GREG ENGLESSON (Alias Mr.E) is an alternative troubadour performing origin… Read Full Bio ↴GREG ENGLESSON (Alias Mr.E) is an alternative troubadour performing original, topical, high energy acoustic songs that are entertaining and thought
provoking. “Sometimes political, sometimes comical, sometimes mystical, but usually danceable”. Equally at home in the intimacy of a coffee house or all out “balls to the wall” in any size club or festival. “He’s a funky, rootsy, rock and roll show”. Influenced by the Beat Poets, BeBop, Punk Rock, Rap, Blues, Anti-Folk, Soul and Funk. (All rolled into an enigmatic, unique form of self-expressed realness.)
Greg Englesson has been a street musician in the US and Canada. While pursuing a degree in philosophy he put together a music and poetry performance group in Boston called The Social Beings. Upon moving to New York City he appeared solo as The Social Pariah. He then founded and fronted the garage-punk band The Chronic Citizens and produced their debut album “Capital Cult”. It was distributed in the US and Europe... referred to by British press as a “modern R&B alternative” and was an underground hit in the USSR (on home-copied cassette tapes). The band reached cult status before it crashed and burned. Greg arose from the ashes with his book of poetry and an infinitely growing catalog of songs appearing around NYC and the Northeast
as The Chronic Citizen. He moved to Woodstock NY for the summer, became Mr.E had a child and never left.
After some film and voice-over experience and a string of Mr. E homespun demos Greg has reemerged with his first solo CD, Mr.E “Demystified”. Having played everywhere from CBGB’S and the Limelight to Union Square and the Knitting Factory Mr. E is presently booking clubs, coffee houses and festivals throughout the Northeast.

Prism
Mr. E Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

転んだ時だけ気付く混凝土の固さ
失って寂しくって
歌うあの日の Love song
思いしらしてよ君の偉大さを
自分に嘘をつくのが
だんだん上手くなってゆく
流れ行く時代にしがみつく僕を
笑い飛ばしてよ

世間や社会がどんなに醜くても
いつだって君にだけ
真実を話せたのに
戻っておいでよ何もない顔してさ
仮面を着けた姿が
だんだん様になってゆく
飾りたてた言葉を吐いては
笑うよ自ら

どうしてなんだろう
何もかもが憂鬱
自分に嘘をつくのが
だんだん上手くなってゆく
流れ行く時代に
しがみつく僕を笑って
仮面を着けた姿が
だんだん様になってゆく
今日も一人立ちすくむ僕を

もう一度支えてよ
傍に居て笑ってみてよ

Overall Meaning

Mr. E's song "Prism" is a reflective piece about the illusions we create in our lives and the masks we put on to hide our true selves from others. The lyrics describe the hardness of the concrete we fall on when we stumble in life, and the loneliness we feel when we lose something we love. The singer then reflects on a love song sung on another day, expressing regret for not recognizing the greatness of their loved one at that time. The singer has become adept at lying to themselves, and is clinging to the past while the world around them continues to change.

The song speaks to the difficulty of being authentic in a society that can be harsh and unforgiving, and the pressure to conform can lead people to wear masks and tell themselves lies. The lyrics encourage the listener to take off the mask, to be honest about how they feel, and to embrace their true selves.

Overall, "Prism" is a powerful reminder that we should strive to be genuine and transparent, even when it is difficult to do so.

Line by Line Meaning

転んだ時だけ気付く混凝土の固さ
I only notice the hardness of the concrete when I fall.

失って寂しくって
When I lose, it makes me lonely.

歌うあの日の Love song
That Love song I sang that day.

思いしらしてよ君の偉大さを
Realize your greatness.

自分に嘘をつくのが
I'm getting better at lying to myself.

だんだん上手くなってゆく
I'm becoming increasingly skilled at it.

流れ行く時代にしがみつく僕を
Laugh at me as I cling to this era.

笑い飛ばしてよ
Laugh it off.

世間や社会がどんなに醜くても
No matter how ugly society is,

いつだって君にだけ
I always want to tell you the truth.