“The Franz Kafka Rock Opera” comes from Season 1 of a 1999 video series called Home Movies. In this episode, we find the character Dwayne writing a rock opera based on Kafka’s famous novella The Metamorphosis. It’s not Tommy or Quadrophenia — two of the greatest rock operas ever made. But it does, true to form, feature lyrics and song. You can watch a segment of the rock opera above.
· Kafka Song #1: Introduction
He is Franz Kafka!
Franz Kafka!
Be careful if you get him pissed…
Franz! Franz Kafka!
He’ll smite you with metaphor fists!
Writing all he can, he’s just a man
A warrior of words taking a stand
He is Franz Kafka!
Spoken: Oh look, but there he is, what will he say?
I’m a lonely German…a lonely German from Prague!
Kafka! Kafka! Kafka!· Kafka Song #2: Turning into a bug
I don’t know what’s wrong with me I think I’m turning into a bug
I see double what I see I think I’m turning into a bug
I ain’t got no self-esteem I think I’m turning into a bug
Bet you fifty dollars I’m a man, I’m a scholar and I’m turning into a bug
Momma like a daddy like a baby like a baby like I’ll turn into a bug
Yeah! Yeah!
He is Franz Kafka!· Kafka Song #3: Living like a bug ain’t easy
Living like a bug ain’t easy
My old clothes don’t seem to fit me
I got little tiny bug feet
I don’t really know what bugs eat
Don’t want no one stepping on me
Now I’m sympathizing with fleas
Living like a bug ain’t easy…· Kafka Song #4: Ending
Spoken: Welcome to heaven Franz! My name is God! I think you’re going to like it here!
He is Franz Kafka!· Louis, Louis End Rap
Well, I’m, curing disease
Helping blind people read
Don’t drink that milk without talking to me (Oh yeah!)
I’m saving those who can’t see with their eyes
Don’t mess with me you’ll get pasteurized!
Yeah! Come on! Come on! Louis Louis in the house! Break it down!
(Jason does a human beatbox)· Kafka End Song
Right now he can
He’s just a man
A warrior of words
Taking a stand
He grew up very poor
He’s steel, it’s to the core
Born in 1883 died in 1924
He is Franz Kafka!
h/t @DongusAmongus
Related Content:
Four Franz Kafka Animations: Enjoy Creative Animated Shorts from Poland, Japan, Russia & Canada
Franz Kafka’s Kafkaesque Love Letters
Vladimir Nabokov Makes Editorial Tweaks to Franz Kafka’s Novella The Metamorphosis
The Art of Franz Kafka: Drawings from 1907-1917
Kind of beside the point, I know, but Kafka was born on July 3rd, not June 3rd. I know because it’s my birthday, too.
Web series? Sorry man, this ran on network tv for a handful of episodes, before jumping to basic cable.