Track Three: Don’t Put Your Junk In My Trunk

Songs come from all kinds of sources. My songwriting began as a very personal means of processing trauma and struggling to learn how to communicate—with myself, with others, with God, with the planet, with anybody out there. Over time, inspiration comes from all sorts of places.

This song, Track 3 on the album, was inspired by a film called “Juno,” starring then-Ellen Page as a pregnant teenager. For the first time I realized that young people were calling what we used to call “the family jewels” “junk.” I thought, what an interesting devaluation!

The thought turned into this sassy, kinda sexy song declaring female independence and demanding a prospective mate bring the valuable stuff, not just dumping their junk. I played this one last summer at our big little local music festival and it was a hit, if laughter and applause is any measure.

The song’s meaning grew over the years into a declaration of independence on all levels. Don’t dump your junk into my trunk, or my mind either. I’m the one driving this vehicle; “my storage space has shrunk / my vehicle is divine”. My thoughts belong to me alone, my opinions and perceptions ditto.

The world has grown relentlessly more opinionated and many of the opinions out there are junk. Of course, one person’s junk may be another’s treasure, so your mileage may vary. I’m the boss of my own brain and body, so I set my own standards for what goes into it.

Most people turn to external authorities to tell them what to value, what to eschew and what to think. It’s what we are taught in school, reinforced by multiple forms of media every day, but it’s a terrible way to run a life.

The hard truth is, you and you alone are the centre of the universe you subjectively occupy. You are its only occupant; no one else could share the view you have. Personal growth or individuation comes when we begin to stand in our own shoes and have the courage to deploy our own value systems.

Maybe you are fine saying, “I trust the science, period” or, “I choose who to trust and I believe unconditionally what they say,” or, “This religion/book/system is my guide and I am happy with that.”

If that’s how things look to you, then great! You do you. You are fortunate, I suppose. You don’t have to work at developing your own sense of perspective. You can simply rely on external guides and markers and follow along. Whee! Fun. Simple. But don’t put that junk into my trunk please.

It just doesn’t work for me. I am not wired that way. My mind is constantly cycling and questioning. I have to be in charge of my own beliefs and perceptions; I am allergic to dogma. I construct and inhabit my own point of view, and it continually evolves as I learn. That is essentially what the song is about.

This was very fun to write and sing. And yes, the innuendo is relentless. Sorry not sorry.

Lyrics:

Don't Put Your Junk in My Trunk

Don't put your junk into my trunk
I'm the one who's driving
I mean to make it home alive
I'm talking about surviving

Deal with your junk
No need to be a slob
Don't you bother me with bunk
Your junk is not my job

Don't put your junk in my trunk,
I mean to keep it clean
I got junk of my own
if you know what I mean

Deal with your junk
I will deal with mine
My storage space has shrunk
My vehicle is divine

Don't put your junk in my trunk
This is a pleasure cruise
So bring only your best
what have you left to lose?

Gently, with feeling
Pull back the peeling
Of the wrapping on the package
You've been saving for someday

Then slide your gold into my hold
your sheep into my fold
Slip your jewels into my bank
your tiger into my tank

Slide your rock into my roll
Your funk into my soul
Slip your treasure into my chest
your birdies into my nest

And gently, with feeling
it's time for revealing
When you show me what you're worth,
Baby I'll show you the way

And slide your keys into my locks,
Your jack into my box
Slip your weary into my rest
your maybe into my yes
Oh yes, yes

Find the rest of the album here, or you can find me on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon. All the places!

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