Mind Game Show

[Steve O]

Hello, First let me start off by saying that I'm not trying to "sell" you a song...or a line. I'm a singer-songwriter out of upstate New York. I wrote an angry blues song from a parents' perspective, as if I was talking to the teachers, principals and school psychologists at the many meetings they had us attend. My wife and I dealt with an apathetic school district that wanted my son medicated or else. We were made to feel as if we were the problem and he was destined to be a "problem-child". He was in 2nd grade and they had all but stopped teaching him, believing him to be unteachable unless medicated. Now, I'm not for or against medication, nor am I an opponent of the public school system, but inherently, I believed strongly that the public schools actually add to the problem for these children. We made a decision to teach him at home when it became clear that they were crushing his being. That song was written a long time ago and now my son is now 16 and is one of the most sincere, sensitive people I have ever come to know. At any rate, what follows are the lyrics to this song, which is available on Apple I-Tunes, if you punch in "Mind Game Show" into the I-Tunes search engine. You can also listen to a longer sample of the song by going to CdBaby and punching in the album title "Crossroads For Peace" into their search engine. This is for all the parents out there at the beginning of this path:

Mind Game Show

YOU TREAT HIM LIKE A CRIMINAL, LIKE A JUNIOR CLYDE IN TRAINING,WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO CHANGE YOUR MIND, ABOUT THE THINGS THAT YOU’RE SAYING?

YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU THINK YOU KNOW,

OPEN YOUR EYES AND SEE THE LIES, WHICH MAKE YOUR WORLD A MIND GAME SHOW.

HE DOESN’T FIT INTO YOUR PRETTY PICTURE,

HE’S JUST A CHILD, NOT A PRODUCT FOR THE ASSEMBLY LINE MIXTURE.

JUST LET HIM BE WHO HE NEEDS TO BE, DON’T BAR THE DOOR ON HIS SMILE.

DON’T RUB HIS FACE IN THE ROAD-SIDE GRAVEL, JUST BECAUSE HE SEES A YARD, WHERE YOU SEE A MILE.

YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU THINK YOU KNOW,

OPEN YOUR EYES AND SEE THE LIES, WHICH MAKES YOUR WORLD A MIND GAME SHOW.

ITS’ ALWAYS THE SAME, THOUGH THE FACES MAY CHANGE, IN YOUR SMALL LITTLE VIEW OF THE WORLD.

YOU TAKE A CHILD AND YOU LABEL HIM WILD, LIKE HE’S NOT WORTH THE TIME FOR HIS TURN.

WHAT’S BECOME OF THE KIDS YOU DISMISSED? DID THEY BELIEVE THE GARBAGE YOU DISH?

DID THEY SEE THROUGH YOUR WALLS? DID THEY BLAST THROUGH YOUR DOORS AND BECOME WHAT THEIR HEARTS ONLY WISHED?

YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU THINK YOU KNOW,

OPEN YOUR EYES AND SEE THE LIES, WHICH MAKE YOUR WORLD A MIND GAME SHOW.

[xstarchildx]

I believed strongly that the public schools actually add to the problem for these children.

I know exactly what you mean, I'm going through all this right now with my 13yr old, he's in all the top grades but because of his behavior, he is on the verge of getting chucked out school for good this time.