1. |
Pounding on the Door
03:11
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Wherever I am, it seems I’d rather be
Somewhere else entirely
Soon as I get comfortable, I’m searching for an exit strategy
I’ve never been able to make up my mind
Until the worst possible time
Soon as I escape, I start missing all the things I left behind
So I’m here, pounding on the door, until my knuckles are sore
Everyone wants more than the lot they're given
And I'm trying to take it all in stride, but baby I can't abide
Standing here on the outside, trying to get in
I see how you are, you've got a restless soul
You love spinning out of control
Searching for the corners, but you never find a key that'll fit the hole
You're stumbling, fumbling around in the dark
Searching for a missing spark
It’s easier to change the room you're in than it is to change your heart
Stuck out in the cold, I'm so glad you found me
As we turn the page of another year
I feel the storm surrounding
But the music's loud and nobody hears
This pounding and pounding and pounding
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2. |
Start With Anything
03:40
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All you need’s a word
Or a simple phrase
A melody that lingers
In your head for days
You start with anything, really
You can start with anything, really
First you dig a hole
Where you throw your fears
Out of nothing, somehow
Something new appears
You start with anything, really
You can start with anything, really
Beauty passes as soon as it's formed
Blown away like leaves in a windstorm
Still we can pick up our tools and whittle
And carve it from memory little by little
Just a twist of fate
When you least expect
Somewhere in the darkness
Land and sky connect
You start with anything, really
You can start with anything, really
Just a drop of rain
And a drop of blood
Soon a drop of ink
Grows into a flood
You start with anything, really
You can start with anything, really
There’s so much less to it
Than you understand
No one knows the secret
No one’s got a plan
You start with anything, really
You can start with anything, really
In an empty lot
Where a building stood
Here’s a box of nails and
There’s a pile of wood
You start with anything, really
You can start with anything, really
You can start from anything, really
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3. |
Right Around the Corner
03:11
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I bet you're wondering why I called you
You probably don't know how to react
Not too many people are ready
To slip away into the black
So are you ready to go?
I'm right around the corner
Are you ready to go?
I'm right around the corner
Are you ready for a ride in the shadows?
Are you ready for the big reveal?
You can sleep in the back seat
It's time for me to take the wheel
I’ve been watching you for a long time
Through the sunny days and the storms
I’ve had your name marked in my notebook
Ever since the day you were born
Don't worry about
The things you've left undone, just stop your running
Don't worry about
The people you've left behind, they'll soon be coming
With me
Eventually
Eventually
I bet you think you’re one in a million
Making your important plans
There comes a time when everyone’s forced to
Surrender to a higher command
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4. |
January Man
02:11
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Below, the ground is cold, but it will warm
And all that’s dead will be reborn
Look around, the world is stopped in motion,
but blood is pumping in our veins
There’s so many things that I still want to,
that I still want to change
We live to try again, that much I know
When dreams are starved, then fear will grow
We scatter the seeds of our best intentions,
let them flourish in the sun
I'll be patient 'cause the harvest always,
harvest always comes
And as for the mistakes I’ve made before
I can’t pretend that there won’t be more
Every year, we learn our lessons better,
but some we’ll never understand
Every day's another chance to break,
a chance to break our plans
January, January man
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5. |
Joanna
02:40
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I take the stairs two at a time
I always thought I was the logical kind
Some kind of force I can’t contain
Sweeps me up at the sound of her name
Oh Joanna, by your beauty I’m lured
If you love me, baby, just say the word
Oh Joanna, at your glory I’m awed
How could you ever love a being so flawed?
Give me a hint, give me a sign
I always thought I was the logical kind
My eyes dart, my senses ablaze
I try to reach you, but your mind’s like a maze
I’ll do, I'll do anything to keep you
I’ll build, I'll build a pedestal beneath you
While all of my secrets fall like dust at your feet
Can’t you hear my lonely heart beat?
Can’t you hear my heart beat?
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6. |
Destroyer
03:09
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I met a girl with a heart so clean
She said you’re different from the rest, I said whatever do you mean?
And as time went by, she got to know me well
And the shine went dull, yeah, the blinders fell
She said, Why do you destroy every bit of happiness around you?
We walked to a party in the freezing cold
And she had a couple drinks, she got a little bold
What change came over her when she got mad
What words she said, what teeth she had
She said, Why do you destroy every bit of happiness around you?
She said, I've done my time, I've paid my dues
I'm not some fool, I can smell a ruse
We built this tower, we laid the stone
But now the tongue you speak is not my own
She said, You laid the trap, you set the bait
But the things that charmed, now they only grate
Everybody yearns, but not everybody dares
Everybody hurts, not that anybody cares
She said, Why do you destroy every bit of happiness around you?
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7. |
No Expectations
03:24
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I'm through staring at stars
And I'm just as scared as you surely are
So if this is what you want, I'll try to be true
But I've got no expectations of you
I'm not innocent
I can see you're in the same predicament
But I don't care what you've done
I can't help what you do
I need no explanations from you
We could walk for miles and miles before we know we're lost
Even Romeo and Juliet, they got their signals crossed
So if there's hope inside of you
I hope you know what you're getting into
I try to be strong
But I know how fast love can go wrong
I've got no games left to play
No trials to put you through
I've got no expectations of you
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8. |
A Very Private Man
02:41
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Off he goes, a very private man
With a last firm squeeze of his hand
And as he disappears into the rain
You realize you never caught his name
You see, his heart has rooms
And one should never assume
That the doors are open wide
We can peer down the halls
And put our ears to the walls
But some are never allowed inside
Wears his suit of deep professional hues
He shines his red mahogany shoes
Sprays his hair, with a healthy amount
He’s got to make the first impression count
But if they only took
Another second to look
There's a pretender in their ranks
People only see
What their minds want to see
Then they just fill in the blanks
Says he’s made his share of mistakes
What they were, he won't elaborate
To make things right, it’s much too late
He bides his time until his quiet escape
And if he’s let a couple white lies slip
Those are the perils of salesmanship
Off he goes, a very private man
And there’s so much that we won’t understand
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9. |
Not a Star
03:02
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She is an artist, a creative mind
All through school she daydreamed of grand designs
Onto the canvas, slashes and scrawls
Alone in her room in her paint-stained overalls
Maybe she's a little afraid
That her best won't take her that far
She lets the others soak up the accolades
Sticks to the shadows, she's not a star
He is a singer, handsome and chic
Full of confidence, but not a thing unique
Down on Rivington, he fits the mold
Except his face looks a couple of years too old
But he doesn't realize it yet
He wears a ring so he doesn't forget
What he is and what all the others are
They try to tell him he's not a star
And everywhere they go, there's a billboard
Another moving light they’re running toward
Saying, this is what you should want to be
So jump your highest, and then we'll raise the bar
There's nothing sadder than anonymity
What good is life if you're not a star
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10. |
Last Night in Town
02:40
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Lights are going down in our little town
When the night comes on I feel like I could drown
These little seeds were sown, but now we're almost grown
Don't wanna live my life afraid of the unknown
It's not enough, it's not enough to yearn
To fall in line, to sit and wait our turn
I'm leaving here, I'm never gonna return
I hear those battle cries, what are they waiting for?
Hanging their heads like they've already lost the war
Heard it in a song, I know I'm not wrong
Yeah, there's got to be a place where we belong
Spent my life in bars, spent my life in bars
And I wondered why I never saw the stars
Let's go out tonight, I wanna go out tonight
'Cause the clock is ticking on our little lives
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11. |
The Life to Come
02:30
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She believes in the life to come
When the maker’s work is done
When the old returns to young
The life to come
She believes in the great beyond
Where the meek become the strong
Where every soul belongs
It won't be long
All the kids, telling white lies
Staying up, drinking ‘til sunrise
While she sits at a table for one
Dreaming of the life, the life to come
She says her prayers
And rests all of her cares
She knows that God is good, his will is fair
But it’s ours whenever we want it
It's in our eyes and ears
Its taste is sweet upon our lips
Paradise is already here
All the kids, stars in their eyes
Staying up, drinking ‘til sunrise
While she sits at a table for one
Dreaming of the life to come
And on the day
When her soul is swept away
She’ll stand up proud and say
She wasn’t wrong
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12. |
Turn Your Eyes On Me
03:26
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They say that ignorance is bliss
'Cause she doesn't even know that I exist
From across the room, she's glowing like the moon
They're bringing her drinks and I'm wasting time
Just trying to think of an opening line
And each one is more trite than the one before
My chances are crumbling brick by brick
But my hope, it always contradicts
Whatever my fate, please let it be quick
Just turn your eyes on me
Oh, is she intelligent, is she vain?
Does she talk too much, is her family insane?
I'm on the fence between passion and common sense
Does she feel like a mouse surrounded by cats?
Or a movie star in the camera's flash?
Just trapped in a place with no easy way to escape
Oh, I hear the bad attempts at wit
And I hear them brag, but it's all bullshit
Yeah, they're frauds like me, but they're better at it
I am a nervous magician reaching into his hat
Not knowing if there's more to the trick than that
Nothing's up my sleeve or behind my back
I don't know whether to fight or flee
'Cause I want her love, not her charity
Just turn your eyes on me
Like a photograph left in the sun
Or a shoelace coming undone
Like a levee springing a leak
Or a wallet lying in the street
Like a letter in the back of a drawer
Or a safe hidden under the floor
Locked away, but your love is the key
Won't you turn your eyes on me?
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13. |
Chorus
01:25
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The clock ticks by, how long is it gonna take?
I don't have time to sit around and wait
For the chorus
I want to soak up the rays of the sun
Just give me a simple melody to hum
For the chorus
Just don't give me too much to digest
Maybe something familiar is best
You don't have to spill your heart out for us
Don't bore us, get to the chorus
Chorus
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14. |
God's Through With Us
03:25
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God's through with us
‘Cause we make his job a struggle
Never thank him for the good things
Only call when we’re in trouble
Threw up his hands
‘Cause something in us is defective
Can’t understand life outside
Our limited perspective
Slipped out the door
Said he'd be back for dinner
How did we ignore the signs?
All we’ll ever have
Is this dirty old world of sinners
Shriveling up on the vines
God’s through with us
‘Cause he’s worried and exhausted
Gave us the key to the kingdom
We got drunk and we lost it
Said not to judge
Share our clothes with the needy
Where’d we ever get the notion
That he wants us to be greedy?
Slipped out the door
Said he'd be back for dinner
How did we ignore the signs?
All we’ll ever have
Is this dirty old world of sinners
Shriveling up on the vines
Had a little money saved up
From residual checks
He’s living out
In Oregon somewhere
Doesn’t think about us much
He’s got a novel to write
We’re somebody else’s cross to bear
Finally out of his hair
God’s through with us
We’re always whining and scheming
Always battling with each other
Always looking for another reason
The only rule
Was to love each other dearly
It got lost in translation
Thought he spelled it out so clearly
Slipped out the door
Said he'd be back for dinner
How did we ignore the signs?
All we’ll ever have
Is this dirty old world of sinners
Shriveling up on the vines
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15. |
Heavenly Arms
03:45
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Heavenly, heavenly arms
I'm free from life’s alarms
Never have I felt more peaceful or secure
No bitterness and no pain
No trace of doubt remains
As I fall into a love so deep and pure
Oh, heavenly arms
Heavenly arms
Hold me in the comfort of your heavenly arms
Heavenly, heavenly arms
I’ve known those earthly charms
They tempted me when I was young and scared
But now I know where they can lead
And in your love I've been freed
So I turned to you — there is no darkness there
The troubles from age to age
The wars that humans wage
It’s all because they haven’t heard your name
The grudges that we keep
The worries that tear us from sleep
All along, the answer’s always been so plain
The art that we create
The joyous sounds we make
Every flame that ever grew out of a spark
All the beauty that ever was
It all exists because
You placed it in our souls back at the start
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16. |
Madeline
03:26
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Madeline, is this how our life's going to be?
We get up and go to work, at night we watch TV
The shows are repeats, they're like us in a way
Something to give us comfort at the end of the day
It's only human to wonder, it's only natural to doubt
And the longer we stay, then the harder it gets to back out
Madeline, don't you think there's more to life
Than worrying about what to fix for dinner tonight?
We tell stories that we've told each other before
And make the right expressions so we don't seem bored
There's a table of plenty, but the meals are predictable
And the longer we stay, then the harder it is to get full
There'll never be another hopeful glance
Never be another nervous kiss
Madeline, it doesn't get any better than this
I don't sing for you because I'm shy
I never buy you flowers 'cause they always die
I don't compliment you 'cause it feels like an act
I never say I love you — shouldn't it be fact?
How can some make it seem so easy, so effortless?
And you ask yourself what did they do to have been so blessed?
There'll never be another hopeful glance
Never be another nervous kiss
Madeline, it doesn't get any better than this
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17. |
The Eyes of Love
03:54
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The earth was barren and the concrete cracked
The air was humid and the sky coal black
I saw a single tree, a single small bud
When I looked into the eyes of love
I saw the ruins of the grand cathedrals
Bells rusted and silent in their steeples
Sinking slowly down deep into the mud
That's when I looked into the eyes of love
In the shadows of the factories I drifted
I felt the world's dead weight turning me wicked
I felt the poison as it mixed into my blood
Until I looked into the eyes of love
Caught in the undertow beneath the ocean waves
Pulling me down into a midnight dark grave
I saw a distant light from somewhere up above
When I looked into the eyes of love
I felt the flames of a heavenly fire
She was the all, she was the world entire
Her face a riddle that I learned the secret of
When I looked into the eyes of love
I saw creatures with gasoline on their breath
Carrying sorrow and the stench of death
But her mercy washed over me like a flood
When I looked into the eyes of love
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18. |
111
03:34
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I'll never be the same
Like paper left in the rain
Ever since you found me
I’ll surely survive
But I’ll never feel alive
Without your arms around me
First you love me, then you love me not,
You love me, love me not
It's not that easy
I won’t let you cast me out without a thought
I'll never be the same
Permanently stained
Perpetually uncertain
Our days were soft and sweet
But harder than concrete
When you caught me flirting
First you love me, then you love me not,
You love me, love me not
It's not that easy
I won’t let you cast me out
High above, window view
Down on Fifth Avenue
All these souls, passing through
But they don't know you like I do
The Soho models with blank expressions
The Upper West Siders in therapy sessions
The Wall Street wives with Botox injections
They’re alone, alone among millions
The struggling actors in leather jackets
Schoolkids in Harlem out shooting baskets
Downtown authors with cocaine habits
They’re alone, alone among millions
The subway preachers, they’re yelling out scripture
The Times Square tourists, they’re posing for pictures
The Chelsea boys and the Brooklyn hipsters
They’re alone, alone among millions
Alone, alone among millions
I’ll never be the same
And with me you remain
I’ll always know the difference
I’ll see you in my dreams
Like a movie’s final scene
Fading in the distance
I’m in love, love
Falling out and falling in love, love
Falling out and falling in love
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19. |
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I’m serving in the army of our Lord
I’m serving in the army of our Lord
So bring your stones and knives and sticks
My gun’s made out of a crucifix
I’m serving in the army of our Lord
We’re gonna bring this nation back to God
They’ll know we’re Christians by our camouflage
And we’ve got enough ammunition
To solve this broken world’s condition
I’m serving in the army of our Lord
I bought an old ice cream van to drive
Got a flaming angel painted on the side
And if my message is in doubt
These bumper stickers will spell it out
I’m serving in the army of our Lord
My savior rules this world with an iron fist
No, I haven’t read the Bible, but I know the jist
And God’s laws need to be enforced
I’ll pick and choose which ones, of course
I’m serving in the army of our Lord
Yes, God is coming back to judge our souls
It’ll be at halftime at the Super Bowl
And when I reach the gates of heaven
They’re gonna be handing out assault weapons
I’m serving in the army of our Lord
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20. |
Song for the Ghost
04:01
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I walked from the river where I gave my life
And floated through the air like a twisted kite
I walked from the river where I gave my blood
To mingle down into the Mississippi mud
What a thrill to be alive
I pray for forgiveness, and I shudder and sigh
What a thrill to be alive
I’ve sung for the angels and the heavenly host
The lovers and the witches and the drunks and the ghosts
But they poured on the dirt, covered me over with sod
And left me there alone to face a punishing God
What a thrill to be alive
I pray for forgiveness, and I shudder and sigh
What a thrill to be alive
I remember thinking this is where I would end up
The wicked and the righteous all depend on the same luck
And when you swim so deep you’re caught up in the undertow
Well, look out for the rocks below
I once doubted, now I know it’s true
All your bad decisions will come back to you
And all my enemies, they must be raising toasts
The lovers and the witches and the drunks and the ghosts
What a thrill to be alive
They’re drinking from fountains, and my mouth is so dry
What a thrill to be alive
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21. |
Dancing Around the Truth
03:12
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You are the shirt hidden back in the closet
Never worn, but I can't toss it out
You are the song that once was my favorite
Heard so much that I start to hate it
So put on your dress, and I'll wear my best suit
And we'll go dancing around the truth
Baby, we'll go dancing around the truth
The band plays melodies so bittersweet
We dance the steps that we could do in our sleep
Oh, how we've become the great pretenders
In love with what we can't remember
And in this awful room, I build up my defense
Only to crumble at your indifference
And when I talk to you, I've got my bag of tricks
I wear my masks, but none of them fit
There's obligation where there used to be passion
Where there was beauty now's just fashion
You're like a whole different person when you talk
But dear, I've seen you with your clothes off
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22. |
||||
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If you really want to know what I’m thinking
I’m just wondering if I’m swimming or sinking
The trouble that I’m in, it wasn’t my intent
Went leaping off the pier wearing shoes of cement
Strike it from the record, I love you
Strike it from the record, I'm gonna make it up to you now
Let me apologize for my bad behavior
I took advantage of your beautiful nature
I breezed over the line, then bought into the spin
But only now the damage done is sinking in
Strike it from the record, I love you
Strike it from the record, I'm gonna make it up to you now
Let me take a moment
Collect my thoughts
You know, a lot of life is
Connecting the dots
I’m so careless with my words
What a mess I’ve made
I fling them out like cheap candy at a parade
So hear me out, please
You’re holding the keys
You can let me in out of the cold, or leave me to freeze
Is love forever? Baby, here’s to hoping
But only if I learn to fix what’s broken
I fumble in the dark and hope for the best
You got a better plan, then what do you suggest
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23. |
At This Hour
03:24
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At this hour, the bargaining's through
Don't you see what we're turning into?
You say each day's a chance to start anew
Take a good look around at what denial can do
Love leaves in an instant, it happens to us all
One escapes, the other takes the fall
Giving away secrets and slinging mud
Just two animals out for blood
And when the insults come, it's like a flood
How could we say such things to the one we love?
I've got no time to play victim or to wait for the last laugh
You're an obstacle, get out of my path
The bad times, I don't know how I stood
And the good times, they weren't all that good
I'd take these hours back if I only could
You say you could do better, I wish you would
Why wish for a life that never could exist?
Got to throw away the junk that can't be fixed
I've got no time to play victim or to wait for the last laugh
You're an obstacle, get out of my path
You’re an obstacle, say goodbye to your better half
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24. |
Paper Moon
03:35
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When the pathways get too narrow
I fly away just like a sparrow
Over the power lines and the treetops
Above the clouds filled up with raindrops
I'm sitting on a paper moon
Sitting on a paper moon
Floating off the ground
And swaying to the sound of a familiar tune
We fight with our own little devils
Pushing rocks and kicking pebbles
Too scattered to pay attention
Captives of our own inventions
Back and forth they’re dashing
Against the waves they’re crashing
Lives are flashing past their eyes
Leave it all behind me
Let no choice define me
You can find me
In the bluest skies
Escape the madness and disorder
Erase the reels on the tape recorder
Take your place in the constellations
Out of silence comes creation
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25. |
Trouble
03:33
|
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The sun is shining, I got my raincoat on
Everything is going pretty good, then trouble, trouble, trouble comes along
The fit is perfect, but the color's all wrong
Everything is going pretty good, then trouble, trouble, trouble comes along
You know, I'm just a typical person
I take the stage when I should still be rehearsing
I drink my fill, but I don't stop thirsting
If there's an easy way out, I'm the first in
I got a sense of the time that's wasting
And a taste for the things worth tasting
I know the catch isn't as good as the chasing
I see the crash is gonna come so I'm bracing, bracing
When I have a sweet dream, I wake up to the facts
When I look at a painting, all I ever see are the cracks
Rats in the light tend to scatter
And crystal from a height tends to shatter
Even the finest clothes end up in tatters
So what's the point of love? it doesn't matter, matter
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26. |
||||
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Night and day, it’s all the same, just a lot of waiting
For something new to come along
Think of all the time we’ve spent just hallucinating
Trying to replace whatever’s gone
Here it’s always spring
And I don’t feel a thing
When I see the curve of the earth
Here it never rains
But everyone complains
Like they feel the weight of the earth
Look at all these vacant stares, nothing entertains us
You would not believe the things we’ve seen
Where is there for us to go, what can still sustain us
When reality exceeds your dreams?
And every day it’s more and more
And further than before
But nothing ever really seems to work
Time is standing still
On a mansion on the hill
I can see the curve of the earth
Miles below, the cars pass by
While I sit here and wonder why
Living has to be such a chore
How many friends here can I claim?
I don’t even know half their names
They’re only here ’til they get bored
I can see the curve, I can see the curve
I can see the curve of the earth
Here it’s paradise, but look into my eyes
And you can feel the weight of the earth
Night and day, it’s all the same, just a lot of waiting...
|
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27. |
||||
|
Why would you want to settle down
In such a little anonymous town
It doesn’t even compare
How could you ever be happy there?
Well, aren’t the winters a bit too cold
The ways of thinking a little too old
The buildings beyond repair
How could you ever be happy there?
Think of everything you’re denied
The endless colors just waiting outside
It just doesn’t seem fair
How could you ever be happy there?
So what, you know your neighbors’ names
They’re probably not that fun
So what, you’ve got a great big house
It’s the same as everyone’s
I bet you look at the life we lead
So much harder than it needs to be
But we’re too dazzled to care
How could we ever be happy there?
We can never get away from the crowds
And all the streets are dirty and loud
We can’t even breathe the air
How could we ever be happy there?
So what, we’ve got a melting pot
But nobody seems that nice
So what, the bars stay open late
But the drinks are overpriced
Yeah, these are bubbles that we’re living in
But we can’t stand to let the other side win
It’s almost like we’re scared
We could be happy anywhere
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28. |
Rats in the Ceiling
02:39
|
|||
|
Those masters of the universe
Could see the news was grim
So they opened up the door too far
And they let the vermin in
They clutched them tight
Those stars and stripes
Never thinking what they mean
Gave the bored old crook
The perfect hook
To launch his greatest scheme
Saying, how far can we lead the blind?
How can we scare ‘em good this time?
We got rats, rats in the ceiling
Rats, scratching and squealing
No, it such a terrible feeling
Rats in the ceiling
We grit our teeth
In disbelief
As we watch the scam unfold
They send their crews
Onto cable news
Just to spin those lies to gold
They’ll fan the flames
No sense of shame
Until the mob surrounds
And then they’ll plead
For sympathy
Like there’s some kind of middle ground
They knew where this path could lead
Giving those rodents space to breed
How did we get here? Ignoring it all
Pretending to sleep while they chewed through the walls
They’re out in the open, look what we’ve done
The house is overrun
|
||||
29. |
All My Life
03:05
|
|||
|
When my hair's gray to the roots
When my face loses its youth
When I pull my clothes to fit
You're the one I hope I'm with
All my life
When our dreams seem out of range
When our best-laid plans get changed
When we want more than we have
With you, it wouldn't be that bad
All my life
My steps are slow and cautious
My words controlled and conscious
I move awkwardly
How could I be any more obvious?
|
||||
30. |
||||
|
I heard a song that made me cry
I got embarrassed and wiped my eyes
I fought the tears, but still they grew
The song that made me think of you
I tried to figure out the chords
I barely understood the words
But something rang so deep and true
The song that made me think of you
The singer hit a fragile note
I felt a lump inside my throat
The room got cold, the air turned blue
The song that made me think of you
These old memories
Don't leave gently
They linger long after dark
Long as I'm living
That slow waltz rhythm
Will beat inside my heart
That final night, I do admit
I've spent so long replaying it
And why you left, I never knew
The song that made me think of you
The years pile up before you blink
Like dirty dishes in the sink
I worry what I've turned into
The song that made me think of you
The song came to a sudden close
It's only fitting, I suppose
But in my mind, it's never through
The song that made me think of you
|
||||
31. |
Sunday Go to Meeting
02:44
|
|||
|
Sunday morning church, I slipped in through the door
With my head still spinning from the night before
Sat down in the pews, where every head was bowed
Feeling like an interloper in the crowd
Sunday go to meeting, I’m far from the sun
Staring at the ceiling, oh God, please forgive what I’ve done
Took the body and the blood, just as Jesus said
A little shot of grape juice and some Wonder bread
And as they closed their eyes, I felt a wave of shame
I waited for the spirit, but it never came
All of us should be so lucky
To never doubt the path we’re on
So many claim they know the answer
A few might be right, yeah,
But pretty much everyone’s wrong
I needed to go home, I needed to escape
But at the door something made me hesitate
Faintly I could hear the pastor say the phrase
“May the love of God be with you always”
|
||||
32. |
A Hipster Looks at 40
03:18
|
|||
|
Well, I was standing on the corner at midnight
Wearing Brooklyn's most fashionable clothes
And then I started to worry
Oh shit, I'm from Missouri
I wonder if anybody knows?
Yeah, I'm trying to make a name as a playwright
But I'm not even making a dent
My friends are taking spouses
Saving up for houses
And I can barely cover the rent
What's the point of staying late at the party
When everyone is falling asleep?
What's the point of jumping over the fence
Just to run with a different flock of sheep?
You see, half the things I own are ironic
Like my Jesus Christ poseable doll
My tape of Joanie Loves Chachi
Bobblehead Liberace
And a Baywatch poster on the wall
My friends say we were born at the wrong time
Our work is just misunderstood
I wonder, has it ever dawned
Maybe the world's not wrong
Maybe we just aren't very good
Well, I wonder if Pavement
Had student loan payments
And degrees that they knew they'd never use
I'm straddling the sides
Of a widening divide
And someday I'm gonna have to choose
When we were barely into our 20s
We said we'd never sell out for success
But that life looks so inviting
You wonder what you're fighting
And you start to feel the bitterness
Yeah, I had a realization the other day
I'd rather be rich than poetic
'Cause I'm going fucking broke
Trying to stay in on the joke
And the college girls think I'm pathetic
|
||||
33. |
Cold Weather
03:26
|
|||
|
Hey now baby, your mood is heavy like a rainstorm
The air gets a little heavy and I start to see the clouds form
You say you only want a Technicolor life
Red and green and blue, but all you're seeing is black and white
Somewhere there's a place with only beaches and palm trees
But California girls, they all were born in Tennessee
You want the sunlight to follow us wherever we stroll
When are you gonna learn it's not a thing that we control
But look, the sky is filled with candles
There's glitter on your sandals
Cold weather never comes for any longer than you can handle
Can't you hear the raindrops beating on the window
Like a lovers' argument rising to a crescendo
Our manners disappear, as if in a sudden gust
Sometimes it seems there's only darkness ahead of us
But look, the sky is filled with candles
There's glitter on your sandals
Cold weather never comes for any longer than you can handle
Look, the sky's illuminated
But love's more complicated
Cold weather never comes around 'til the beauty has faded
|
||||
34. |
Longing
04:54
|
|||
|
Sometimes I wonder where I'd be if we had never met
And I ask, is this I'm supposed to get?
I tell myself to stick it out, but these doubts, they never end
And my words cut deeper than I intend
'Cause the first blush was marvelous
But it feels like we've been fading ever since
And I'm longing, longing, how I long just to feel that innocence
I see the girls out on the street, statuesque and tan
With shopping bags dangling from their hands
The passersby all watch them walk, and it makes perfect sense
Why should beauty be without an audience?
And I don't dare, but I still stare
And I wish I was the kind they smiled at
And I'm longing, longing, how I long for a girl like that
I see the girls out at the bar, chemicals in their hair
Blowing cigarette smoke into the air
The clothes they wear are way too tight, but they're dressing to impress
Like it's the only way that they'll find happiness
It's a sad scene, a bad dream
Bright red lips and eyes painted blue
And I'm longing, longing, how I long for a girl like you
How I'm longing for a girl like you
|
||||
35. |
Already It's September
03:37
|
|||
|
I went outside to mow the lawn
It looks like summer’s almost gone, oh yeah
Picked a can up off the grass
Somebody threw it driving past, oh well
Everything is fine, I don’t know how I could complain
The sun goes up and down, the wheels all turn around
It’s all the same, it’s basically all the same
I wash the dishes, fold my clothes
Floss my teeth and clip my toes, oh yeah
I had a drink to clear my head
Watched some TV, went to bed, oh well
Never had the wind behind me, never had a person pointing where I should go
Watch another year meander by, I see again that I’ve got nothing to show
I’ve got a job at some old place
Sometimes I just stare into space, oh yeah
So this is life? It's hard to say
I shrugged and went about my day, oh well
|
||||
36. |
This Could Be the Answer
02:51
|
|||
|
This is the day you make things right
This is the day you change your life
Here's a diet to make you thinner
Scratch the ticket to be a winner
You were sick, but now you're cured
You know, this could be the answer
I want to believe, but I'm never sure
You know, this could be
This is the pill that'll make you smile
And make your bad days seem worthwhile
Through the cold it'll keep you covered
Cradling you like a mother
Turn life's grey to a colorful blur
You know, this could be the answer
I want to believe, but I'm never sure
You know, this could be
If your hair was a little longer
If your chin was a little stronger
If you had a love that would never leave
Then you'd have everything you need
Move away and start again
Get a new job and make new friends
Comb your hair a different way
Wake up early on Saturday
But in the end, you're just as you were
Saying, this could be the answer
You know, this could be the answer
I want to believe, but I'm never sure
You know, this could be
If your hair was a little longer
If your chin was a little stronger
If you had a love that would never leave
Then you'd have everything you need
You'd have everything
|
||||
37. |
I'm Running Late
03:17
|
|||
|
I know I said
That I'd be there at seven-thirty
But work was long
I had to eat and my car was dirty
Before I knock
My speech is carefully rehearsed
With all the blame
Unevenly dispersed
And I could lie, but what's the use
I wish I had a good excuse
I know it's rude to make you wait
But I'm running late
You say it's love
But I don't want to move too quickly
'Cause passion doesn't
End well statistically
But even now
You nod your head in sympathy
It's like you know
I'll make it there eventually
But I've got to make up my mind
I know it's fair, I know it's time
I know it's rude to make you wait
But I'm running late
I pace the floor and I complain
But I've only got myself to blame
Life moves too fast to overtake
And I'm running late
|
||||
38. |
||||
|
Now that everyone has left the room
There's nothing left to hide us
And the atmosphere's a bit like a tomb
Cause our ghosts are still inside us
At night, we grit out teeth and try to suffer through it
Like waiting for a bad movie to get over with
I can tell that this is going nowhere, baby
I can tell that this is going nowhere
And I don't know how much longer I can take it
We're not going to make it
Do you remember when we used to care?
When our faces had expression?
Oh, we'd pick our clothes and fix our hair
To make a good impression
When I hear you laugh, it's like you're crying for help
You tell me that you love me like you're trying to convince yourself
We talk about the future, but we don't make plans
We hammer at the wood, but this foundation cannot stand
I can tell that this is going nowhere, baby
I can tell that this is going nowhere
And I don't know how much longer I can fake it
We're not going to make it
|
||||
39. |
Give In to the Girl
03:04
|
|||
|
I can still remember how the lights went dim
And logic met a sad and bitter end
And now that we're acquainted, the corner where I'm painted
Isn't worth the trouble to defend
Love can seem so simple at the very start
But I don't think I'm ready for that other part
It's so easy to be stupid by being too smart
So now I watch the seconds as they tick, tick, tick
Like drops of water on a lunatic
And I tell myself I'm through
But the more I try to move
The more I see I'm caught up in the thick
Do I give in to the girl?
You say you'll go, you know you'll stay
Defenses fail and senses fray
You gotta give in to the girl someday
Hey hey hey hey, someday
The sun's already trading places with the moon
If I want to leave, I've got to do it soon
I heard love's a sour fruit
So I pull it out at the roots
But maybe this could be the one that blooms
Love can seem so simple at the very start
But I don't think I'm ready for that other part
It's so easy to be stupid by being too smart
Give in to the girl
Do I give in to the girl?
You say you'll go, you know you'll stay
Defenses fail and senses fray
You gotta give in to the girl someday
Hey hey hey hey, someday
|
||||
40. |
Heaven Knows
03:59
|
|||
|
So, here we are back in new love's first blush
I can see you've been here before as well
Many people have been here before us
Look down, you can see the spots where they fell
Who can ever tell why it goes?
Heaven knows, heaven knows, heaven knows
Subtlety's never been one of my talents
It's hard to keep some emotions in check
Falling in love is a delicate balance
And the rope loosens when you least expect
And you never forget what's below
Heaven knows, heaven knows, heaven knows
So we offer up our greatest hits, we recite them blow by blow
And we leave out all the parts where we let our imperfections show
But these lines on our faces are etched in by the foolish paths we chose
Heaven knows
|
||||
41. |
Companion
02:29
|
|||
|
Last night I went out on a first date
I was anxious and she was running late
She left me standing, saying won't you, won't you be my companion?
She said you want too much, I can't have someone so demanding
I went home to polish up my scars
My friends said, let's go out to the bars
And I said what for? Just staring at the girls out on the dance floor?
I've had so many false hopes — well, what's the harm in one more?
Looked at my surroundings with a sigh
But then a pretty lady caught my eye
She smiled kindly
How lucky I was for love to find me!
Of course she walked right past, to the arms of the guy behind me
I saw this girl standing at the jukebox
Wearing a miniskirt and knee-high socks
And I gasped, woo,
My heart started beating kinda fast
Then something awful came on and I knew that we would never last
I went home to find a hole to crawl in
I saw this couple making out in the hall and
I said damn them, won't somebody be my companion?
They said you want too much, nothing's as good as you imagine
|
||||
42. |
Steve Walsh's Brother
03:41
|
|||
|
One of the best memories of my life
Is watching you rehearse in the garage at night
I held a tambourine in my hand
But you never let me join the band
I grew my hair to get the Steve Walsh look
I drew your logo in my school notebooks
Your little brother and your biggest fan
But you never let me join the band
Like a crack in a windowpane
Reflects the light of a distant flame
Seems that's all I've ever done
How I love you, even though you left
I feel the envy in my every breath
You don't know what it's like living in the shadow
Of the wayward son
I remember when the band first broke
I got a mention in your liner notes
And overnight, my fortunes shifted
I had friends I never knew existed
Your visits home became more seldom
My telephone calls, they seemed less welcome
And in your eyes I could see the fence
Between the singer and the audience
I remember when the band broke up
Tried to fight it, but I know I choked up
You said the glory days were just beginning
But even then, I saw the crowds were thinning
These little towns, they tend to smother
Everyone here knows Steve Walsh's brother
But in that blessing, there lies a curse
They know my last name, but never my first
|
||||
43. |
Shrine to Danzig
01:48
|
|||
|
Shrine to Danzig on the living room wall
Candles with blood dripping
Wolves are hungry and they're ready to feast
On the entrails of the living
Dr. Stone's got a dose of medication
Chain you up in the basement for your operation
Got a shrine to Danzig, got a shrine to Danzig on my wall
Shrine to Danzig gonna rip your flesh
Lasers shooting from its eyeballs
Undead army rising out of the ground
Awakening at nightfall
Tripods in the streets, martians gonna enslave you
Better run away, little girl, there's no one to save you
Got a shrine to Danzig, got a shrine to Danzig on my wall
|
||||
44. |
November
02:51
|
|||
|
Did we come to our senses a little too late?
Doesn’t it feel like we’ve made a mistake?
Gave in to the pull of our basest desires
Like cleaning the house by starting a fire
Don’t you feel scared, just a little scared?
Can’t you feel a coldness hanging in the air?
When all we wanted to have was something better
All we wanted to have was something better
How easily we gave into the fear
The ugliness hiding beneath the veneer
We drank from the well ‘til our logic was drowned
And our words spilled out like salt on the ground
Doesn’t matter if you come from the right or the left
There’s some middle path that you’ve got to accept
We’re dodging the facts by shifting the blame
Losing the war just to win at the game
And we tell ourselves with confidence
Those people have no common sense
And we paint the world in black and white
Sitting there like bugs hypnotized by the light
|
||||
45. |
Done and Dusted
01:33
|
|||
|
Done and dusted
The king is busted
And all he’s left holding is a crown
It’s been raining here for years
But it feels like
The sun is coming around
Done and dusted
We were so disgusted
So tired of wading through the mud
We’ve been living with an open wound
We found a way to clot the blood
All those monsters loomed so large
But the air’s been let out of their balloon
Shoved that tired act off the stage
The new year is finally coming soon
Done and dusted
Our gears are rusted
But with a little oil they can spin
There are so many things we need to fix
But maybe we can start again
|
||||
46. |
Stay Up All Night
03:30
|
|||
|
The good old days were never that golden
Why do we hang on so tight?
Clutch them to our chests as if they were stolen
But we’re bound to lose that fight
Money is short and the times are bad
But these hours are possibly all we have
And New York City is such an amazing sight
When the first rays of the morning creep
Let’s still be on the other side of sleep
C’mon, let’s stay up all night
Chinatown looks like a vacant movie set
As the rats cross empty streets
Steam pours out of the grates like a cigarette
Let us breathe the air in deep
The subways scream and the buses hum
Just like they always will, like they've always done
Sirens back and forth and left and right
When the first rays of the morning creep
Let’s still be on the other side of sleep
C’mon, let’s stay up all night
Even when these buildings fall
They’ll still outlive us all
We pass on through like apparitions
Putting plaster over stone
In a temporary home
All this beauty’s just a fleeting vision
Cause out there, something’s happening always
Behind those doors and down those hallways
And out in the streets, the rivers of red and white
When the first rays of the morning creep
Let’s still be on the other side of sleep
C’mon, let’s stay up all night
|
||||
47. |
One Night in December
03:38
|
|||
|
One night in December
Is longer than all of the others combined
Gifts in all their splendor
Waiting under a glittery pine
Each minute passes like molasses as we watch the moon
Soon as daylight comes we're gonna run into the living room
When we wake up in the morning
What's gonna be
There to see
But all of us, we get older
And the things that we feel are never as strong
We brush the year off our shoulder
And pray that a better one comes along
Hang our decorations, and we race to get the shopping done
We wait for the elation but it never seems to come
When we wake up in the morning
Foggy head
Back to bed
In the malls, we sigh and clench our jaws
Lining up for a tired Santa Claus
Happy carols blaring without a pause
Over the intercom
Gaudy trinkets piled up in rows
Buying gifts for cousins we barely know
Stuck in traffic, inching through the snow
Far from where we belong
Let's gather together
And keep the traditions from way back when
None of us knowing whether
We'll ever meet in the same way again
So many people who I love are underneath this roof
We are all so fortunate, and every day we see the proof
When we wake up in the morning
The world can seem
Evergreen
|
||||
48. |
Christmas Card
03:31
|
|||
|
Whenever you're in town, stop by
Come over to the house and say hi
There’s a past we can’t erase
Every year this time, when we’re back in this place
We'll go out to a bar and drink wine
And tell the old stories one more time
And I'll walk you to the door
For a kiss on the cheek and not a thing more
Let's forget about the year behind us
Linger in the love that intertwined us
Let's throw down our weapons, let the fighting cease
Isn't this the season of peace?
I know it's been a while since we've spoken
Some things are better off left broken
But if the end was a little rough
I told you before, I'm not good with this stuff
My friends tell me the news about you
I say I don't want to hear it - but I do
Do you ever wonder still
How things would've gone if we both had the will?
I hope this reaches you in health
I hope you're taking care of yourself
It’s so hard to say goodbye because
I still think of how sweet it was
And your face still lingers with me like a tattoo
With all of the force of a brick flying at you
I remember how it felt when we both were in love - why can't you?
|
||||
49. |
My Turn
03:49
|
|||
|
Sarah and I met on a Friday at a party during senior year
All of the guys there were hitting on her, grown confident from cheap beer
I was sitting in the corner, she came over and we talked for a while
I asked her if she was going to settle for me, and she just smiled
She said, none of this is easy, I know I've got a lot to learn
Everybody falls in love sometime, I guess it's my turn
Sarah moved away to college that fall, and she said that we'd always be close
But days turned into weeks and weeks into months turned into what I'd feared the most
She brought a friend home for Christmas, introduced him to all of us
I shook his hand and looked him in the eye, I could tell that he knew who I was, I said
None of this is easy, I know I've got a lot to learn
Everybody gets their heart broken, I guess it's my turn
Mary and I met on a Monday in the park out by Armory Hill
I know she wants to get married someday, and maybe someday we will
I suppose that I love her, I could've done a lot worse
But now and then, I catch myself thinking about the girl from the first verse
None of this is easy, I know I've got a lot to learn
Somebody's always got to settle, and I guess it's my turn
|
||||
50. |
Old and Weird
03:17
|
|||
|
I can’t wait 'til I’m old and weird
I’m gonna be such a pain
Put ugly art in my yard
And laugh when the neighbors complain
Jump in the car, we’re going out for a ride
The windshield’s cracked down the middle, the mirrors are ripped off the side
And if the wheels start falling off, at least we’ll know we’re still alive
Throw eggs at my enemies
Down at the senior center
Head over to City Hall
And rant at the councilmembers
It’s so much easier just being odd
Not even trying to keep up the facade
Let them all sleep tight in their little glass box
While we’re out here kicking rocks
Paint up my little house in rainbow camouflage
Grow psychedelic mushrooms right out in my garage
|
||||
51. |
All You Ever Do Is Wait
03:30
|
|||
|
You’re a bird in a rusty cage
A broken relic from a distant age
Already lost the crowd, but you’re lingering on the stage
You’re a car in a rush-hour jam
A ship stranded on the dry land
Thinking you're in control, but you're glued to where you stand
And if you could break through, if you could rise above
The fables you cling to, the people that you love
You're pulling on a line, cut it and escape
You’re searching for your moment, but all you ever do is wait
You're a gawker at the scene of the crime
A big spender down to his last dime
While you tell yourself in the mirror that everything’s fine
And you're staring at an empty plate
While everybody else is eating steak
So you swallow whatever they give you to kill the ache
So count your bruises and tell yourself they're scars
Close the blinds and tell yourself they're bars
Pull the covers and swear you can see the stars
When you were young, you fantasized
But now you just wonder what happened to your life
You're living in a dream, but you never snap awake
It’s there when you want it, but all you ever do is wait
|
||||
52. |
Let It Be This Way
02:19
|
|||
|
As the night turns to day
As the night turns to day
Wherever life may lead, Godspeed
Let it be this way
When confusion and dread
Rear their ugly heads
They cannot last for long, carry on
Let it be this way
And if your burden is heavy
Your aim is unsteady
Your path too long a length
You've got no need to be frightened
Let love be your sight and your strength
Come whatever that may
Come whatever that may
Let us throw caution aside
As we stride out into the day
Come whatever that may
As the night turns to day
Wherever life may lead, Godspeed
Let it be this way
|
||||
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