The Cockroach Craze Poem

This poem was written during my youth as a comical parody of the song, "Riders on the Storm," which was written and sung in 1971 by the Doors. The song, "Riders on the Storm," was originally included on their hit album, "L.A. Woman." I wrote this parody of the song while living in my first apartment which was plagued by roaches due to poor management practices, including pest control, by the landlord. The inspiration for this poem finally came one night while watching the newly released movie, "Joe's Apartment" which featured a man who was forced to share his New York apartment with thousands of dancing and singing cockroaches. While watching the movie I was subjected to the constant sounds of roaches scurrying in the darkness and from this insanity the lyrics to this parody were written down for posterity.

Roaches on the crawl
Roaches on the crawl
Oh, roaches on the crawl
You can hear them in the wall
They're coming after you
You know not what to do
Roaches on the crawl

There's a cockroach on the floor
He scurries out beneath the door
Roaches in the mall
The ladies scream and fall
They're taking over France
Making everybody dance
Cockroach on the floor, yeah

Crazy roaches in my head
Crazy roaches in my head
The roaches are all dead
Even little Fred
The exterminator came
And made their bodies lame
Roaches in my head, yeah

Roaches on the crawl
Roaches on the crawl
The streets are filled with bugs
People make them into rugs
They crunch beneath your feet
Making really tasty meat

Roaches on the crawl
Roaches on the crawl
Roaches on the crawl
Roaches on the crawl
Roaches on the crawl
Roaches on the crawl