The Only Thing That Matters
He likes all our pretty songs
And he likes to sing along
And he likes to shoot his gun
But he knows not what it means.
—Kurt Cobain, NirvanaWho cares if Madonna released a book called Sex,
Who cares if Spike Lee gets rich with Malcolm X,
Who cares about religion or pictures of the Pope,
Who cares about demagogues trying to sell hope,
Who cares if you're ignorant, who cares if you're learned,
Who cares if some castle or corporation burns,
Who cares about hypocrites who want to save us all,
Who cares if you're pretty, ugly, short or tall,
Who cares about sports stars clogging up the air,
Who cares about rock stars or crazy billionaires,
Who cares if you listen, who cares if you don't,
Who cares for a video, who cares for a song,
Who cares about memories recorded on a tape,
Who cares if it’s love, if it’s consent or rape,
Who cares if you own the latest compact disk,
Who cares if you’re reckless or never take a risk,
Who cares if it’s pop, alternative, rap, punk,
Who cares if it’s quality or some commercial junk,
Who cares if it’s deep or shallow or makes sense,
Who cares if you’re calm or violent and tense,
Who cares if you're rude, who cares if you're nice,
Who cares for your clothes, your vanity, your lies,
Who cares about politics, who cares if it's right,
Who cares if you're sleeping with someone else tonight,
Who cares if you take it with you when you die,
Who cares if your life has been an empty lie,
Who cares if you're bigoted or "politically correct",
Who cares if you're brilliant or have a brain defect,
Who cares if it's poetry, who cares if it's art,
The only thing that matters is that you act the part.
November 23, 1992
--Alexander Shaumyan