporate sponsored for you shall give birth to warm fronts of emotion and breakthroughs of Peace.

Blessed are you who confuse “Consumerism” with “Freedom,” for you shall be delighted to discover the difference.

Blessed are the advertisers and commercial celebrities, for you are waiting for the remarkable restfulness of honesty.

Blessed are city neighborhoods that people have flown from in fear, for your children shall return to illuminate the dark economy.

Blessed are the workers in the supermalls, for the town your employers’ killed shall come back to life!

Blessed is the breadwinner with out-sourced dreams who sits in the SUV stuck in a Christmas from Hell, this year a gift will set you free

Blessed are the young women in sweatshops, for the things you make will fly you like magic evening gowns to the City of Light

Blessed are you who disturb the customers, for you might be loving your neighbor.

words: bill talen
music: william moses