The Nasty Side Of Life

Finalist – Parkinsong 2026

We nearly all experience something nasty during our lives. Statistics tell the real story. In Mark Edward Fuller and Rene van Helsdingen’s case it was Parkinson’s disease, a brain disorder. This video combines a poem by Mark Edward Fuller, graphic art by Victor de Boo, animation and music by Rene van Helsdingen. Music performed by: Rene van Helsdingen – piano; Lain Barbier and Jane Proove – vocals; Teije ter Maat – saxophones; Jaap Voeten – trombone; Ivan Stavro Gambini – drums; Giacomo Dominici – bass. Music recorded at Marzi Recording Studio, Riccione, Italy. Engineer Dani L. Marzi. Additional recordings and mixing at the Farmsound Studio, Heelsum, The Netherlands. Engineer: Wil Hesen. Production: © Helsdingen Music 2021, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. http://www.renevanhelsdingen.com

The Nasty Side Of Life

Mark Edward Fuller

If that doesn’t get you
then this will

The nasty side of life
Comes without warning
In the blink of an eye
Changing you prospects
From good to appalling

One minute you’re there
Laughing and drinking
Laugh – ha ha ha ha ha ha

One minute you’re there
Laughing and drinking
The soul of the party
The next flat on the floor
Blood pressure sinking

If you knew what was coming
would you go – go on at all?
Given four weeks to live
On the first day of spring
Or a twin-tower fall

The nasty side of life
Comes without warning
In the blink of an eye
Changing you prospects
From good to appalling

When young and gullible
You blithely carry on
With careers and coupling
Restricting misfortune
To the unlucky one

But once you pass forty
Statistics tell the real story
With almost one in two
Nobbled by nastiness
Retirement plans end poorly

If you knew what was coming
would you go – go on at all?
Given four weeks to live
On the first day of spring
Or a twin-tower fall

The nasty side of life
Comes without warning
In the blink of an eye
Changing you prospects
From good to appalling

Life is a bitch we say
Life’s too short for complaining
… for complaining
When the last ditch appears
Raise your glass and hope
For a happy ending

There is no great escape
You can fly to the moon
Buy a Cryogenic crate
But the nasty side of life
Always comes too soon

If you knew what was coming
would you go – go on at all?
Given four weeks to live
On the first day of spring
Or a twin-tower fall

The nasty side of life
Comes without warning
In the blink of an eye
Changing you prospects
From good to appalling

Still you have believers,
Faith in Lord and master
Ducking the big question
What good will their God do
At life’s next disaster

If you knew what was coming
would you go – go on at all?
Given four weeks to live
On the first day of spring
Or a twin-tower fall

There’s no escaping fate
Just a matter of waiting
Till procreation done

There’s no escaping fate
Just a matter of waiting
Till procreation done
Evolution moves on
To new bouts of mating