B i o g r a p h y (by RollingStone.com)
Elliott Smith emerged from the Pacific Northwest rock scene of the early 1990s, a performer soaked in both grunge's soul-baring angst and Beatles-infused pop. Smith's refined sense of arrangement and composition made him a singular figure among singer-songwriters and produced a stellar solo catalog until his presumed suicide in 2003. The Texas native, born Stephen Paul Smith, spent his teenage years in Portland, OR. After graduating from Hampshire college in Amherst, Massachusetts, Smith moved back to Portland with university pal Neil Gust in 1992 and started the group Heatmiser. The band released two albums on Frontier Records — 1993's Dead Air and 1994's Cop and Speeder — and was signed to Virgin, which put out their final album, Mic City Sons in 1996 on subsidiary Caroline Records. By that time, Smith was already two albums into a solo career. Roman Candle, a set of spare, acoustic songs, was released on Cavity Search Records in 1994. The songs were ostensibly home demos deemed not suitable for Heatmiser (Smith being one of the two principal songwriters in that band), evidenced by a quartet of songs being titled "No Name #1," "#2," etc. But songs like "Condor Ave." and "Last Call" showed an emotional potential that reviewers linked to Nick Drake and Bob Dylan. Smith's second, eponymous LP was issued in 1995 on the Kill Rock Stars label and showed marked songwriting progression. The album was partially recorded and mixed at Heatmiser drummer Tony Lash's house and featured Gust's guitar on the song "Single File" as well as guest vocals from the Spinanes' Rebecca Gates on "St. Ides Heaven." For the most part, Smith stuck to the instrumentation style of Roman Candle, focusing on the mix of his breathy, pained singing voice and his methodically melodic acoustic guitar playing. Lyrically, the album wallowed in depression, with hefty dashes of addiction and loneliness as seasoning. Smith admitted in interviews that his words drew from his own experience with drug and alcohol dependencies and suicidal episodes. Harrowing opener "Needle in the Hay" was later chosen by film director Wes Anderson to soundtrack a suicide-attempt scene in his 2001 movie The Royal Tenenbaums. Tensions within Heatmiser, reportedly focused on Smith's preference for his burgeoning solo career (and his disparaging comments about the band's music in interviews) led to the group disbanding in 1996 before the release of Mic City Sons, which was produced by Tom Rothrock and Rob Schnapf. Free to concentrate his musical inspirations wholly on his solo efforts, Smith set to creating his most fully realized album to date, 1997's Either/Or. The lion's share of songs on the LP were still sparsely arranged, but the songwriting had once again taken a step forward, Smith reaching for more melody in memorable choruses and adding wrinkles in mixing and production, such as the multi-tracked harmony vocals on uplifting closer "Say Yes" and the surprisingly evolved "Ballad of Big Nothing," which found Smith utilizing full-band instrumentation (he played and sung every note on the album himself) on an uptempo rock/pop song for the first time in three albums. Rothrock and Schnapf mixed the set, furthering a working relationship that would last until Smith's untimely death six years later. The Either/Or track "Pictures of Me" best exemplifies Smith's progression toward becoming the studio-rat pop maven of his later years. The song starts out with representative finger picking and acoustic guitar strumming, but as Smith heads into the first bridge, a rough-hewn but catchy beat kicks in and propels the rest of the song. The obvious touchstone is latter-day Beatles at their rawest, with steady, head-shaking drums and the ham-it-up melodic bassline. Either/Or was Smith's breakthrough album in that its success brought about two watershed points in his musical career: In 1998 he signed to DreamWorks records, his label for his next two LPs. His music also caught the ear of film director Gus Van Sant, who commissioned Smith to provide music for his 1997 film Good Will Hunting. Smith recorded an orchestral version of Either/Or's "Between the Bars" and also contributed a new original song, "Miss Misery" (two other Either/Or cuts, "Angeles" and "Say Yes," were also included on the soundtrack). Following the film's commercial and critical success, "Miss Misery" was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song. Though it would ultimately lose out to the Titanic theme, the song brought Smith to a much wider audience when he performed it onstage at the Oscars in March 1998. Smith recorded his DreamWorks debut, 1998's XO with help from LA studio veterans Jon Brion and Joey Waronker, and the album featured elaborate arrangements and lush instrumentation. Everything shines, from the candy-sweet staccato pop of "Baby Britain" to the hesitating maternal love letter "Waltz #2 (XO)" to a capella closer "I Didn't Understand," whose musical bed comprises a multitude of Smith's own harmonic vocals, echoing post Pet Sounds-era Brian Wilson. XO hit No. 104 on The Billboard 200 album chart and Smith supported it with an extensive tour that included an appearance on Saturday Night Live in October of 1998. His backing band in this era often included former Heatmiser bandmate Sam Coomes, who contributed as a keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist as well as serving as one-half of sometime opening act Quasi. The next year, Smith moved permanently to Los Angeles and began work on his follow-up, Figure 8, which would be released on DreamWorks in 2000 and become the last album Smith put out in his lifetime. The Figure 8 sessions found Smith (with Rothrock and Schnapf in tow) working in Los Angeles as well as in London at the Beatles' famed Abbey Road studios. As if the Beatles comparisons Smith drew in reviews weren't enough, he also contributed a cover of the Fab Four's "Because" to the American Beauty soundtrack in 1999. Like its predecessor, Figure 8 is full of modern chamber pop, mixing in keyboards, strings and studio flourishes on melodically simple, yet structurally complex songs. "Somebody That I Used to Know" and "I Better Be Quiet Now" hearken back to the bare acoustic setting of Smith's first solo albums, while jangly opener "Son of Sam" and the rainy-day rocker "Junk Bond Trader" sound like long-lost radio singles (Figure 8 would reach No. 99 on the Billboard charts). While the music on Figure 8 is some of the most upbeat in his career, the lyrics on Figure 8 still lean toward the melancholy. Even the chiming "LA," with its vaudevillian caricature of Smith's new hometown, portends toward self-destruction in its very chorus: "Living in the day / but last night I was about to throw it all away." Recording the follow-up to Figure 8 proved more difficult than expected, as Smith's drug habits reportedly got in the way of separate sessions with Schnapf and Brion. He performed sporadically throughout 2001 and 2002, working on music for a new album by himself and with David McConnell of Goldenboy. After playing only three shows during 2002, Smith returned to the stage in January 2003 with a trio of gigs each in Los Angeles and New York. He also played an east coast tour in early summer, appearing at the Field Day festival at Giants Stadium on June 7, 2003. Back in Los Angeles and working on a sizeable batch of songs under the working title From a Basement on the Hill, Smith released a two-sided vinyl single on Suicide Squeeze Records featuring two new songs, "Pretty (Ugly Before)" and "A Distorted Reality is Now a Necessity to be Free." He took time out of recording to make his last concert appearance September 19 at Redfest in Salt Lake City. On October 21, 2003, Smith died from two stab wounds to the chest. The coroner's report called it "possible suicide versus homicide," leaving the mode of death officially unconfirmed. Smith had been arguing with his live-in girlfriend Jennifer Chiba and according to Chiba, she locked herself in the bathroom when she heard Smith scream, and emerged to find him with a knife in his chest. The report also noted Smith's reported longstanding narcotics habit (specifically, "heroin and crack") but that Chiba said he had been clean for a year. Smith's estate hired Schnapf and longtime Smith associate Joanna Bolme to put together an album from the sessions the artist had been working on in the years since Figure 8. Anti- records released From a Basement on the Hill in October 2004. The album, which peaked at No. 19 on The Billboard 200, features 15 tracks whittled down from over 30 that Smith had left. It included different versions of both songs from the Suicide Squeeze single, and a handful of other notable compositions that rank with some of the artist's best work, especially the delicate, pastoral "Let's Get Lost," the XO-style nostalgia trip "A Passing Feeling" and the dark rocker "Don't Go Down." In May 2007, Kill Rock Stars released New Moon, a two-disc compilation of songs Smith recorded while signed to the indie label, including demos, b-sides and a cover of Big Star's "Thirteen." The set debuted at No. 24 on The Billboard 200, and was warmly received by critics, with its glimpse into the depth of Smith's artistry at what was in retrospect considered by many to be his creative peak. "High Times," "Fear City" and "Either/Or," amongst others, are as compelling as much of the music on Smith's proper albums. In December 2009, Kill Rock Stars announced that it had obtained the rights to re-release From a Basement on the Hill and Roman Candle, essentially consolidating the rights for all of Smith's independent albums. The press release on the label's website was accompanied by a free download of an unreleased Smith song, "Cecilia/Amanda."
Roman Candle
Roman candle He played himself Didn't need me to give him hell He could be cool and cruel to you and me Knew we'd put up with anything I want to hurt him I want to give him pain I'm a roman candle My head is full of flames I'm hallucinating Hallucinating I hear you cry Your tears are cheap Wet hot red swollen cheeks Fall asleep I want to hurt him I want to give him pain I'm a roman candle My head is full of flames I want to hurt him I want to hurt him I want to hurt him I want to give him pain And make him feel this pretty burn Condor Ave. She took the Oldsmobile out past condor Ave. And she locked the car and slipped past Into rhythmic quietude Lights burning Voice dry and hoarse I threw the screen door like a bastard back and forth The chimes fell over each other I fell onto my knees The sound of the car driving off made me feel diseased A sick shouting like you hear at the fairground Now I'm picking up to put away anything of yours that's still around I don't know what to do with your clothes or your letters It'll make a whisper out of you She took the Oldsmobile out past condor Ave. The fairground's lit A drunk man sits by the gate she's driving through Got his hat tipped bottle back in between his teeth Looks like he's buried in the sand at the beach I can't think about you driving off to leave barely awake To take a little nap while the road is straight I wish that car had never been discovered They took away the bottle and the hat he was under That's the one thing that he could never do And it'll make a whisper out of you She took the Oldsmobile out past condor Ave. Cops were running around the scene Looking for some kind of clue They never get uptight when a moth gets crushed Unless a light bulb really loved him very much I'm lying down Blowing smoke from my cigarette Little whisper smoke signs that you'll never get You're in your Oldsmobile driving by the moon Headlights burning bright ahead of you And someone's burning out, out on condor Ave. Trying to make a whisper out of you What a shitty thing to say Did you really mean it? You never said a word to me about what passed between us So now I'm leaving you alone You can do whatever the hell you want to Na, na, na, na, na, na, na No name #1 At a party he was waiting Looking kind of spooky and withdrawn Like he could be underwater The mighty mother with her hundred arms Swept all aside I hate to walk behind other people's ambition I saw you waiting Saint like With your warning Leave alone You don't belong here He got nervous Started whistling Every thought a ricochet Did you notice? Well I wondered What's the worst thing I could say? And I froze up and sighed You remind me of someone's daughter I forgot her I forgot her name ashamed Go home and live with your pain Leave alone Leave alone ‘cause you know you don't belong You don't belong here And when I go Don't you follow Leave alone Leave alone ‘cause you know you don't belong You don't belong here Slip out quiet Nobody's looking Leave alone You don't belong here No name #2 Concrete hands picked up the telephone ring Do you know who's you're talking to? No, and I don't care who She whispered quiet terror news He didn't give a hoot Said do what you have to do All she had to do was speak Mouthpiece to cheek Please say no more I'm lying here on the ground A strip of wet concrete Her name was just a broken sound A stuttered step you hear when you're falling down Killing time won't stop this crying Killing time won't stop this crying Killing time won't stop this crying You better start watching what message that you send now No more situations I only go in to be kicked out He got knocked down leaning like he ran into a clothesline And remembered a couple of words that hid a crime You're just fine You'll be just fine But I'm on the other line Killing time won't stop this crying Killing time won't stop this crying Killing time won't stop this crying No name #3 We arrived too late Our mouths were opening I turned off the light So come on night You're a witness you You've seen me interrupt A good old fashioned fight So come on night Everyone is gone Home to oblivion Home to oblivion Home to oblivion Watched the dying day Blushing in the sky Everyone is uptight So come on night Everyone is gone Home to oblivion Home to oblivion Home to oblivion I know we're not Illegitimate In our hearing So come on So come on night Drive all over town Two dollar colour pictures from a photo booth Dirty stepped on lying out on the floor of their room Faces fell long in the half light He looks all wrong but that's her alright Look at him smiling full of teeth Clenched tight He knew the one time with the army captain He got one that whole deal before it happened Said its okay I knew exactly what you meant When you said you were an accident But when it's 3am he wonders where in the hell she went And he'll drive all over town Drive all over town And he'll drive all over town Drive all over town Until he tracks her down He'll drive all over town No name #4 For a change she got out before he hurt her bad Took her records and clothes And pictures of her boy It really made her sad Packed it up and didn't look back I'm okay lets just forget about him The car was cold and it smelled like old cigarettes and pine In her bag I saw things she drew when she was nine Like this one here Her alone nobody near What a shame lets just not talk about it No it doesn't look like you But you did wear cowboy boots That's your fame There's no question about it Once we got back inside With one ear to the ground I was ready to hide ‘Cause I don't know who's around And you look scared It's our secret do not tell okay? Let's just not talk about it Don't tell okay? Let's just forget all about it Last call Last call He was sick of it all Asleep at home Told you off and goodbye Well you know one day it'll come to haunt you That you didn't tell him quite the truth You're a crisis You're a icicle You're a tongueless talker You don't care what you say You're a jaywalker and you just just walk away And that's all you do The clap of the fading out sound of your shoes Made him wonder who he thought that he knew Last call He was sick of it all The endless stream of reminders Made him so sick of you sick of you sick of you Sick of your sound Sick of you coming around Trying to crawl under my skin When I already shed my best defence It comes out all around that you won And I think I'm all done You can switch me off safely While I'm lying here waiting for sleep to overtake me Yeah yeah you're still here but just check to make sure All you aspired to do was endure You can't ask for more ask for none Knowing you'll never get that which you ask for So you cast your shadow everywhere like the man in the moon You start to drink you just want to continue It'll all be yesteryear soon You start to drink you just want to continue It'll all be yesteryear soon Church bells and now I'm awake and I guess it must be some kind of holiday I can't seen to join in the celebration But I'll go to the service And I'll go to pray And I'll sing the praises of my maker's name Like I was as good as she made me And I wanted her to tell me that she would never wake me I wanted her to tell me that she would never wake me I wanted her to tell me that she would never wake me I wanted her to tell me that she would never wake me I wanted her to tell me that she would never wake me I wanted her to tell me that she would never wake me I wanted her to tell me that she would never wake me I wanted her to tell me that she would never wake me I'm lying here waiting for sleep to over take me
Elliott Smith
Needle in the hay Your hand on his arm The hay stack charm around your neck Strung out and thin Calling some friend trying to cash some check He's acting dumb That's what you've come to expect Needle in the hay Needle in the hay Needle in the hay Needle in the hay He's wearing yr clothes Head down to toes a reaction to you You say you know what he did But you idiot kid You don't have a clue Sometimes they just get caught in the eye You're pulling him through Needle in the hay Needle in the hay Needle in the hay Needle in the hay Now on the bus Nearly touching this dirty retreat Falling out 6th and Powell a dead sweat in my teeth Gonna walk walk walk Four more blocks plus the one in my brain Down downstairs to the man He's gonna make it all ok I can't beat myself I can't beat myself And I don't want to talk I'm taking the cure so I can be quiet Whenever I want So leave me alone You ought to be proud that I'm getting good marks Needle in the hay Needle in the hay Needle in the hay Needle in the hay Christian brothers No bad dream fucker's gonna boss me around Christian brothers gonna take him down But it can't help me get over Don't be cross it's sick what I want I've seen the boss blink on and off Fake concerns is what's the matter, man And you think I ought to shake your mother fucking hand Well I know how much you care Don't be cross it's sick what I want I've seen the boss blink on and off Come here by me I want you here Nightmares become me it's so fucking clear Nightmares become me it's so fucking clear Clementine They're waking you up to close the bar The street's wet you can tell by the sound of the cars The bartender's singing Clementine While he's turning around the open sign Dreadful sorry Clementine Though you're still her man It seems a long time gone Maybe the whole thing's wrong What if she thinks so but just didn't say so? You drank yourself into slo-mo Made an angel in the snow Anything to pass the time And keep that song out of yr mind Oh my darling Oh my darling Oh my darling Clementine Dreadful sorry Clementine Southern belle Killing a southern belle is all you know how to do That and give other people hell It's what they expect from you too But I wouldn't have you how you want I don't wanna walk around I don't even want to breathe I live in a southern town Where all you can do is grit yr teeth But I wouldn't have you how you want How come you're not ashamed of what you are? And sorry that you're the one she got? Ain't nobody talking now Nobody nothing's said No one's about to shout Nobody's seen red But I wouldn't have you how you want You're killing a southern belle Killing a southern belle Killing a southern belle Single file Here in line where stupid shit collides with Dying shooting stars all we got to show What we really are is the same kind of scars And looking at you all I see is your waiting For something single file you're a murder mile You idiot kid your arm's got a death in it If your choking up take this paper cup But there's a price you'll pay for Trying hard to become whatever they are And saying whatever they say So help yourself to this bitter pill Or somebody else will Single file you're a murder mile You idiot kid your arm's got a death in it Single file single file single file single file Coming up roses I'm a junkyard full of false starts And I don't need your permission To bury my love under this bare light bulb The moon is a sickle cell It'll kill you in time You cold white brother riding your blood Like spun glass in sore eyes While the moon does its division you're buried below And you're coming up roses everywhere you go Red roses follow The things that you tell yourself They'll kill you in time You cold white brother alive in your blood Spinning in the night sky While the moon does its division you're buried below And you're coming up roses everywhere you go Red roses So you got in a kind of trouble that nobody knows And you're coming up roses everywhere you go Red roses Satellite While the hands are pointing up midnight You're a question mark coming After people you watched collide You can ask what you want to the satellite ‘Cause the names you drop put ice in my veins And for all you know you're the only one who finds it strange When they call it a lover's moon The satellite ‘Cause it acts just like lovers do The satellite A burned out world you know Staying up all night The satellite Alphabet town Alphabet city is haunted Constantina feels right at home She probably won't say you're wrong But you're already wrong You're already wrong And you threw up whatever she shot down Said show me around this alphabet town Said show me around There's a name you keep repeating You got nothing better to do And you're with someone who'll hear You say it and just not mind Her hand on your arm Her hand on your arm She put her hand on your arm And told you her name you can't pronounce it I'll show you around this alphabet town I'll show you around this alphabet town I know what you are I just don't mind I won't say you're wrong I know what you want And it's what I want So let's go out I'm ready to go out I'll show you around this alphabet town I'll show you around this alphabet town St. Ides heaven Everything is exactly right When I walk around here drunk every night With an open container from 7-11 In St. Ides heaven I've been out haunting the neighbourhood And everybody can see I'm no good When I'm walking out between parked cars With my head full of stars High on amphetamines The moon is a light bulb breaking It'll go around with anyone But it won't come down for anyone You think you know what brings me down That I want those things you could never allow You see me smiling you think it's a frown Turned upside down ‘Cause everyone is a fucking pro And they all got answers from trouble they've known And they all got to say what you should and shouldn't do Though they don't have a clue High on amphetamines The moon is a light bulb breaking It'll go around with anyone But it won't come down for anyone And I won't come down for anyone Good to go A low riding junkie girl Rode down south to yr little world like a dream You can do it if you want to You can do it if you want to You can do it if you want to be like me I wouldn't need a hero if I wasn't such a zero If I wasn't such a zero Good to go All I ever see around here is things of hers that you left lying around It's all I ever see around here She kicked New-York like a curse And you traced her footsteps in reverse up to queens You can do it if you want to You can do it if you want to You can do it if you want to be like me I wouldn't need a hero if I wasn't such a zero If I wasn't such a zero Good to go All I ever see around here is things of hers that you left lying around It's all I ever see around here Some empty envelopes from some other town It's all I ever see around here I'm waiting for something that's not coming The white lady loves you more Keep your things in a place meant to hide But I know they're there somewhere And I know that's where you'll go tonight I'll be thrown over just like before The white lady loves you more Need a metal man just to pick up your feet It's a long time since you cared enough For me to even be discrete I know what this metal is for The white lady loves you more I'm looking at a hand full of broken plans And I'm tired of playing it down You just want her to do anything to you There ain't nothing that you won't allow You wake up in the middle of the night From a dream you won't remember Flashing on like a cop's light You say she's waiting and I know what for The white lady loves you more The white lady The biggest lie I'm waiting for the train The subway that only goes one way The stupid thing that will come to pull us apart And make everybody late You spent everything you had Wanted everything to stop that bad And now I'm a crushed credit card registered to smith Not the name that you call me with You turned white like a saint I'm tired of dancing on a pot of gold flake paint Oh we're so very precious, you and i And everything that you do makes me want to die Oh I just told the biggest lie I just told the biggest lie The biggest lie
Either/Or
Speed trials He's pleased to meet you underneath the horse In the cathedral with the glass stained black Singing sweet high notes that echo back To destroy their master May be a long time till you get the call-up But it's sure as fate and hard as your luck No one'll know where you are It's just a brief smile crossing your face Running speed trials still standing in place When the socket's not a shock enough You little child what makes you think you're tough When all the people you think you're above They all know what's the matter You're such a pinball yeah you know it's true There's always something you come back running to To follow the path of no resistance It's just a brief smile crossing your face Running speed trials standing in place It's just a brief smile crossing your face Running speed trials all over the place Alameda You walk down alameda shuffling your deck Of trick cards over everyone Like some precious only son Face down, bow to the champion You walk down alameda looking at the Cracks in the sidewalk Thinking about your friends How you maintain all them in a constant state of suspense For your own protection over their affection Nobody broke your heart You broke your own because you can't finish what you start Walk down alameda brushing off the nightmare you wish Could plague me when I'm awake And now you see your first mistake was thinking that you could relate For one or two minutes she liked you But the fix is in You're all pretension I never pay attention Nobody broke your heart You broke your own because you can't finish what you start Nobody broke your heart You broke your own because you can't finish what you start Nobody broke your heart You broke your own because you can't finish what you start Nobody broke your heart If you're alone it must be you that wants to be apart Ballad of big nothing Throwing candy out to the crowd Dragging down the main The helpless little thing with the dirty mouth who's always got something To say you're sitting at home now waiting for your brother to call I saw him down at the alley Having had enough of it all Said you can do what you want to whenever you want to You can do what you want to there's no one to stop you All spit and spite you're up all night and down every day A tired man with only hours to go just waiting to be taken away Getting in to the back of a car for candy from some stranger Watching the parade with pinpoint eyes full of smoldering anger You can do what you want to whenever you want to You can do what you want to there's no one to stop you Now you can do what you want to whenever you want to Do what you want to whenever you want to Do what you want to whenever you want to though it doesn't mean a thing Big nothing Between the bars Drink up, baby, stay up all night The things you could do, you won't but you might The potential you'll be that you'll never see The promises you'll only make Drink up with me now and forget all about the pressure of days Do what I say and I'll make you okay and drive them away The images stuck in your head People you've been before that you don't want around anymore That push and shove and won't bend to your will I'll keep them still Drink up, baby, look at the stars, I'll kiss you again Between the bars where I'm seeing you There with your hands in the air waiting to finally be caught Drink up one more time and I'll make you mine Keep you apart deep in my heart separate from the rest Where I like you the best And keep the things you forgot The people you've been before that you don't want around anymore That push and shove and won't bend to your will I'll keep them still Pictures of me Start stop and start Stupid acting smart Flirting with the flicks You say it's just for kicks You'll be the victim of your own dirty tricks You got yourself to tease and displease Doors swinging wide You walked in to hide Looking at your feet Failure's complete Saw you and me on the coin-op TV Frozen in fear every time we appear I'm not surprised and really, why should I be? See nothing wrong See nothing wrong So sick and tired of all these pictures of me Completely wrong Totally wrong Go walking by Here come another guy Jailer who sells personal hells Who'd like to see me down on my fucking knees Everybody's dying just to get the disease Hey hey hey hey I'm not surprised and really, why should I be? See nothing wrong See nothing wrong So sick and tired of all these pictures of me Completely wrong Totally wrong I'm not surprised and really, why should I be? See nothing wrong See nothing wrong So sick and tired of all these pictures of me Oh everybody's dying just to get the disease Everybody's dying just to get the disease Everybody's dying just to get the disease No name no. 5 Got bitten fingernails and a head full of the past And everybody's gone at last A sweet sweet smile that's fading fast Cause everybody's gone at last And you don't get upset about it No not anymore There's nothing wrong That wasn't wrong before Had a second alone with a chance let pass And everybody's gone at last Well I hope you're not waiting Waiting around for me Because I'm not going anywhere Obviously Got a broken heart and your name on my cast And everybody's gone at last Everybody's gone at last Rose parade They asked me to come down and watch the parade And to march down the street like the Duracell bunny With a wink and a wave from the cavalcade Throwing out candy that looks like money To people passing by that all seem to be going the other way Said won't you follow me down to the rose parade? Tripped over a dog in a choke-chain collar People were shouting and pushing and saying And when I traded a smoke for a food stamp dollar A ridiculous marching band started playing And got me singing along with some half-hearted victory song Won't you follow me down to the rose parade? Won't you follow me down to the rose parade? Won't you follow me down to the rose parade? The trumpet has obviously been drinking Because he's fucking up even the simplest lines I'd say it's a sight that's quite worth seeing It's just that everyone's interest is stronger than mine And when they clean the street I'll be the only shit that's left behind Won't you follow me down to the rose parade? Won't you follow me down to the rose parade? Won't you follow me down to the rose parade? Punch and Judy A wallflower punch talks to Judy In a crowded corner where anybody can listen in But they don't read page to page or speak easy Now they're gonna go say the words In the wrong order again They walk in a circle Through all the sidewalk scenes they used to be apart of one time Now everybody just stares and whispers Driving around up and down division street I used to like it here It just bums me out to remember Can't you ever treat anyone nice? I think I'm gonna make the same mistake twice They draw the curtain Wait for a call Pretty lucky if they get any kind of response at all Can't you ever treat anyone nice? I think I'm gonna make the same mistake twice I'm gonna make the same mistake twice Angeles Someone's always coming around here trailing some new kill Says I seen your picture on a hundred dollar bill And what's a game of chance to you, to him is one of real skill So glad to meet you Angeles Picking up the ticket shows there's money to be made Go on and lose the gamble that's the history of the trade You add up all the cards left to play to zero And sign up with evil Angeles Don't start me trying now ‘Cause I'm all over it Angeles I could make you satisfied in everything you do All your “secret wishes” could right now be coming true And be forever with my poison arms around you No one's gonna fool around with us No one's gonna fool around with us So glad to meet you Angeles Cupid's trick She's shaking down I'm absent and numb from shock Reaching around for the hands of the clock Sugar lied, lick me up, it's my lie Sugar lick me up, it's my lie Sugar lick me up, it's my lie Sugar lick me up Cupid's trick comes down to shake and deal The stupid kick that makes me real Sugar lied, lick me up, it's my lie Sugar lick me up, it's my lie Sugar lick me up, it's my lie Sugar lick me up She's shaking down It's never over and done So kick me, cave me in, I'm no one Lick me up, it's my lie Sugar lick me up, it's my lie Sugar lick me up, it's my lie Sugar lick me up 2:45 am I'm going out sleepwalking Where mute memories start talking The boss that couldn't help but hurt you And the pretty thing he made desert you I'm going out now like a baby A naïve unsatisfiable baby Grabbing onto whatever's around For the soaring high or the crushing down With hidden cracks that don't show But that constantly just grow I'm looking for the man that attacked me While everybody was laughing at me You beat it in me that part of you But I'm gonna split us back in two Tired of living in a cloud If you're gonna say shit now you'll do it out loud It's 2:45 in the morning And I'm putting myself on warning For waking up in an unknown place With a recollection you've half erased Looking for somebody's arms to Wave away past harms I'm walking out on center circle The both of you can just fade to black I'm walking out on center circle Been pushed away and I'll never go back Say yes I'm in love with the world through the eyes of a girl Who's still around the morning after We broke up a month ago and I grew up I didn't know I'd be around the morning after It's always been wait and see A happy day and then you pay And feel like shit the morning after But now I feel changed around and instead falling down I'm standing up the morning after Situations get fucked up and turned around sooner or later And I could be another fool or an exception to the rule You tell me the morning after Crooked spin can't come to rest I'm damaged bad at best She'll decide what she wants I'll probably be the last to know No one says until it shows and you see how it is They want you or they don't Say yes I'm in love with the world through the eyes of a girl Who's still around the morning after
XO
Sweet adeline Cut this picture into you and me Burn it backwards kill this history Make it over make it stay away Or hate'll say the ending that love started to stay There's a kid a floor below me saying brother can you spare Sunshine for a brother old man winter's in the air Walked me up a story asking how you are Told me not to worry you were just a shooting star Sweet Adeline Sweet Adeline My Clementine Sweet Adeline It's a picture perfect evening and I'm staring down the sun Fully loaded deaf and dumb and done Waiting for sedation to disconnect my head Or any situation where I'm better off then dead Tomorrow tomorrow Everybody knows which way you go straight to over no one Wants to see you inside of me straight to over I heard the Hammer at the lock say you're deaf and dumb and done give Yourself another talk this time make it sound like someone the Noise is coming out, and if it's not out now, then tomorrow Tomorrow they took your life apart and called you failures art They were wrong though they won't know 'til tomorrow I got Static in my head the reflected sound of everything tried to go To where it led but it didn't lead to anything the noise is Coming out, and if it's not out now, I know it's just about to Drown tomorrow out Waltz #2 (xo) First the mic then a half cigarette Singing Cathy's clown That's the man that she's married to now That's the girl that he takes around town She appears composed, so she is, I suppose Who can really tell? She shows no emotion at all Stares into space like a dead china doll I'm never gonna know you now, but I'm gonna love you anyhow Now she's done and they're calling someone Such a familiar name I'm so glad that my memories remote ‘Cause I'm doing just fine hour to hour, note to note Here it is the revenge to the tune “you're no good, You're no good you're no good you're no good” Can't you tell that it's well understood I'm never gonna know you now, but I'm gonna love you anyhow I'm here today and expected to stay on and on and on I'm tired I'm tired Looking out on the substitute scene Still going strong Xo, mom It's ok, it's alright, nothing's wrong Tell Mr. Man with impossible plans to just leave me alone In the place where I make no mistakes In the place where I have what it takes I'm never gonna know you now, but I'm gonna love you anyhow I'm never gonna know you now, but I'm gonna love you anyhow I'm never gonna know you now, but I'm gonna love you anyhow Baby Britain Baby Britain feels the best floating over a sea of vodka Separated from the rest Fights problems with bigger problems Sees the ocean fall and rise Counts the waves that somehow didn't hit her Water pouring from her eyes Alcoholic and very bitter For someone half as smart you'd be a work of art You put yourself apart And I can't help until you start We knocked another couple back The dead soldiers lined up on the table Still prepared for an attack They didn't know they'd been disabled Felt a wave a rush of blood You won't be happy 'til the bottle's broken And you're out swimming in the flood You kept back you kept unspoken For someone half as smart you'd be a work of art You put yourself apart And I can't help until you start You got a look in your eye When you're saying goodbye Like you wanna say hi The light was on but it was dim Revolver's been turned over And now it's ready once again The radio was playing “crimson and clover” London bridge is safe and sound No matter what you keep repeating Nothing's gonna drag me down To a death that's not worth cheating For someone half as smart you'd be a work of art You put yourself apart And I can't help until you start For someone half as smart you'd be a work of art You put yourself apart Pitseleh I'll tell you why I don't want to know where you are I got a joke I been dying to tell you A silent kid is looking down the barrel To make the noise that I kept so quiet I kept it from you, Pitseleh I'm not what's missing from your life now I could never be the puzzle pieces They say that god makes problems Just to see what you can stand Before you do as the devil pleases And give up the thing you love But no one deserves it The first time I saw you I knew it would never last I'm not half what I wish I was I'm so angry I don't think it'll ever pass And I was bad news for you just because I never meant to hurt you Independence day Future butterfly gonna spend the day higher than high You'll be beautiful confusion Ooh once I was you I saw you caught between all the people out making the scene And a bright ideal tomorrow Ooh, don't go too far Stay who you are Everybody knows Everybody knows Everybody knows You only live a day But it's brilliant anyway I saw you in a perfect place It's gonna happen soon but not today So go to sleep and make the change I'll meet you here tomorrow Independence day Independence day Independence day
Bled white I'm a color reporter (rose city on the 409) But the city's been bled white (white city on the yellow line) And the doctor orders (drinking till he's trashed is just a waste of time) He drinks all night to take away this curse But it makes me feel much worse Bled white So I wait for the f-train (white city on the yellow line) And connect through a friend of mine (white city to a friend of mine) To a yesterday dream (yesterday dream was just a waste of time) 'Cause I'll have to be high to track the sunset down And paint this paling town Bled white So here he comes with a blank expression Especially for me 'cause he knows I feel the same 'Cause happy and sad come in quick succession I'm never going to become What you became Don't you dare disturb me (don't complicate my piece of mind) While I'm balancing my past (don't complicate my piece of mind) 'Cause you can't help or hurt me (the anger, being mean was just a waste of time) Like it already has, it may not seem quite right But I'm not fucked, not quite Bled white Bled white Waltz #1 Every time the day darkens down and goes away pictures open in my head Of me and you silent and cliché all the things we did and didn't say Covered by what we did and didn't do going through every out I used to Cop to make the repetition stop: What was I supposed to say? Now I never leave my zone we're both alone I'm going home I wish I'd never seen your face Amity Amity amity amity amity amity amity amity caught stars in her Arms hello hello kitty happy in New York City amity walking like a Lucky charm I'm a neon sign and I stay open all the time So let's go, go go go Amity amity god don't make no junk but it's plain to see he still Made me he told me so: I'm good to go I'm ready to go ‘Cause you laugh and talk and ‘cause you make my world rock I'm so, so so so Amity amity amity amity amity amity amity good to go Oh well, okay Here's the silhouette the face always turned away The bleeding color gone to black, dying like a day Couldn't figure out what made you so unhappy Shook your head to say no no no And stopped for a spell And stayed that way Oh well, okay I got pictures, I just don't see it anymore Climbing hour upon hour through a total bore With the one I keep where it never fades In the safety of a pitch black mind An airless cell that blocks the day Oh well, okay If you a get a feeling the next time you see me Do me a favor and let me know ‘Cause it's hard to tell It's hard to say Oh well, okay Oh well, okay Oh well, okay Bottle up and explode Bottle up and explode over and over keep the troublemaker below Put it away and check out for the day And in for a round of overexposure The thing Mother Nature provides to get up and go Bottle up and explode seeing the stars surrounding you Red white and blue You look and him like you've never known him But I know for a fact that you have The last time you cried who'd you think was inside? Thinking that you were about to come over But I'm tired now of waiting for you You never show Bottle up and go, if you're gonna hide it's up to you I'm coming through Bottle up and go, I can make it outside I'll get though becoming you Becoming you Becoming you A question mark I got a question mark A got a need to always take some shoot in the dark I don't have to make pretend the picture I'm in is totally clear You think that all things have a way they ought to appear ‘Cause you know you know you know you know You know you know you know you know you know I don't I dream Don't know what you mean Panic called you out and took you in Giving you an easy game and letting you win You're giving back a little hatred now to the world ‘Cause it treated you bad ‘Cause you couldn't keep the great unknown from making you mad ‘Cause you know you know you know you know You know you know you know you know you know I don't I dream Don't know what you mean Said your final word, but honesty and love could've kept us together One day you'll see it's worth it after all If you ever want to say you're sorry you can give me a call Everybody cares, everybody understands Everybody cares, everybody understands Yes everybody cares about you Yeah and whether or not you want them to It's a chemical embrace that kicks you in the head To a pure synthetic sympathy that infuriates you totally And a quiet lie that makes you wanna scream and shout So here I lay dreaming looking at the brilliant sun Raining it's guiding light upon everyone For a moment's rest you can lean against the banister After running upstairs again and again from wherever they came to fix You in but always fear the city's finest follow right behind You got a pretty vision in your head A pencil full of poison lead And a sickened smile illegal in every town So here I lay dreaming looking at the brilliant sun Raining its guiding light upon everyone Here I lay dreaming looking at the brilliant sun Raining its guiding light upon everyone You say you mean well, you don't know what you mean Fucking ought to stay the hell away from things you know nothing about I didn't understand Thought you'd be looking for the next in line to love then ignore Put out and put away And so you'd soon be leaving me along like i'm supposed to be tonight, Tomorrow and everyday There's nothing here that you'll miss I can guarantee you this is a cloud of smoke Trying to occupy space What a fucking joke What a fucking joke I waited for a bus to separate the both of us and take me off far away From you ‘cause my feelings never change a bit I always feel like shit I Don't know why I guess that I “just do” You once talked to me about love and you painted pictures of A never-neverland and I could've gone to that place But I didn't understand I didn't understand I didn't understand
From a basement on the hill
Coast to coast (pushy preachy)
Last stop for a resolution End of the line, is it confusion? So go. Go see what's there for you Nothing new, nothing new for you to use I've got no new act to amuse you I've got no desire to use you, you know But anything that I could do, would never be good enough for you If you can't help it then just leave it alone (leave it alone) Leave it alone, yeah, just forget it It's really easy I believe I'll forget it too Still you're keeping me around Till I finally drag us both down Pulling feathers out your hat Yes I believe that's where it's at You belong tagging along And I belong in your zoo So I wait for confirmation That you're never gonna use your starting gun Unless its me it sounds like being him just wasn't that much fun Anything that I could do Would never be good enough for you If you can't help it then just leave it alone (leave it alone) Leave me alone, yeah, just forget it It's really easy I'll just forget it too Coast to coast, coast to coast I'll do what I can so you can be what you do Coast to coast, coast to coast I'll do everything I can so you can be what you do Coast to coast, coast to coast Circuit rider comes every fifth Sunday Oh my lord, I fell asleep one day Anything that I could do Is there anything that I could do That someone doesn't do for you That someone didn't do for you That I have already done for you
Let's get lost I've been outside Invited in But I couldn't abide Wouldn't miss it again Burning every bridge that I cross To find some beautiful place to get lost I had true love I made it die I pushed her away She said please stay Burning every bridge that I cross To find some beautiful place to get lost To find some beautiful place to get lost Well I don't know where I'll go now And I don't really care who follows me there But I'll burn every bridge that I cross And find some beautiful place to get lost And find some beautiful place to get lost Pretty (ugly before) Sunshine, been keeping me up for days There is no night time, it's only a passing phase And I feel pretty, pretty enough for you I felt so ugly before, I didn't know what to do sometimes is all I feel up to now But it's not worth it to you ‘Cause you gotta get high somehow Is it destruction that you require to feel? Like somebody wants you, someone that's more for real sunshine, been keeping me up for days There is no night time, only a passing phase And I'll feel pretty, another hour or two I felt so ugly before, I didn't know what to do I felt so ugly before, I didn't know what to do I felt so ugly before, I didn't know what to do Ugly before Don't go down I met a girl Snowball in hell She was hard And as cracked as the liberty bell I got her to Come on and move in with me And I said I'd find a better place We could spend eternity Don't go down Don't go down Stay with me, baby stay Her mama called me a thief And her dad called himself Commander in chief I fought him off with my love But I knew the sense of worthlessness she would have to raise above Don't go down Don't go down Stay with me, baby stay Don't go down Don't go down Stay with me, baby stay She had a dream Woke up in shock She had seen Her own body outlined in chalk I split the scene the globe been spun And her ghost leaned down to kiss me With a message from the sun Don't go down Don't go down Stay with me, baby stay Don't go down Stay with me, baby stay Don't go down Stay with me, baby stay Strung out again You get what you see I saw a rich fuck given charity Saw an evil emperor wearing my clothes Their far from the best But they might suit you better than the rest Just looking in the mirror Will make you a brave man I know my place I hate my face I know how I begin, and how I'll end Strung out again Was a parliament of owls Flying over a city of canals Floating on the body Floating in the dams You get what you see Some things they just change invisibly I don't know where I'm going I don't even want to know I know my place I hate my face I know how I begin and how I'll end Strung out again Standing, smiling on some fantasy island Waving at my lost reflection again But a tide coming in And I'm strung out again Strung out again Fond farewell The litebrite's now black and white Cause you took apart a picture that wasn't right Pitch burning on a shining sheet The only maker that you want to meet A dying man in a living room Who's shadow paces the floor Who'll take you out in the open door This is not my life It's just a fond farewell to a friend It's not what I'm like It's just a fond farewell to a friend Who couldn't get things right Fond farewell to a friend He said really I just wanna dance Good and evil matched perfect it's a great romance I can deal with some psychic pain If it'll slow down my higher brain Veins full of disappearing ink Vomiting in the kitchen sink Disconnecting from the missing link This is not my life It's just a fond farewell to a friend It's not what I'm like It's just a fond farewell to a friend Who couldn't get things right Fond farewell to a friend I see you're leaving me and taking up with the enemy The cold comfort of the in between A little less than a human being A little less than a happy high A little less than a suicide The only things that you really tried This is not my life It's just a fond farewell to a friend It's not what I'm like It's just a fond farewell to a friend Who couldn't get things right Fond farewell to a friend This is not my life It's just a fond farewell to a friend King's crossing The king's crossing is the main attraction Dominoes are falling in a chain reaction The scraping subject ruled by fear told me Whiskey works better than beer The judge is on vinyl, decisions are final And nobody gets a reprieve And every wave is tidal - if you hang around You're going to get wet I can't prepare for death any more than I already have All you can do now is watch the shells The game looks easy that's why it sells Frustrated fireworks inside your head Are going to stand and deliver talk instead The method acting that pays my bills Keeps a fat man feeding in Beverly Hills I got a heavy metal mouth that hurls obscenity And I get my check from the trash treasury Because I took my own insides out It don't matter ‘cause I have no sex life All I want to do now is inject my ex wife I've seen the movie and I know what happens It's Christmas time And the needles on the tree A skinny Santa is bringing something to me His voice is overwhelming, but his speech is slurred And I only understand every other word Open your parachute and grab your gun Falling down like an omen, a setting sun Read the part and return at five It's a hell of a role if you can keep it alive But I don't care if I fuck up I'm going on a date with a rich white lady Ain't life great? Give me one good reason not to do it (because I love you) So do it This is the place where time reverses Dead men talk to all the pretty nurses Instruments shine on a silver tray Don't let me get carried away Don't let me get carried away Don't let me be carried away Twilight Haven't laughed this hard in a long time I better stop now before I start crying Go off to sleep in the sunshine I don't want to see the day when it's dying She's a sight to see, she's good to me I'm already somebody's baby She's a pretty thing and she knows everything But I'm already somebody's baby You don't deserve to be lonely But those drugs you got won't make you feel better Pretty soon you'll find it's the only Little part of your life you're keeping together I'm nice to you, I could make it through That you're already somebody's baby I could make you smile if you stayed a while But how long will you stay with me baby Because your candle burns too bright Well, I almost forgot it was twilight Even if I think that you are right Well, I'm tired of being down, I got no fight You're wonderful, when it's beautiful But I'm already somebody's baby And if I went with you I'd disappoint you too Well, I'm already somebody's baby Already somebody's baby A passing feeling Everything is gone but the echo of the burst of a shell And I'm stuck here waiting for a passing feeling In the city I built up and blew to hell I'm stuck here waiting for a passing feeling Still I send all the time My request for relief Down the dead power lines Though I'm beyond belief In the help I require Just to exist at all Took a long time to stand Took an hour to fall. I'm stuck here waiting for a passing feeling Stuck here waiting for a passing feeling Still I send all the time My request for relief Down the dead power lines Though I'm beyond belief In the help I require Just to exist at all Took a long time to stand Took an hour to fall Last hour Here's the army That you mowed to the ground And the bodies you left lying around Talking it out The last hour I'm through trying now It's a big relief I'll be staying down Where no-one else gonna give me grief Mess me around Just make it over your opinion was the law of the land A single thing that I couldn't always understand I lived it out from hour to hour The only thing that never really changed You ran me all around And dragged me down At the end of the day Don't keep me around Just make it over I've been thinking of the things that I missed Situations that I passed up for this One way love I took for ours I'm through trying now It's a big relief I'll be staying down I wasn't good at being a thief More like a clown Make it over Shooting star You'll make the scene like you always do Going up stream down the avenue To fuck some trophy boy that you'll win tonight at the bar So bad, so far You'll make him sad, shooting star. When it was me I was momentarily proud Drunk on dreams now I'm glad I didn't say out loud You said you'd be for real but I don't believe that you are So bad, so far You make me sad, shooting star You're distant and cold and a sight to behold Everybody just sighs. But no one gets on With you very long, ‘cause you don't feel bad when you lie I'm going to sleep now Going back to find square one Square two be where I can deal with the shit you've just done It won't be soon Say the least it's gonna be hard So bad, so far Your love is sad, shooting star Your love is sad, shooting star Memory lane This is the place You'll end up when You lose the chase Where you're dragged against your will From a basement on the hill And all anybody knows is You're not like them And they kick you in the head And send you back to bed Isolation pulled you pass a tunnel to a Bright world where you can make a place to stay But everybody's scared of this place They're staying away Your little house on memory lane The mayor's name is fear His force patrols the pier From a mountain of cliché That advances everyday The doctor spoke a cloud He rained out loud You'll keep your doors and windows shut And swear you'll Never show a soul again But isolation pushes you ‘til every muscle aches Down the only road it ever takes But everybody's scared of this place They're staying away Your little house on memory lane If it's your decision To be open about yourself Be careful or else Be careful or else Uncomfortable apart It's all written on my chart And I take what's given to me Most cooperatively I do what people say And lie in bed all day Absolutely horrified I hope you're satisfied Isolation pushes past self hatred, guilt and shame To a place where suffering is just a game But everybody's scared of this place They're staying away Your little house on memory lane Your little house on memory lane Little one One more little one I'll go down, stay down Sleep the rest of the day Dream new music to calm down Stay down and keep evil away I can hear you asleep Changing your shape Dissolved in some dream As a new one appears To take you along where you've never been One, two, three, four, five, six, seven The moonlight tonight seems to belong to me Cause I even though some can't sleep I need some company One hit wouldn't hurt a bit at all Slow down, see What's else to find If it's good shit you won't know And I won't know the fact that I'm dying If I seem to be reckless with myself It's the fault of no one All things have a place Under the moon as well as the sun One more Little one I love you A distorted reality is now a necessity to be free
( Album Version ) I'm floating in a black balloon O.d. on Easter afternoon My mama told me baby stay clean There's no in between And all you ladies and you gentlemen Between is all you've ever seen or been Fit poorly and arrange the sight Doll it up in virgin white You disappoint me You people raking in on the world The devil's script sells You the heart of a blackbird Shine on me baby ‘cause it's raining in my heart Sun is rising on a chopping glare Rain dropping acid blotter in the air A distorted reality's now a necessity to be free So disappointing So first I put it all down to luck God knows why my country don't give a fuck Fuck Shine on me baby ‘cause it's raining in my heart Shine on me baby ‘cause it's raining in my heart
New Moon
Angel in the snow I'd say you make a perfect Angel in the snow All crushed out on the way you are Better stop before it goes to far Don't you know that I love you Sometimes I feel like only a cold still life That fell down here to lay beside you Don't you know that I love you Sometimes I feel like only a cold still life Only a frozen still life That fell down here to lay beside you Talking to Mary Talking to Mary, you know you don't have to shout She can hear what you're thinking like you're saying it right out loud She sees behind that dirty look It was her that followed down every every stupid turn you took One day she'll go, I told you so One day she'll go, I told you so Saw the one big problem you keep under your hat And its pretty unlikely that anyone else is cool with that You got a bus fare in your pocket and more money down in your sock But I cant tell you how to find her if you won't listen to her talk High times Coma kid Tell me how you come to follow you around where ever you go Said I don't go, where I'm supposed go And I don't go, really anywhere you know Told me how he's driven by a curse, 'til he kicked out into reverse Said I don't go, where I'm supposed to go And I don't go, really anywhere you know I made up my mind, and I don't mind saying so I went to meet you at central square When I couldn't find you there, I went walking around the city some more People watching with a cold blank stare And I saw your face, in everyone I swear Seems like I never get your kick quite right I was walking slow to a dirty dive I'm so sick and tired of trying to change your mind When it's so easy to disconnect mine High times High times High times, yea I feel fine High times High times High times, man I feel fine Don't pick me up I'm fine right where I am I don't go, where I'm supposed go Where I'm supposed to go New monkey Here come the sidewalk boss again Telling me how I can't cave in That I'm a study in black Need a pat on the back I looked up and smile A picture of dissatisfaction That he can only see as a junkie Though I might be straight as an arrow He's busy shaking hands with my monkey Busy shaking hands with my monkey Well I go in the car Straight to the bar Where my sweetie pours the beer For the millions of fans ignoring the bands He's in my ear Wants me to live in denial Says you've gotta settle for something Though it might not be really living Anything is better than nothing Anything is better than nothing No actor action man gonna move in to take my place I'll be pumping out the product Just a total waste Look at your hands unoccupied Look at the lengths you'll go to hide You're under the veil Pretending to fail Gotta whole lot of empty time left to go Now you've gotta fill it with something I know what you can do don't you know Anything is better than nothing No actor action man gonna move in to take my place I'll be pumping out the product Just a total waste I'm here with my cup Afraid to look up This is how I spend my time Lazin' around, head hangin' down Stuck inside my imagination Busy making something from nothing Pictures of hope and depression Anything is better than nothing Anything is better than nothing Anything is better than nothing Anything is better than nothing Looking over my shoulder
(a.k.a sticks and stones) Wiped out in the city slick Another sick rock 'n roller acting like a dick Needin' cash Burnin' through the trash That piles up in this place And fills up behind my empty face Full of things that I'm not to do You come over with all of your friends And all their opinions I don't want to know And I'm looking over my shoulder Bookin' away with nowhere to go I run down to the corner lot It's forty-five past two I almost forgot to show Got a date to make with Mr. So 'n so After which I wont care when you all start to bitch And moan about bein' alone. You come over with all of your friends And all their opinions I don't want to know And I'm looking over my shoulder Bookin' away with nowhere to go Well can't you just leave me alone You've already thrown all the sticks and stones you had to send my way Well can't you just leave it at that And spare us both the bother cause I just bounce back anyway I got nothin' that I want to do More than make another sonnet fuck you to play Whenever you make my life cliché So to fit in some little box with the all the labelled shit You would say to keep confusion away You come over with all of your friends And all their opinions I don't want to know And I'm looking over my shoulder Bookin' away with nowhere to go You come over with all of your friends And all their opinions I don't want to know And I'm looking over my shoulder Bookin' away Going nowhere He waved hello silent like a mime (remain?) There's no changing my mind I won't walk the stairs with you tonight Going nowhere The clock moved a quarter of a turn The time it took a cigarette to burn She said you got a lot of things to learn Going nowhere Saw you move a certain way Missed you a lot Return to this abandoned place Should a been forgot Echoes drown the conversation out Echoes that only seem to bring about A silent expression Things you may allow Going nowhere The steps made a pattern I'd never seen I felt like a kid of six or seventeen I was off in some empty day dream Going nowhere It's dead and gone matter of fact Maybe for the best Said some things you can't take back Honestly I guess The old records Sitting on the floor The ones I can't Put on anymore He walked over to her like before Going nowhere Going nowhere Going nowhere Riot coming It's to reveal that fucked up cop Amped up on prescription pills That brought my heart to a stop And I want to tell you there's a riot coming Like a drug in the water A punch in the stomach makes sons into daughters I met a girl on the square Who showed me how to kill my cares But once that's done, man, there's nothing to do Time's running backwards from me and you There's a riot coming Like a drug in the water A punch in the stomach makes sons into daughters My body's running but I don't see why it bothers Sat down in jail with this friend of mine Who'd never close both his eyes But one was shut all the time To cover the thing he was scared of While he watched with the other There was a riot coming Like a drug in the water A punch in the stomach makes sons into daughters There's a riot coming There's a riot coming There's a riot coming All cleaned out Here come your pride and joy The comic little drunk you call your boy Making everybody smile He takes your pretty plan And then becomes a disappearing man After a little while I saw you with your make up running down Now what's that all about You say you don't want anyone around Cause you're all cleaned out You toss the empty beer Not really as composed as you appear An icicle inside Wearing clothes that clash Wondering is this treasure or is this trash Still trying to decide And about 5 o'clock here comes your clown With the front he's throwing down But all you say is you don't want anyone around Come not right now There ain't nothing to drink You don't want to think about it I'm sorry you seem so stung And I'm sorry you think you have to hold your tongue When you're so pretty and smart I'm seeing you caving in Becoming afraid of all these men that you've given your heart I saw you with your makeup running down Now what's that all about You say you don't want anyone around Cause you're all cleaned out
First timer I'm a first timer Wishing I was someone else When I see you by yourself In a corridor Where you find yourself not locked By the doors you locked You won't do what the doctor ordered, You won't see someone else Come on back to me, my bright tomorrow And you say you feel hollow And you know it's cause you are Well at least so far I think of you with hesitation I think of you too hard Come on back to me, But don't make me sorry I'm a first timer Wishing I had been someone else Seeing you by yourself Seeing you by yourself Go by Go on parade and fade Hit the scene in slow Spending all your time with some girl You'll never get to know Wound up tight Dressed all in white Some torment saint Blowing out to drift Leave you even if You live up in your head Scared of every little noise Someone's always breaking in accidentally Using nothing but their voice Shrill and small Echo down the hall Repeating pet names Seeing it in your eyes You're only passing by Go by Someone's in the way Pretty words and inside slurs All the things they have to say To perform the work that they've rehearsed It's a waste of time I put it behind me Once and for all And let the hype decline If the problem wasn't mine Go by Miss misery Ill fake it through the day With some help from Johnny Walker red And the cold pain behind my eyes It shoots back through my head With two tickets torn in half And a lot of nothing to do But its alright Cause some enchanted night ill be with you Tarot cards and the lines in my hand Tell me I'm wrong But they're untrue Got plans for both of us That involved a trip out of town To a place I've seen in a magazine that you left lying around I cant hold my liquor But I keep a good attitude Cause its alright Some enchanted night ill be with you Though you'd rather see me gone Than to see it come the day ill be waiting for you anyway Next door the Tv's flashing blue frames on the wall Its a comedy from the 70s With the lead no one recalls Vanished into oblivion Its easy to do a And I cry to see When you talk to me The day you said we were through But it's alright Some enchanted night ill be with you Thirteen ( Written by Alex Chilton and Chris Bell ) Won't you let me walk you home from school Won't you let me meet you at the pool Maybe Friday I can, Get tickets from the dance, And I'll take you Won't you tell your dad get off my back Tell him what we said 'bout "paint it black," Rock and roll is here to stay Come inside now it's ok And I'll shake you Won't you tell me what you're thinking of Would you be an outlaw for my love If it's so then let me know If it's no then I can go And I won't make you
Georgia Georgia Georgia Georgia It's been many miles Since I've seen your fallen smile Close up and personal Your arsenal of excuses You never told her When you walked out on the savannah shoulder With your veins all full of beer Thinking well at least now everything is clear But oh man What plan Suicide It's just not that much different from my own affair Always cussing and crying How about if you Tell me something new Tell me what will make you happy Oh you So deserve to be There were protests and contests Attitudes to cop I want it all to stop Three weeks ago you were all grace and charm And now I know it was just a false alarm Georgia Georgia I can't understand your sickness You have no forgiveness No attention left to pay The quiet way you leave And just forget it all Just takes my breath away How's that supposed to make me feel Yeah, well, how am I supposed to feel Whatever (some folk song in c) They come here alone and they leave in twos Except for you and me who just came to use If you're all done like you said you'd be What are you doing hanging out with me Why you tell me stuff that's so plainly untrue If you'll be straight with me, I'll be straighter with you If you're all done like you said you'd be What are you doing hanging out with me I've been wanting to do anything for a long time But whatever you got right now will probably suit me fine If you're all done like you said you'd be What are you doing hanging out with me I've been wanting to do anything for a long time Whatever you're doing now would probably suit me fine If you're all done like you said you'd be What are you doing hanging out with me What are you doing hanging out with me Big decision Pick me up in an hour or so I don't really recommend it, no They'll probably just put you down I believe you I wanna be you I believe you I wanna be you I know you're not through with it yet It's a big decision You can't kick when you're down Got a feeling kind of like a cough Ain't nothing gonna shake it off Ain't nothing gonna shake it off Until you talk out loud I believe you I wanna be you I believe you I wanna be you I know you're not through with it yet It's a big decision You can't kick when you're down The chromium car reflects who you are taking you home I'm under you're spell can't you tell? Don't you know? God, people wonder if you're sick Spilled out on the city slick Puffed up like a macho jerk Don't even try it it'll never work Why you wonder What you wonder for me Why you wonder What you wonder for me Why you want what I can not be You know I won't stay sober I believe you I wanna be you I believe you I wanna be you I know you're not through with it yet It's a big decision I know you're not through with it yet It's a big decision I know you're not through with it yet It's a big decision You can't kick when you're down Placeholder Looking at all the rows All these records look like big zeros Got your picture on the back of a forty-five A placeholder till you take up mine A placeholder till you take up mine I'm the person you'll never need The biggest loser on sixteenth street The invisible man with the see-through mind A placeholder till you take up mine A placeholder till you take up mine Break off of in someone's laughter You can tell right there He's still a square He likes the way that you look now Like an open book Just like my favourite song Some pretty words that didn't last that long Like a package sent priority overnight Placeholder come and take up mine Placeholder come and take up mine Placeholder come and take up mine Placeholder come and take up mine New disaster Ghost of your smile is always looking for New bodies to haunt And it's been here, it is up here He's hanging around and he'll float for a while Gradually gone It's pleasing and freezing While I wonder what it is you're after Keeping company with this disaster You looked all over town, got turned around To walk back through the mud The kind you had left behind you Everybody's the same in this long knowing game Where every new blood gets time to become resigned Now I wonder what it is you're after Keeping company with this disaster Why you never try to tame your master You just blow through the coals Blow through the coals Till everyone knows That your smile is just a ghost The ghost of your smile was seen on a body in the park It's old news, you see that it's no use You're waiting to start, waiting to light Wait until dark I told you man I told you While I wonder what it is you're after Keeping company with this disaster Why you never try to tame your master Seen how things are hard I took you to the train Stupid shit you displayed I took pictures in my head You an opening stare only Had a little dressy date Just didn't care You were all getting drunk instead Seen how things are hard Seen how things are hard I love you though Seen how things are hard Seen how things are hard Well don't you know Listening to what you thought was a dizzy height Freaked out and forgot you stay well away from trouble that you caused Using all your strength to keep the world at an arm's length And not get upset because something goes wrong Seen how things are hard Seen how things are hard I love you though Seen how things are hard Seen how things are hard Well don't you know I'm a crap reflection of you I cant make corrections for you You have to help me patch things up Seen how things are hard Seen how things are hard I love you though Seen how things are hard Seen how things are hard Well don't you know Seen how things are hard Seen how things are hard I love you though Seen how things are hard Seen how things are hard Well don't you know No Fear city Dragged down into lowercase Trying to get your cops to talk right But they cant put the paper in your face You're just trying to walk by So now I got a new game baby No one's gonna recognize it Your broken english over their flat, tired remarks Still trying to bring some dead beauty back to life Isn't it pretty, yeah I'm gonna see my city dead I can do everything that your man does except for better Got no interest now in undressing your kids with cheap angst love letters You write your name in all of the places no one goes Some can't be satisfied until everybody knows Isn't it pretty, yeah I'm gonna see my city dead Isn't it pretty, yeah I'm gonna see my city dead (come on) Isn't it pretty, yeah I'm gonna see my city dead Either/or You're strong, you're stubborn now In an endless symbolic war Brave or bored, either/or Sometimes I ricochet from the past And at times a future I've already had before Champion or chore, either/or. I'll write the pages you rip out Back in their places again One day you'll know what you're talking about I can hardly imagine, but until then I'll be Filling in these blanks that you create Every time you win some petty score Posing as hardcore, oh yeah, either/or Look at the spin chief, battered and broken Clutching a plastic rose We're all in the downpour you carry around for Trashing a lifestyle you've never known It's a useful dream that makes Quite an entertaining show and not much more Up against and for, either/or Pretty Mary K Pretty Mary K walks along the docks With some sailor's pay shoved down in her sock Pretty Mary K with some little boy in blue Who can't stay away from you Pretty Mary K, take him back to town I'm down here by the bay where the water pounds Up against the wall, crying black and blue Keeps me away from you Pretty words that you whisper, maybe I misunderstood Somebody's not paying attention What they promised and their word isn't good Oh, Mary K, I can see her face Down there in the waves, painted and erased But I know it's just the reflection of the moon A big fake resembling you Gonna go down in the water, fill my mouth up full of sand I'll be waiting, still impatient With my dead imagination while you're with some other man Pretty Mary K is off in somebody's room I'm down here by the bay with my arm around the moon But I'll be with you soon, just as soon as I pay I walk across the water with pretty Mary k Walk on water, pretty Mary K Almost over Think I'm unkind But people aren't the way you think they are They can't remember all the time What it was you wanted They paint you out in straight silhouette But don't you get the picture yet Why you getting all upset The worst parts almost over Three's such a crowd You ought to tell me what you tell yourself You ever gonna speak it aloud Do I have to guess like everyone else With an iron will to walk the walk And the glass drawn that can't be moved to talk Black eyes always watch the clock The worst parts almost over You let yourself be froze by death You think I'm mean ‘cause I call you out You don't know what you're about The worst parts almost over now The worst parts almost over now Now now See you later You got a choke chain Made out of nightrain To keep your memory down In quicksand from the main man To gel everything out Always out on a joyride Lay it out from insides Always at a dead stall From sticking pins into miniature men Who can't feel it at all See you later See you later If I see you at all See you later See you later See you later If I see you at all See you later Walk through thick mud Looking for new blood Thinking I heard your name Cruel imagination is still giving me pain Just to find you with the Masterminder Of one of your little affairs Saying how he loves you now Let me show you how much I care See you later See you later If I see you at all See you later See you later If I see you at all See you later See you later If I see you at all See you later Half right You shouldn't talk to your yourself Well I pictured somebody else Someone that looks like What I look like Would you say that one of your dreams Got in you and ripped out the seams That's what I'd say That's what I'd say He was a sucker for your double dose Motherfucker turned white as a ghost Don't you say hi Don't you say hi With a broken sink for a face And a head that just takes up space He's not half right He's not half right It's already half past And it won't last I was sticking up for my friend When there's nothing much to defend It's a lost fight It's a lost fight Cause when I talk to you on the phone Well it's just like being alone It's not half right It's not half right