Benjamin Percy, the author of five books, including the novel The Dead Lands, published in April by Grand Central Publishing, wrote and recorded this literary rendition of the Ed Bruce song "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys," which was popularized in 1978 by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson.
Percy was joined by the Bratlanders of Northfield, Minnesota. Listen to an interview with the author-turned-singer in the debut episode of Ampersand: The Poets & Writers Podcast.
Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Writers
Writers ain't easy to love with their big fragile egos.
They'd rather give you a poem than diamonds or gold.
Flat butts and envy and hate-reading Franzen and
A worthless MFA.
He won’t finish that memoir, because he’ll prob’ly die young,
Of drinkin or madness anyway.
Mamas, don’t let your babies grow up to be writers.
Don’t let ‘em quote Carver or teach as adjuncts.
Let ‘em be doctors, careers that don’t suck.
Mamas, don’t let your babies grow up to be writers.
Coz there ain’t no money and they slouch kinda funny
And put your dirty laundry in a book.
Writers like smoky old bars and dusty libraries,
Whiskey and wine and the New York Times book review.
Them that don’t know him will think him an artist
When really he’s a wordy narcissist.
The New Yorker won’t have him, but his pride won’t let him
Submit to the Sad Sack Review.
Mamas, don’t let your babies grow up to be writers.
Don’t let ‘em tell stories, they might make five bucks.
Let ‘em be lawyers, careers that don’t suck.
Mamas, don’t let your babies grow up to be writers.
Coz AWP’s a Ponzi scheme to me
Better off not testing your luck.