Basil is my favorite plant. I've cleaned many a grocery store and farmer's market of their basil stock. Every birthday at least one person gets me a basil plant and I spend the rest of the party eating, not whatever food has been prepared, but that basil plant down to the roots. "Basil" is another song about my good friend depression. I was inspired to write it after reading a (very clickbait-y) internet article, the headline for which simply read: "Basil Cures Depression???" The song is about wanting to be happy. It's about wanting a safe, idyllic world in which to live. It's about wanting somebody to love you. "Basil" is my bassist Grafton's favorite song off the album.
lyrics
Lyrics:
Wish I could live in a garden
Although I have a red thumb
There’d be a swing on a tree in the garden
And a stream so cold my toes would get numb
I’d be so happy in my garden
No one would ever call me dumb
We’d all be kind inside my garden
We’d just sing and laugh until the morning comes
But I don’t live in a garden
I live on a computer screen
I’m all alone inside my home
Where no one can hear me scream
But I dream that you would come and swing with me
Underneath the blooming cherry tree
To talk about what we wanna see
What we wanna do, what we wanna be
I have no riches to offer you
No diamonds, or rubies, or sapphires blue
But darling I would give you my hand
If you just buy me a basil plant
And basil cures depression
At least I read that online once
To make a quick confession
I still believe I’m just a dunce, you see
But I’d feel a little better if you got some basil for me
There’s so much basil in my garden
In the garden I made up
I could raze a billion every day
And there’d still be more than enough
But I’ll never live in a garden
I have a crippling fear of dirt
I live here in the real world
And in the real world you get hurt
I blurt out won’t you come and swing with me
Underneath my made up cherry tree
To sing or talk or just hold hands
Either way I’d understand
I’m afraid that I’d have nothing to say
But I’ll keep talking anyway
And darling I would give you my hand
If you just buy me a basil plant
And basil cures depression
At least I read that online once
And to make a quick confession
I still believe I’m just a dunce, you see
But I’d feel a little better if you got some basil for me
And how to cure depression
I've looked that up online once or twice
But I think you're so nice
So won't you come and swing with me?
credits
from Songs to the Monster Under My Bed,
released May 1, 2021
Mirabai Kukathas (she/they) - lyrics, melody, vocals
Grafton Downs (he/him) - bass
Matt "Sabyu" Sablan (he/him) - acoustic guitar, electric guitar, drums, production
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