The story of a song

Al Sparhawk and Paul Metsa. Photo by Chris Allen.

Songs of Resistance and Resolve

Album Release Party

Paul Metsa

w/ the Tilt Town Titanettes

Saturday, January 31, 2-4pm

Alhambra Lounge,

321 N. Central Avenue

No Cover

Bring nonperishable food items for United Gospel Mission

I have written songs inspired by lines overheard in bars, restaurants, snippets of television or radio dialogue or lines scrawled on bathroom walls, bridges and sides of buildings.

Occasionally, what Bob Dylan calls the “Supreme Commander,” will drop one out of the blue from wherever that entity resides.

Now and then a line written on a scrap of paper will float down from one of the open windows in what Leonard Cohen called Tower of Song.

Primarily most of my political songwriting is inspired by just reading the headlines, like my hero Woody Guthrie.

Last summer I had my first inspiration from Twitter/X the occasional media hellhole run by some guy named Musk. I read it daily to keep track of progressive websites and, of course, the dog videos.

Alan Sparhawk, one of the finest musicians in Minnesota and a true mystic, tweeted something last spring dissing certain politicians as they are just “fool after fool.”

I saw that and thought, “close but it works better as “fool after fool after fool.” I was off and running.
I worked on the song over the summer, probably longer than I have ever worked on just one song. My goal was to write a song that met this particular political moment.

Every time I thought I had finished it, I’d pick up the paper I’d stumble on another issue that had to be addressed. I finally had it finished by the first part of September.

I reached out to Mr. Sparhawk to run the song by him. He suggested a couple of edits, and suggested a few arrangement tweaks. I was honored when he agreed to record the song with me.

I had titled the song “No Kings, No Crown” in September before the No Kings nationwide rallies were announced. We recorded it in early October and debuted it at the No Kings Rally in Duluth on October 18 to an incredible response. I knew then that the song works.

Like the majority of Americans, and especially those of us in Minnesota experiencing the fascist aftermath following the tragic murder of Renee Good, I find myself searching for answers and strategies to deal with the madness.

As a longtime Iron Range prairie populist, I find writing songs addressing social issues helps me account for my time on earth. As a songwriter and artist I hope, of course, that it may help others deal with the darkness, give them something to sing about and dance to, inspire them and at the very least, know they have a neighbor that shares their American ideals and beliefs.

Will songs like this even move the needle? Who knows.

But I (along with Alan) offer it up to our community to know we have their back and to use this song as another bullet in the machine gun of peace and social justice.

NO KINGS, NO CROWN
by Paul Metsa

They are banning the books, the books they aint read
Obeying the voices they hear in their head
They like to say they’re more righteous than you
They’re just fool after fool after fool

They banish the women silence their voice
To clothes hangar alleys with no other choice
Handcuff the doctors and scientists, too
They’re just fool after fool after fool

They mask up like gangster, roll into your school
Round up the students who have broken no rules
In farms and factories, the finest hotels
if your skin’s coffee colored you’re on a highway to hell

NO KINGS, NO CROWN
NOT EVER, NOT NOW
NO KINGS NO CROWN
NOT EVER, NOT NOW

They got alligator prisons, jack boot police
They’’ll grab grandpa or grandma, a nephew or niece
That man selling ice cream, they’ll take him too
They’re just fool after fool after fool

They pardoned the criminals who beat up the cops
Even those who pled guilty with flag poles and rocks
Starve hungry children steal their medicine too
They’re just fool after fool after fool

They’re robbing the veterans wounded in war
Close the suicide hotlines slam the hospital door
Call them suckers and losers for the red, white and blue
They’re just fool after fool after fool

NO KINGS NO CROWN
NOT EVER NOT NOW
NO KINGS NO CROWN
NOT EVER NOW NOW

Their god that breathes fire sets them up for the fall
Behind their halo curtain there aint no god at all
Think they’ll get to Heaven riding King Solomans mule
They’re just fool after fool after fool

If we stand together we become bullet proof
Like old Paul Revere who shouted up to the roof
Warn all your neighbors and repeat after me
One if by land, and two if by sea

History will be recorded and be quick to condemn
The cowardly traitors both women and men
But it’s good to remember, and times this by ten
There’s way more of us than there are of them
There’s way more of us than there are of them

They’re just fool after fool after fool
They’re just fool after fool after fool
They’re just fool after fool after fool
They’re just fool after fool after fool

Words and music by Paul Metsa – 8/29/25
Paul Metsa Music BMI 2025
paulmetsa.com
NO KINGS, NO CROWN
by Paul Metsa