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1. |
First Song
02:06
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Say all you want
For a moment
It was wonderful
The sun starts to rise
I think it's time
Let's get down to things
And there's no doubt
That life continues somehow
So lead the way
I can't stay long, baby
We'll make the most of it
As church bells ring
We do things that
Are far from piety
And as things stand
Let's keep things unplanned
If that's okay
'Cause I
Have found
It's just more fun that way
You called it wonderful
Or was it just necessary?
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2. |
16 Lovers
02:19
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It was a feeling we could hardly recall
As if the past had never happened at all
It was strange and slightly comical
And even sublime
We had a history, still we didn't know;
We had been through this before, although
That was 16 lovers ago
Such a long time
And I never expected
We'd again share the same bed
We had learned so much since then
So many ways to please time and again
Things we could not comprehend
At that first moment
From excited teens with barely a clue
To disenchanted adults with nothing to prove
And somehow still unsure what to do
Once it's over
And I never expected
We'd again share the same bed
At your parent's house on Sawyer Road
And with no one else but us at home
That was 16 lovers ago
Such a long time
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3. |
A Song About Denver
02:14
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A tiny horse upon a giant chair
I'm looking at the barrette in your hair
We climbed the tower but there’s no one there
It’s a beautiful day
It’s a beautiful holiday
And all the buses down on 16th Street
(Past the chess-piece sculptures) run for free
Out west there are restaurants named after me
It’s a beautiful day
It’s a beautiful holiday
We chased the sunset on the short drive out to Boulder
With cameras
All of the hippies with guitars strapped over their shoulders
Sing ‘tra-la-la’
We walk the square until the night starts to get colder
And then head back
I’m running out of time
But everything will be fine
As soon as I hold
Your hand
And all the jazz club’s drinks are watered down
There’s still some leftover wine at your house (let’s go)
And even though I’ll soon be leaving town
It’s a beautiful day
It’s a beautiful holiday
If I could stay
Just one more day
With you
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4. |
Ah Ah Ah
05:04
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There is a show tonight and we were both invited
Plus there's a party being held at a friend's
But we will spend our time, every single moment
Together in your bed
Put some music on - set the thing on 'shuffle'
And make your way back to me
I'm sure we won't be missed - not that it matters
'Cause all that matters is that we're both here
There will be other shows
And other parties thrown
Other awkward repartees
This town's a landmine of
Ex's and former loves
We will stay out of the fray
I will get more wine - open another bottle
And crawl back to your side
Sleep can wait awhile - this is strictly a moment
For me to do anything you'd like
You say the oddest thing
During our lovemaking
A kink that's hard not to fall for
It is the subtlety
Of your absurdities
That makes me love you more
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5. |
Aimless Song
01:49
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I'll be aimless for a change
All my other plans and goals can wait
This is not a time to work
The energy I'll most exert
Will be spent getting out of bed today
No thoughts towards creative means
No attempts at deeper reasonings
I'll see how long I can last
Without reflecting on the past
The infinite should-have and could-have-beens
I'll be just fine
Setting things aside for another time
All regrets will be postponed
The opportunities I've blown
Will not be given any room inside my mind
All lamentations will be stalled
Both the business and the personal
There'll be no dwelling on that girl
As if it's the end of the world
If she were never to return my call
I will not think about the stress
Or the irrational need to impress
I'll keep anxieties at bay
Let the chips fall where they may
Keep the worries happily suppressed
I'll be just fine
Setting things aside for another time
All regrets will be postponed
The opportunities I've blown
Will not be given any room inside my mind
I'm sure it'll be okay
To waste one measly little day
And briefly let life's pressures pass me by
I'll be aimless for today
All my other plans and goals can wait
In the morning I'll resume
My misanthropic march towards doom
That'll lead me to an early grave
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6. |
An Incidental Moment
01:56
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I turned my head at just the right time
And what I saw I still can't get out of my mind
You were just doing your job, I was with some friends
A fluky moment that might not happen again
I know I shouldn't think of you this way
But let me indulge for at least one day
It's a harmless thing to think
Nothing will come out of it
And that's how it will (probably) remain
The status quo works for us at this time
If we move closer, though, that'll be just fine
I need someone to spur my creative side
Everyone else in town bores me out of my mind
So let's hang out for a while when your shift ends
We'll keep the code of conduct of 'just friends'
Let's get some drinks and chat
Shoot the shit 'bout this and that
I promise it'll be time well spent
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7. |
Apologies To Sigrun
03:26
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On a bench outside a bar whose name I couldn't pronounce
Almost four in the morning but it was already light out
With a girl by my side, it was a positive sign
But the tears in her eyes were telling me otherwise
I was cruising through this silly game surprisingly well
On the cusp of having one hell of a story to tell
Now the story's still good but it's changed horribly
Foiled by the advance of U.S. breath mint technology
Apologies to Sigrun
I've never said 'I'm sorry' (and meant it) so many times
Conquest was sadly now the furthest thing on my mind
But she seemed to understand that it was just an honest mistake
She forced a smile and, in broken English, said that she was o.k.
Apologies to Sigrun
I never thought I'd be
On this island in the northeast corner of the sea
Cursing Listerine
I should be just like every other tourist in a drunken revelry
Instead of stressing out over an overpowering burst of wintergreen
My heart sank when she said that she wanted to go
But she said my hostel was in the same neighborhood as her home
So we shared a cab and - at her house - instead of saying goodbye
She invited me in, it was a positive sign
Apologies to Sigrun
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8. |
Bastard's Song
03:05
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Let me break your heart
Let me make you cry
If you think I can't
At least let me try
'Cause it won't take long
It won't take long at all
I will break apart
Your fragile self-esteem
I'll exploit your faults
And destroy your dreams
And it won't take long
It won't take long at all
And all the wasted tears in your eyes
Will quietly go dry
And all the pretty stars in the sky
Will never take your side
Let me break your heart
Let me make you cry
If you think I can't
At least let me try
'Cause it won't take long
It won't take long at all
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9. |
Bedford Avenue
01:21
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Walking Brooklyn in a never-ending rain
Wondering if the Spring will ever come again
The bobbing of umbrellas along Bedford Avenue
Is a lovely thing to view
Slip inside a coffeeshop though I am not thirsty
Just looking for a place to dry off and rest my feet
And try hard not to think of you, my sweet lady
Please Brooklyn, distract me
And every bite of some wonderfully tasty food
And every drop of beer locally brewed
Cannot make me forget that you are far from here
I miss you so much, dear
So many folks here remind me of friends I have back home
An incessant reminder that I am here alone
Watching pigeons from inside the coffeeshop
Waiting for the rain to stop
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10. |
Black Mountain
03:52
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A boyfriend "or whatever"
Or whatever becomes of this night
Now I know never to say never
Someday I might get this right
It's so weird to be here together
As together as our conscience permits
To be sure, things could be so much better
Better than . . .
Better when . . .
Better if . . .
See us there, we are well aware
It's not far from plain sight
Prospects dim as fatigue sets in
Black Mountain is quiet tonight
Black Mountain is quiet tonight
A boyfriend "or whatever"
Or whatever becomes of this night
Now I know things could be so much better
Maybe someday I'll get this right
See us there, we are well aware
It's not far from plain sight
Prospects dim as fatigue sets in
Time grows anxiously tight
See us there, we are well aware
It's not far from plain sight
Prospects dim as fatigue sets in
Black Mountain is quiet tonight
Black Mountain is quiet tonight
Black Mountain is quiet tonight
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11. |
Breakdown Summer
02:52
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It's just another breakdown summer
Another heart attack that's come and gone
Ninety days of anxious waiting
Coming clean and coming quite undone
We were so drunk on Susan's front porch
We stumbled all the way back to my place
If you claimed you were so happy
Then why do you keep calling this a mistake
Fighting off thunderstorms, the humidity, and mosquitoes
I'm walking past the wrong bushes and knocking on the wrong windows
Your sister said she'd get us mushrooms
She had a friend who knew a friend of friend
A backroom deal and time well wasted
In and out and here we go again
When I looked into your eyes I swore
I saw something there worth fighting for
Now I'm not so certain anymore
We understood the rules for action
You wore a pair of my boxers to bed
There were no subtleties required
There were no words that needed to be said
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12. |
Candy Cane Withdrawal
02:24
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Sorry, I can't find the file with the lyrics to this song right now and I don't feel like typing them all out at the moment. For the record, my favorite part of these lyrics is the DSM-IV reference at the beginning. Everything else is . . . well, it's fucking stupid. Catchy, though!
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13. |
Chickenshits
04:04
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Half-asleep upon your floor
Huddled up against the heater's warmth
You were sick and felt at last
That the sickness had finally passed
And I held you in my embrace
Brushed the hair off from your face
And the highlights tinted there
I'm playing with your tawny hair
Circumstances not quite clear
Not sure yet how we got here
The feelings that we thought were gone
Come out in our new gypsy songs
And I held you in my embrace
Brushed the hair off from your face
And the highlights tinted there
I'm playing with your tawny hair
We talked of all the friends we missed
Of long-lost loves and the chickenshits
The ones too scared to say a word
Afraid to act and never heard
And I held you in my embrace
Brushed the hair off from your face
And the highlights tinted there
I'm playing with your tawny hair
Darling I will stay with you
As long as you want me to
I'll keep you from the creeping cold
I'll hold your hand and I won't let go
And I held you in my embrace
Brushed the hair off from your face
And the highlights tinted there
I'm playing with your tawny hair
Aspirin for my aching head
You were ready to go to bed
The hangovers will pass in time
But my love for you will never die
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14. |
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I heard ya moved east like everyone else
In time I’ll likely end up there myself
Cuz I’m sure that when my lease is up
I’ll be priced out of the neighborhood that I love
You’ve asked me to meet you at a new cocktail bar
You’re at a new cocktail bar because of course you are
You said it's got a stupid name and the parking might be cramped
You're gonna have to narrow it down better than that
Cuz I’m out of touch
And I’ve been gone for several months
Blissfully unaware
Of all the latest whens and wheres
Is it Cleveland, Douglas, Trinity, or Hart?
Where the Parkway ends or where it starts?
It’ll take me some time, either way
You know how traffic gets this time of day
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15. |
Colorado Stomp Lament
04:22
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Well, the object of the game is to pretend nothing has changed
A hug into a kiss into another girl to miss
Please feel bad
The fingers gently led - the movement of the waterbed
Well, I thought I found it there - perfect in the Colorado air
Please feel bad
'Cause I still care
There is nothing left to say - nothing left from these false summer days
A thin line between fate and another stupid mistake
Please feel bad
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16. |
Conditioner Seed
02:39
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It was bound to happen
It was set up for comic effect
I was stumbling inside
Struggling to find
The way to affect you best
Stoned and calculated
Drunk and obvious
With every smoke and every beer
We'd get a little nearer . . .
Vocal obligations
Observing the etiquette
The conversation was fine
But we were just killing time
For what surely would come next
Thinly-veiled flirtations
Intended to gently spur
With a wink and a grin
You took it all in
And ate up every word
The chemicals served their purpose
As they quietly faded away
We focused instead
On the call of the bed
There was nothing left to say
Well, it was bound to happen
It was set up for comic effect
Let the darkness conceal
Your being will feel
These fingers around your neck
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17. |
Dawnsong
03:18
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The same guy you claim is the love of your life
Is the fool who makes you feel like shit all the time
Do you really feel that he's the one guy for you?
Who made you think that he's the best you can do?
You're a light shining bright through a substanceless din
It's a shame that the same can't be said about him
Why do you deal with all that he puts you through?
How long will this sad comedy continue?
I know it's not my business
But you're my dearest friend
And all that I want is to witness
You living your life to your heart's content
The time at the wine bar where he gave the eye
To the legs and the chests of every girl that walked by
How can you tolerate his chauvinist ways?
Would you really mind if I punched him in the face?
I know it's not my business
But you're my dearest friend
And all that I want is to witness
You living your life to your heart's content
Is your heart content?
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18. |
Dismayed
03:34
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I'm dismayed that we've found ourselves back here again
In a town full of options we choose the dead end
Another night in this depressingly dull bar's scene
The chronicles of too much time in one place
A modified version of 'more of the same'
It's sad when there's nothing to look forward to but routine
Pardon me if I seem a little lost
Please tell me exactly where our signals crossed
The signs were obscured but they were always there
You were better suited for more 'punk rock' affairs
And I'm careening dangerously towards the middle of the road
The color of your skirt matches your eyes
I ask you drunk questions, you give stoned replies
And it becomes clearer that this is as far as things go
It's over
Don't you know that it's over
There are no apologies
Unlike the last time
I showed you my serious side, and you laughed
But it served me right, I probably deserved that
How can we justify this continuing on?
Can the jukebox drown out all our doubts with a song?
Maybe something to remind us of our more contented days
Let's face it, it should not come as a surprise
You are as much of a complete mess as I
And I'm equally culpable for making this go to waste
It's over
Don't you know that it's over
There are no apologies
Unlike like the last time
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19. |
Duet
02:43
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Your handmade skirt fits you perfectly
A pair of black socks pulled up to your knees
"You put your most flamboyant dress shirt on
We finished off the wine and we were gone"
To make fools of ourselves in every bar
To make the whole town exclusively ours
"I took pictures of everyone we met"
I bought more drinks and rolled your cigarettes
"I danced although no songs were being played"
I kissed the fool who kept looking your way
And we laughed until we were falling off our chairs
Last call came and went, we didn't care
We made fools of ourselves in every bar
We made the whole town exclusively ours
I've seen my future in your reddened eyes
I've found the point where your heart touches mine
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20. |
Feel Loved
05:24
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"Don't go" - what a stupid thing to say
'Cause I know it won't help things either way
And there's no denying that so much has changed
In so little time with so little to say
But that's okay
It was fun, and I hope that you agree
When you go please remember me
Let us enjoy this moment while it lasts
Because soon this moment will be all I'll have
To hold on to
The spring is almost through
And the summer begins without you
It'll just be me and the bugs and the humidity
But I should not whine or complain
'Cause the memory of you shall remain
And all the fun and the love that you gave to me
Everybody
Please fall in love tonight
Be loved
Give love
Feel love
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21. |
Flattered
06:01
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I was flattered by the anger you expressed
On the night after I left
Through the rancor, there’s a love there - I could tell
'Cause I know you better than you know yourself
I don’t mind that you kept your love tucked away
'Cause if you had told me sooner I might have stayed
So for now I will accept all of your spite
There is no ‘good’ in your goodbye
I was flattered by the anger you expressed
On the night after I left
Don’t be angry, don’t feel lonely, don’t be sad
'Cause it will not be too long ‘til I get back
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22. |
Folk Song 3
05:41
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seeing our friends / through the camera's lens / and the good times that we used to have / our alcohol breath / and the light cigarettes / and the drugs so unselfishly passed / but the parties are done / and the morning has come / and sobriety deals us a blow / the house is a mess / there are beer bottles left / on the carpet that's stained with merlot / the workday begins / we crawl back to routines / of the everyday and the mundane / in seconds we miss / all the fun and blissful / excesses of our holidays / the hours are spent / wondering where they went / we are tired and broke and alone / the friends we embraced / with a warm drunken grace / are just voices from the telephone /
a night at the bar / after a week of catharsis / a pint or three to wash it down / when i'm drinking slow / then the bartender knows / i am dreaming of leaving this town / but the thought of my friends / brings those dreams to an end / they are set aside for another time / some phone calls are made / soon we're all at my place / we are laughing and drinking cheap wine / but as soon as they've left / i start to second-guess / all my choices and what they might mean / do i leave it behind / or just stay here resigned / to a life of content wondering / i think of this land / with a wide-eyed romantic's / sense of all i can possible have / do i go out and see / where this life might take me / or just shrug it off with a nervous laugh /
the night is just made up / of stars unaware of / the power that they can convey / the meanings derived / the effects on the lives / of so many so far away / but they do me no use / when it comes time to choose / whether to go or stay as before / it won't get any better / i know it's now or never / there's no reason to wait anymore / the charm of the road / and the countless ways to go / the possibilities once on the way / there are stories all around / there are lovers to be found / and mistakes that just need to be made / there's no more need for thinking / i'll pack up my things / sing a long hug goodbye to my friends / then get in my car / drive while counting the stars / i'll be smiling and dreaming again
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23. |
Folk Song 4
03:44
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We don't know how to drink to perfection but we know how to cope
The front porch is creaking, the wind is unsure where to go
The words I say hang in the air then fall flat on their face
And comfort ain't coming so I keep it all in for your sake
Well damn if I still care, if I tend to still show concern
I'm trying my best but these feelings can't help but return
Your weakness was in finding fault where there's none to be found
Do me a favor and act surprised when it all goes down
We write with regret, then pick up and we proceed anew
It's too hot on this otherwise-fine July afternoon
The mosquitoes gather, take pity, and fly away
And I'm sincerely sorry for having nothing to say
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24. |
Folk Song 5
03:24
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Summertime comes to a grateful end
At a bar with drunks and friends of friends
Another vaunted start
That quickly falls apart
Summertime comes to a grateful end
This in not the place where I should be
Wasting time in wasted company
There's no reason to stay
But staying anyway
This is not the place where I should be
It's a long way to go
It's a long way to go
It's a long way to go
From here
Summertime comes to a grateful end
Looking back and trying to comprehend
A quiet basement kiss
Another girl to miss
Summertime comes to a grateful end
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25. |
Folk Song 6
02:53
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I want you to know me completely and true
No lies and no secrets shall I keep from you
From now on
I want you to trust me as I trust you now
To place your faith in me and never to doubt
If that's wrong
If that's wrong
And there is a darkness that stirs in me all day
I want you to help me turn it away
Til it's gone
And there will be sadness and there will be pain
Through all the bad times our love will remain
Wholly strong
Wholly strong
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26. |
Folk Song 7
08:48
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The show was a mess although others said that they disagreed
I thought the guitar was too low and my voice too weak
It took too long before my nerves finally went away
And I didn't open my eyes until the finally song was played
I went up to the bartender and ordered a pint of Bass
I hadn't drank or smoked at all so far and I knew that couldn't last
I saw you and you said that you were sorry but you didn't catch the set
And I said that that was alright, it was probably for the best
There was nothing left to the night but seeing how it would end
I took a seat by the fountain next to you and your friend
And as the two of you talked I found I couldn't help but stare
At your eyes and your smile and the single 'dred' in your hair
When your friend went away you turned and leaned towards me
I leaned forward until my face was next to your cheek
And I must admit that I didn't hear a word that you said
I was too focused on wanting to kiss you instead
You said you were taken by surprise when I finally did
We left after all the bands were done and I took my cut
We walked to our cars and then kissed some more in the parking lot
You asked if I would mind at all if you spent the night
It was late, you were tired and your home was too long a drive
The lights from the neighbors' house were still on when we got home
Knowing they'd be awake, we crossed the street to say hello
They were all in the back bedroom and one of them was about to start
Cutting beans into lines using his frequent flyer card
After all introductions were made we all sat around the bed
And recalled past indiscretions over countless cigarettes
Stories never heard before and the ones told a thousand times
We made jokes and had fun and watched as they snorted their lines
But after a while all the smoke was hurting our eyes
So we made our way around the room, giving hugs and saying our goodbyes
We crossed back over to my house and made our way inside
I said we could share the bed and I promised that I wouldn't bite
And I knew and you knew, we both hoped that I wasn't right
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27. |
Folk Song 8
03:16
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Carrie, will you wait for me on this warm Christmas day
I'll meet you at the Irish bar for their free Christmas buffet
And I know you don't eat turkey but sometimes we must forgive
When you're poor and vegetarian something's gotta give
We'll drink beer and catch up on all the time since we last met
I'll tell you all about Nashville as I conceal my regret
And you'll discuss Miami Beach and how school's going for you
And how your boyfriend sees you through and through
Well it's really great to see you but it only makes things worse
You asked me not to fall for you but you said 'I love you' first
Now what am I supposed to do, just hold everything back
Well I'm tired of restraint, I'm sick of being the doormat
And now you're in south Florida and I'm in Tennessee
Two hours on a plane is still a half a world for me
And Tampa was our stomping ground for such a short, sweet time
It stinks but I still wish that you were mine
So i'm sorry if I spoil your holiday with my protests
I'm sorry for my honest when lying would work best
And I'm sorry if I still bemoan the good times that we knew
And I'm sorry if I don't forget as quickly as you do
Well I know that it's unfair for me to say I've suffered most
When we all suffer differently and we must move on, I know
And if the tables were turned I would certainly make haste
To find another tall girl to embrace
Well I guess sometimes we all have got to spill our guts in song
Bare our souls awhile before the fictions come along
To cover or enhance all the pleasures and the pains
All told in the best possible way to entertain
So despite all that I've said I wish the best for you and yours
If he's your source for happiness then I hope that it endures
But if some day you find yourself longing for escape
Remember Nashville's not that far away
No, Tennessee is not that far away
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28. |
Folk Song 9
08:33
|
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it was quite a surprise to see you walk in
to the bar, you said you were just visiting
the boyfriend that you hadn't seen since last may
when you first moved away
you flew in last night and were staying at your sisters
leaving in the morning on the first flight to pittsburgh
then back to work monday to teach english lit
to some sleepy college kids
you told him that you'd meet him here at eleven
but you showed up early in order to strengthen
the resolve you felt was lacking in you
to give him the bad news
you called him a good man and a suitable mate
but the feeling was fading and the distance too great
cos six months between a lover's last touch
is just six months too much
and i couldn't agree with you more
i've been there so many times before
and the songs they inspired
weren't worth the headaches required
we had been friends for a while but we weren't really close
for a couple of moments the remoteness showed
an awkward pause here and the odd stammer there
in the nicotine-fueled air
we were both a part of the tired local scene
where there's no ambition, just the same old dreams
and when the teaching job opened you were quickly gone
and you left us here to dream on
the words flowed more freely as the evening progressed
as we finished one drink and moved on to the next
soon we were speaking with a relative ease
that we both could clearly see
we ditched the small talk for topics more varied
for new conversations told slow and unhurried
exchanging opinions, ideas, and views
then i stopped and smiled at you
'why didn't we do this long ago,
when you lived just blocks from my home?
why did we have to wait
until it was much too late?'
another beer for me, for you a whiskey sour
your boyfriend would be showing up in an hour
the bar got more crowded, we could barely move
as the smoke filled up the room
you set down your drink and asked if i'd know
of another more subdued place we could go
where you wouldn't be forced to raise your voice
just to be heard through the noise
i suggested a park just a few blocks away
that was down by the river where the homeless men stayed
but otherwise quiet and empty at this time
you said that sounded fine
so we finished our drinks and started our walking
past downtown's dull buildings, we continued talking
til we found a park bench and took our seats
then you turned and leaned towards me
i could tell what'd come next from your eyes
but your kiss still took me by surprise
and the actions that followed
just could not wait til tomorrow
you told me not to worry cos you were on the pill
and i had no choice but to believe you, still
there is always some doubt when things are done this way
with no barriers to separate
so we gave way to motion and friction and feeling
maneuvered the park bench with homeless eyes peering
but we were oblivious to anyone else
all our focus on ourselves
with all things complete and with one final kiss, you
regretted not bringing any napkins or tissues
an uneasy walk, though still much worthwhile
with a sly, mischievous smile
so dirty and bedraggled and discreetly hushed
with stains on our clothing and cheeks fully flushed
we stopped at a corner to say our goodbyes
before you went back inside
'i hope everything goes well
have a safe flight back, farewell'
you went back to the bar
as i walked silently to my car
|
||||
29. |
Folk Song 10
04:55
|
|||
on the road out of st louis after a much-debated choice
and my tears did not dry til i was halfway through illinois
it was the first week of december and i had no clue where i was going
but, at the moment, certainty seemed less appealing than not knowing
we had dangerously perfected the art of being aloof
we could blame it on my stubborness or blame it on your youth
someday i hope to understand how we failed so miserably
and i still think that you're wonderful, it just was not meant to be
there was no other incentive to remain in this drab town
you were my only friend there, my only reason for sticking 'round
but friends can be friends anywhere, distance is not as big an issue
and though i leave, i hope you'll understand just how ridiculously i'll miss you
it's just a boy and girl departing, you know it happens all the time
there are far more sadder memories that take precedent in my mind
like the error made in little league that cost my team the game
or the college nervous breakdown when my dreams of film school waned
or the way that my dog died
or the day i made mom cry
what is one more goodbye?
so farewell to st louis and farewell to you, my dear
i can't think of any circumstance that would bring me back here
i wish you nothing but the best and i hope that you continue
to live your life as beautifully as you did while i was with you
|
||||
30. |
Folk Song 11
02:48
|
|||
No, I never should have kissed you
Should have pursued a different tact
Should have never ran my fingers along your back
You said it wouldn't phase you
My touch would have no effect
But the way your body trembled proved that incorrect
'Cause, you see, there is another
Whose love lies in me still
She lives along those low, north Georgia hills
Me and her were victims of bad timing
We were brought apart by fate
We met already when it was too late
But those few months spent together
Were the best I've ever had
I would drop everything for her
She only has to ask
So i'm sorry if I misled you
So sorry if I broke your heart
I know I should have said all this from the start
|
||||
31. |
Folk Song 12
05:55
|
|||
Cindy called me just after six
'Cause she had had a bad day and was ready for some drinks
Maybe a bite to eat
Down by Division Street
She didn't want to eat alone
I had nothing else to do that day
But that was nothing new, so I said 'okay'
And the drinks were nice
But they were overpriced
What do you expect so close to Music Row
She said she wanted to get drunk
She called it an 'alcoholiday'
I called it a weekday
I called it any other day
We went our separate ways after a couple more rounds
She had to meet up with her boyfriend, I had to go down
To the little dive bar
With the cheap PBR
And drop off some flyers for a show
There was a kid onstage doing the songwriter thing
So I whispered to Ben, 'godddamn, if he sings
Radiohead then I'm gone',
Well it didn't take long
Still I got one more for the road
Now I was compelled to get drunk
To hop on Cindy's 'alcoholiday'
At the start of the week
At the start of any other day
I made my way over to Elliston Place
And hit the Gold Rush - it wasn't too late
And Cindy was there
So I pulled up a chair
And ordered myself a Miller Light
I asked her if things were going as planned
She said, 'more than you can ever understand'
And there were a bunch more friends
Down at the other end
It was happy hour all night
And most of them were already drunk
Well into their 'alcoholidays'
It was a Monday for some
But for most, just another day
On any given night we could all be found at the Rush
Some of us were struggling to get by, some were pretending as such
And I'm not sure why
I guess it makes them feel inside
Like it helps them to belong more
But that's not important, they have no reason to pretend
'Cause we were best friends to each other - nothing else mattered in the end
And we hoped that it would last
As I raised another glass
Of a drink I could not afford
In the company of these wonderful drunks
At the peak of our 'alcoholidays'
It seemed like something profound
But it was really just another day
We were all at that point where it's almost time to choose
Between the reality of careers and the dreams of our youths
And the potential was there
But the motivation was scarce
It was too easy to set things aside
There was more talent in this bar than anywhere in town, for sure
But our words were too raw and our hearts too pure
And it was a crying shame
But, really, who could you blame
As the lights went up for closing time
So we were content to get drunk
Make the most of our 'alcoholidays'
But we couldn't escape the hollow feeling
No, we couldn't escape the hollow feeling
We tried to escape the hollow feeling
In this hollow fucking town that polishes off all the feeling
|
||||
32. |
Folk Song 13
06:34
|
|||
acting on a restless whim
so as to salvage a dull weekend
i hit the dive bar down the street
for a pint or two or three
amidst the late-night sunday crowd
you and your roommate stood out
she was as drunk as anyone can get
you looked gorgeous, still wearing your sunday best
in spite of your contrasting styles
you both had been there awhile
and had drank in equal measure
but you could hold your drink better
so while she played the drunken part
you sat quietly at the bar
i sat next to you and asked you how you were
you smiled and seemed relieved to see me there
in the month or so since i
made the move over to this side
of the town, i've seen you more
than in the combined months before
as i've searched for a nearby place
where i could piss away my days
and i'm glad i picked the same place where you
choose to piss away your days too
it was no time for conversations
holding meaning or inspiration
we were fine with the chit chat
and with making the other laugh
without a care for modesty
we mocked the other's history
tossing about every possible kind
of jewish and hispanic stereotype
as we kidded and we chided
your roommate seemed to confide in
some drunk boy that she found
she could wrap herself around
he was an asshole, we all knew
as she would surely find out soon
but that was her choice, her lesson to be learned
it was not at that moment of our concern
you had the day off and the next
and you still weren't tired yet
as the 'last call' bell rang out
you said you were going back to your house
you had a bottle of red wine
we could share if i stopped by
we could leave as soon as we could find a way
to peel your roommate off that asshole's face
first things first, we had to tend
to putting your roommate to bed
then we grabbed some glasses, popped a cork
made our way out to your front porch
we sat on the steps and spoke
in a more meaningful tone
of the goals and dreams we held throughout our lives
and how they seemed to be passing us by
well, it didn't take too long
before all the wine was gone
the alcohol slowly took over
you put your head on my shoulder
and we kissed and kissed again
until fatigue finally set in
i helped you up and led you back inside
we kissed some more before i said 'good night'
acting on a restless whim
turned around a dull weekend
it was the best choice that i've made
in quite a while, in many days
well i hope we can resolve
to picking up where we left off
and i hope that we can do it someday soon
and i hope that you feel the same way, too
|
||||
33. |
Folk Song 14
01:59
|
|||
This is the story of our swift decline
After the truths became so hard to find
As our secrets were exposed
It made liars of us both
This is the story of our swift decline
This is the song I knew I'd sing someday
Just not this soon and never in this way
I thought I had my fill
Of these type of laments, still
This is the song I knew I'd sing someday
This type of story's really nothing new
It's premise is clichéd and overused
It happens all the time, you see
Why should ours end differently
This type of story's really nothing new
This is the song that we will think of when
Something reminds us of the time we spent
The Soulard's flower stands
The Vietnamese place on Grand
This is the song that we will think of then
This is the story of our swift decline
How something strong turned to a waste of time
With nothing learned, we'll just
Repeat this farce with someone else
This is the story of our swift decline
|
||||
34. |
Forgetting Flowers
04:13
|
|||
I'm forgetting flowers
The ones I knew before
Is it an evergreen or perennial
A penta or ixora
Is that a portulaca
Or it's sister purslane
I'm forgetting flowers
Another every day
You're my beautiful gardenia
In full magnificence
From the curve of your smooth petals
To your sweet delicious scent
Sometimes you're a hibiscus
Craving the sun's rays
Or sometimes an azalea
In the shadow's hideaway
But it really doesn't matter
Whether scent or shape or name
Be you jasmine or lantana
I will love you just the same
Well I wish I had a garden
So i could take you there
A little private Eden
We could wander without care
And we'd make love in that garden
Past the dahlias and bluebells
Crushing little flowers
That stick to our sweaty selves
Your hair full of impatiens
Petunias and lilacs
Your breasts will be crepe myrtle
There’ll be heather on my back
And I'll forget the flowers
The ones I knew before
As my love for you grows greater
I'll forget a little more
|
||||
35. |
||||
We’ll extrapolate our faults
With the envy of the underground
In the slow burn of the night
Waiting for some kind of highlight
(And this is the most heartfelt
Of unexpected notions)
Sneak out to the parking lot
With a tension that is overblown
We will be best friends for now
'Til the shit dries up in this town
With the summer in decline
And the autumn going through our minds
And a whole night still to come
There’s no need to know the ‘how and why’
There is nothing so heartfelt
As this unexpected notion
It will pick us, pick us, pick us up
Make our silly little day before we all
Come back down
|
||||
36. |
Goddamn You, Josh
02:05
|
|||
Goddamn you, Josh
Why can't you see
You're a dragon sleaze
You're crazy as shit
And too dumb to take the hint
Goddamn you, Josh
I've had enough
You slimey mutant fuck
You're a disgrace
A dingy pickle face
Goddamn you, Josh
What can I say
You are worthless in so many ways
The world doesn't need
Another jerk from Missouri
|
||||
37. |
Goodbye Song
02:40
|
|||
So long
Goodbye
It's been a lovely time
So long
Goodbye
It was a lovely time
So long
Goodbye
All things must end in time
|
||||
38. |
Goodbye Song #3
01:53
|
|||
Say what you want of me
This should come as no surprise
These tears don't mean a thing
So you might as well dry your eyes
Here's where we disagree:
It's not that hard to say goodbye
|
||||
39. |
||||
Too long spent on this darn highway
We need a place to stay
To crash out for a bit
Vacancy sign at a run-down motel
Upon that hill, oh well
It could be worse, couldn’t it?
A roach as big as we have ever seen before
Scurries from the floor
Up the wood paneling
Unknown stains and cigarette burns
On the comforter
(Not very comforting)
From a shattered motel window
We are anxiously nonplussed
What’s that figure by the swimming pool?
Why ain't the water blue?
What else can we expect?
Bathroom smells of mold, piss, and stale beer
What are we doing here?
Why haven’t we left yet?
From a shattered motel window
We are anxiously nonplussed
And the strange noises below
Are they coming after us?
Never thought I'd say it, but I must concede
We don't have enough weed
To help us see this through
I'll admit I'm not a praying man
But tonight I am
Maybe you should be, too
|
||||
40. |
Helgafell
03:55
|
|||
I wish I was able to tell from the start
To trace the path of my kiss down to your heart
So I could know right then for sure if you felt the same
I wish I had the time to prolong this goodbye
This sleepy front porch hug I'll make do with tonight
Is not enough for me - is not enough for me, oh no
Hey, it's a beautiful day
But there's too much to discern
And too much that's held from view
Hey, it's a beautiful day
But there are too many words
And too much that I keep from you
And I can still smell the cherry gloss on your lips
I wish I knew the secrets in your fingertips
I'm trying not to breathe
I'm trying not to breathe
|
||||
41. |
Hennessy Or Beer
03:32
|
|||
I was too drunk to pursue the matter
But I remember the kisses exchanged
The new year had come and we had all gathered
At the bar where we'd spend most of our days
How many times did your lips meet mine?
I think I recall two or three
Do you find it was something simmering inside
Or just an aspect of the revelry?
Should we talk about this
Or just chalk it all up to the alcohol?
It was only a kiss
Did it really mean anything at all?
"My friends and I, we got the night started
With some shots of Hennessy at my house
By the time we began our walk to the bar, it
Was clear we were all pretty darn soused
And I was happy to see you were as tipsy as me
As the ball on TV started to drop
And when we went beyond what is customary
I couldn't help but wonder what my friends thought"
Well, I wasn't concerned
About anyone else in there that day
And the opinions discerned
From the actions that we displayed
I have this tendency
To make too much of the smallest things
I should wait at least until my head is clear
"Our next embrace"
Should not be based
On Hennessy or beer
Should we talk about this?
"Let's just chalk it all up to the alcohol
It was only a kiss
Since when has that meant anything at all?"
|
||||
42. |
In The Air
05:00
|
|||
Over an unknown Montana
We'll just call it as such
At the mercy of the atmosphere
Wires, ailerons, and luck
No headphones for the movie
Though it doesn't look like much
No plans, no expectations at all
Getting away is enough
|
||||
43. |
In The Mood For Love
04:10
|
|||
The party is over and we're the last ones awake
Amidst circumstances that help seal our fate
I know you know and you know I know too
And you know that the liquor provides an excuse
Let's exchange kisses and see where this goes
Though there's not enough time to take things slow
Anticipation will grow everyday
Til we find the next time to meet up again
There are plenty of places where we can go
Where we can be lovers and no one will know
Can you really say that you think this is wrong
The only surprise is that it took this long
Let's forego reason and let feeling dictate
There are plenty of questions but questions can wait
We know we're unfaithful, we know we are weak
But we're nothing without the secrets we keep
It could mean a lot, it could not mean a thing
Remember that sometimes a ring's just a ring
|
||||
44. |
In The Rain
05:47
|
|||
When we left the restaurant
We were surprised by the rain
Caught up in a great meal
And better talk as the storm came
Beneath the awning we
Debated what to do next
Neither of us wanting
The night to end just yet
We were tourists in a town
Where we had spent our younger days
And coinciding work
Brought us back there again
To hang out and catch up
As we did every couple years
Without ever touching on
The way things could have been
Because for a moment
Back then it seemed
Like our paths would run concurrently
Still we remained close
A bond strengthened as we walked
Talking about the past
While dodging the raindrops
That divey college bar
The theater on the square
And both then and now
I should've kissed you there
It's no longer that easy
As close as we are
There's no denying we're still far apart
This hug should be much more
This goodbye should not end
It shouldn't be years til I see you again
|
||||
45. |
It Was Once Lamentable
08:03
|
|||
Eighteen hours spent on the road
The sun rose just past Buffalo
We were barely awake but determined to remain undaunted
That afternoon at Revere Beach
With gulls, sand, and unknown debris
It was cold, it was grey, but it was exactly what you had wanted
You'd never seen the Atlantic before, so I showed it to you
And under the circumstance, this was the best I could do
It was the worst week of your life
There was nothing that had gone right
And there's no sadder thing in this world than the sight of you crying
An aimless drive around the town
It had helped before when you'd been down
You had stated that you wished you could spend all of the time driving
But when you said you'd be happiest if you were by the sea
There was no other option but to head east on 90
Let's focus on the beautiful
All that was once lamentable
Cannot reach you from here - it can wait, or just fade away, can't it?
A hint of smile - it was a start
Still it managed to reach as far
As this beach, as the bay, as the gulf, and out towards the Atlantic
|
||||
46. |
Jamaican Rum
01:54
|
|||
There's a dachshund lying on my lap
He is licking my arm in haste
It's been so long since I've been back
I guess he missed my taste
You are cutting figurines again
Made from felt and aluminum
Puffins, turtles, crows and cranes
Between shots of Jamaican rum
You know I have seen the best of you
And the worst sometimes
But there's nothing you could ever do
That would make my love decline
There's no denying things aren't right
We are losing it in different ways
But, who cares, let's just enjoy this night
Pour another shot my way
|
||||
47. |
Janice In Winooski
02:55
|
|||
i had to get away
the pressure got to me
needed to leave town for awhile
recharge the batteries
this weekend’s just the start
i took the whole week off
i’ll stick around if i need more time or if
i’m having too much fun
they said it was too much to handle
they’re only right for now
i will prove those bastards wrong
a little R and R
spend a day in bed
but if there’s a bar nearby i might
go do that instead
buy a couple rounds
make the jukebox mine
chat up the bartender and
flirt with a couple guys
and i’d dance because it’d be
what i’d want to do
and i’d tell the patrons that they
should be dancing too
some will say it’s futile
to get the drunks off their stools
i will prove those bastards wrong
|
||||
48. |
John Bosco (Arenal)
03:14
|
|||
Hours spent on gravel roads
Past the mango and papaya roads
Fools of Fortune teasing fate
The volcano faced the other way
The first time
A motel
In the heart of Costa Rica
That was named
After my
Patron saint
Parents off to see the town
Another bang - the ash came raining down
The first time
A motel
In the heart of Costa Rica
That was named
After my
Patron saint
Somebody's daughter in my arms
A nervous son working on charm
A twist of luck, a turn of fate
Lured by the fingers through the door
These clumsy hands hoping for more
A quick teen game of give and take
I never caught her name
Find the hot springs at the base
The volcano faced the other way
The first time
A motel
In the heart of Costa Rica
That was named
After my
Patron saint
|
||||
49. |
Julie
04:33
|
|||
Julie, are you being honest?
Do you really feel that way?
Terms you shouldn't use too lightly
The words I never thought you'd say
Is he the man that you've been seeking?
A man of strength and purity?
Free of vice and all-too-perfect
The man that I could never be
But those traits are overrated
They do not carry any weight
Sometimes you have to be the asshole
Sometimes you must make dumb mistakes
And this could be one, but who knows
You've been sheltered for so long
Promise me that you'll be careful
Promise that you'll prove me wrong
Do not buckle to suggestion
Do not betray what's kept you good
Do not offer him your body
Sooner than you think you should
Now I will remain at a distance
I'll keep quiet from now on
Julie, make your own decisions
Don't be persuaded by a song
|
||||
50. |
Kingshighway
02:57
|
|||
this is definitely not the right road
i think i made a wrong turn getting out
of webster groves
it's hard for mento tell at this time of night
i've just got to find my way back
to richmond heights
i'm lost on kingshighway
i'm lost on kingshighway
i think i've been to that diner before
that's the one where the coffee's good
and the service is poor
does this go to where all the hospitals are?
i might get situated once
i reach forest park
(if i reach forest park)
i'm lost on kingshighway
i'm lost on kingshighway
i never learned my way around
i never thought that i'd end up
for so long in this town
|
||||
51. |
Laundry Room
04:15
|
|||
I know that you're itching to get laid
And, in the past, I'd be rushing to scratch
That itch right away
And when I arrived I still thought that I might
But not tonight
In your apartment complex's laundry room
You are leaning against the washer
Waiting for me to make my move
No one would ever even have to know
We're all alone
There is a girl across town that I hold dear
She is innocently sleeping
And she doesn't know I'm here
This is not where i told her I would be
But she trusts me
I met her shortly after our last tryst
I know I really don't deserve her
And she doesn't deserve this
I do not love her, but it's early - things can change
So I won't yet stray
And, of course, I'm aware
Of our prior affairs
Where I repeatedly gave in to your charms
Like the time on the stairs
With your leg in the air
Anchored down by the weight of my arms
And I'll admit it's tempting, but I
Think I'll try to be good this time
Well, I'm sorry, but I must be going soon
I made no promise to do anything
But use your laundry room
And I'm thankful, but it's getting late - besides
My clothes are dry
Thank you, goodnight
|
||||
52. |
Leaving Reykjavik
03:47
|
|||
Feel the wind shaking the plane
Coming after me
Knocked me down and left my face
Chapped and hurting
Even now it will not slow
Can not wait to see me go
Memories of crowded bars
And the tourist scam
A shot, a kiss, a clumsy charm
All as planned
Feel the wind shaking the plane
I can only hope to find myself here again
|
||||
53. |
Leaving Song
02:48
|
|||
this is not the way we said that it would be
there's too big a risk, too much uncertainty
it can only cause concerns that we don't need
and i must
i must leave
these romantic notions that we tend to hold
must be set aside before we let them grow
it's unfortunate but that is life, you know
and i must go
i must go
sometimes there are words we just cannot say
when we know our time grows shorter every day
even when the feeling's strong we back away
cos i can't stay
i can't stay
this is not the way we said that it would be
it's a choice we have to make reluctantly
all our friends say we seem perfect, you and me
but i must leave
i must leave
|
||||
54. |
Let's Go
02:55
|
|||
The worst
Has faded from view
The tears have dried
The grief withdrew
Somehow
We've made it through
And so now
We're overdue
It's all
Fallen into place
The car's been fixed
The bills are paid
There is no
Reason to wait
So let's go
We're on our way
We're on our way
We're on our way
|
||||
55. |
London, Springtime
03:54
|
|||
It's time to go
Goodnight Heathrow
They took our photograph - Wednesday night, SoHo
Over England
Holding your hand
The square was lit just right - we could barely stand
Ocean's in sight
Evening twilight
I caught you falling in love with me last night
|
||||
56. |
Loveless
02:23
|
|||
We walked the beach at night
Amidst the turning tide
You were so beautiful and sweet
But as the hours went by
It was my own advice
That was turning against me
I waited for a sign
Or for the perfect time
But the moment never came
And soon the night was through
There was no 'me and you'
And I've only myself to blame
And I never got the kiss that I hoped for
No one seems to love me anymore
It is a tired sight
Another Friday night
With no real place to go
And once again I find
I'm no one's Valentine
For the fifth year in a row
And though my friends mean well
They offer little help
But I guess that that's okay
Some have their own love lives
Some are preoccupied
Some are oh so far away
But it's nothing that I've never felt before
No one seems to love me anymore
|
||||
57. |
More Like A Dream
04:31
|
|||
We hung by the river
Watching the train
Cursing the summer
And praying for rain
Our friends at the landing
Out by the slave dock
We said we would join them
Around 4 o’clock
But first we were spending
Some time by ourselves
Just the two of us
And nobody else
And a breeze finally showed up
To relieve the stale air
You smiled and looked at me
As it went through your hair
And the song of the train
Was calling out our names
To the birds and the breeze
Like a wonderful dream
You knew I’d be leaving
Though no one else did
Almost as good as me
At keeping things hid
And there is no doubt that
You will be the one
That I will miss the most
For as long as I’m gone
It’s more like a dream
Than an old memory
Just a wonderful dream
You were perfect to me
We did not rush the moment
We stayed by ourselves
Just the two of us
And nobody else
We enjoyed the moment
This time by ourselves
Just the two of us
|
||||
58. |
Moreland
03:51
|
|||
We drove around
Lost in small towns
With no real place to go
On foggy nights
The downtown lights
Paint the clouds in gold
A hug goodbye
A lonely drive
With no real place to go
|
||||
59. |
Mormon Lanes
04:03
|
|||
4am
Artificial light
Boxes and pallets on the salesfloor
Brand new endcaps
Tomorrow's vegetables
Paul McCartney muzak through the P.A.
No doors sliding
No beeps from the registers
No sound of cart wheels on linoleum
Just quiet stocking
And my footsteps
Discreetly dancing along the frozen foods
These supermarket aisles
As wide as Mormon lanes
They stretch as far as the worlds they contain
I want to hold your hand
Make our way through the check-out line
We'll change the world one aisle at a time
|
||||
60. |
Nightdrivestar
02:41
|
|||
The night
Is where we belong
We'll drive
Get lost in the country
The stars
Our only company
Tonight
It's just me and you
The night
Only lasts so long
We'll drive
Run away from dawn
The stars
Won't always shine
Tonight
I'm in love with you
|
||||
61. |
North Miami Beach
02:05
|
|||
Well I knew it was a fallacy
An ideal that can't be met
To resume romantic duties
The privileges I used to get
Months have passed since we last shared this space
Through the course of life's events
No doubt love is still reflected here
But present in a different tense
(I have never liked this part of town
The condos steal our view
Endless towers for the widows
With no life to look forward to)
|
||||
62. |
Old Notes From Budapest
04:49
|
|||
Danish beer holds all my hopes for now
a basement bar in Budapest
cigarettes whose name I can't pronounce
plenty of forints still left
there's no reason to keep them anymore
pointless to save or exchange
this time tomorrow I will be airborne
almost half a world away
a Swedish girl takes the stool next to me
she smiles and asks me where I'm from
the smallest set of teeth I've ever seen
it's all that I can focus on
she swears that I am a photographer
and I'm unsure how to reply
I do not feel the need to lie to her
but it's a good way to pass the time
there's a hip hop night just across town
the Swedish girl asks me to go
it's impossible to turn her down
too absurd to tell her 'no'
I meet a serviceman from Boston there
country-hopping while on leave
shies away from the particulars
for the sake of his sanity
I am flailing to 'The Humpty Dance'
it's my last night in this town
a Swedish girl, a Boston serviceman
it's as ridiculous as it sounds
|
||||
63. |
||||
Casey wakes up wishing that he was dead
Noticing he's thrown up off the side of the bed
And everybody laughs
A bruise of unknown origin on Cindy's knee
Grass stains where grass stains just should not be
And everybody laughs
Anthony saw double on the short drive home
The smell of yesterday is still on his clothes
And everybody laughs
Random cigarette butts in Annie's hair
A comedic stumble down the nightclub stairs
And everybody laughs
Everybody laughs
We each hold a key to the mystery
A puzzle in our collective memories
And everybody laughs
Everybody laughs
Trying to piece together the night before
As I lay between the hallway and the bathroom floor
And everybody laughs
|
||||
64. |
P.F.M.N.
03:26
|
|||
and the words that you said were enticing
the bluntness expressed was surprising
and the brief history
of your time here with me
would soon be in need of revising
we had said that we would take things slowly
it was for our own good, even though we
surely already knew
that our abstinent moves
would shortly prove to be baloney
there's no reason to overanalyze
to attempt to do so would be unwise
so behind this closed door
we shall twist and contort
then twist a little more until sunrise
i'll let you have control of the screwing
because you clearly know what you're doing
though i'll have little say
that is more than OK
i'm still getting my way and quite the viewing
|
||||
65. |
Petulence
02:35
|
|||
I used to think that you were pretty great
Everything you did would fascinate
I was drawn in by your eccentricities
But suddenly all the feeling changed
With every layer that was peeled away
And what was left held no intrigue to me
It’s funny how quickly one can go
From head-over-heals to ‘oh, hell no’
The temper tantrums and the ground-up pills
The cynicism stubbornly instilled
In every aspect of everything you do
The suffocation of the ‘pros’ by the ‘cons’
To the extent that all appeal is gone
Til I can’t remember what I once saw in you
You’re too old to be so petulent
At the first sign of disagreement
But you’re still young enough to change some things
If you can admit they need changing
|
||||
66. |
Piscataway Rah Rah
02:25
|
|||
After the party and back at my place
After sleeping the alcohol away
We’re still not ready to get up and begin our day
Each of us has other things to do
Plans that were made long before we knew
That the night before would turn out so great
And maybe when the clock hits noon we’ll get up
But then again this feels too good - what’s the rush?
We could get breakfast at some place nearby
Or we could make love one more time
Or, if you’re up for it, maybe two or three
Could be the prettiest day of the year
My favorite bar could be giving away beer
This is still the only place where I’d want to be
And maybe when the clock hits two we’ll get up
But then again this feels too good - what’s the rush?
Half the day’s gone - might as well let the rest go
There’s nothing that cannot wait until tomorrow
|
||||
67. |
Pop Shots
05:50
|
|||
You need a lover who's bastard-sized
Maybe a pop shot Valentine
You try to give me a spiteful stare
But I'm instantly likable
I hope you find someone who cares
Someone as desperate as you
Dirty sequins on a tattered dress
It's only the monsters that love you the best
My friends thought me not to trust
(No thanks to you) just let me
Over-analyze myself
The news and the late, late night conclude
|
||||
68. |
Pop Song
02:03
|
|||
see these eyes so close to mine
in a motel's stale confines
from the west coast to the east
on a rusting balcony
and i knew - goddamn i knew
of how history bruised you
of the words you couldn't say
the past that wasn't far enough away
i will never understand
how it broke down as if planned
even though not much remains
i still know you felt the same
|
||||
69. |
Pussyfingers
01:57
|
|||
I offer up myself to you
You offer up yourself to me
We turn the lights off and we do
The things they can't show on TV
Maybe in Belgium or Germany
The opening of the dresser drawer
Anticipation is tautly wound
We put the comforter on the floor
Cos the bed makes too much sound
And your roommate's still around
The power in the fingertips
The subtleties in a simple move
The beauty in your parted lips
The steady motions we go through
The smells we've grown accustomed to
When the rest of life restarts
We clean up the mess we made
And even though it's time to part
I'll carry you with me all day
I'll carry you with me all day
|
||||
70. |
Questions, Questions
04:38
|
|||
I'm the same as you:
Patently displeased
Unsure what to do
Or how to next proceed
Is it up to me?
"I'm not good at this
As the past has shown
Maybe the best thing is
Just to remain alone
It's a defeatist tone
I know" (Oh, I know)
Are we wasting our time?
"I don't yet have a reply"
How can we prevail
If we're resigned to fail?
Can't we just have fun?
Take things as they come
How much longer can we let our past control us?
(I don't know - it's so hard to say)
What if I were to say
It'll be ok, come what may?
|
||||
71. |
Say It!
03:10
|
|||
I know what you want to say
And you know what I want to say
And we both know why we should not say it
But, oh, I wish that we could just say it
|
||||
72. |
Sensing Endings
04:16
|
|||
here is the time
and here is the consequence
we're of no mind
to act on these things we sense
the last night in town
the end of our holiday
there's so little doubt
we can't go on this way
but for now
just smile
and i
will smile
with you
let's find a quiet spot
it's starting to rain
we can't see the mountaintops
a drink and a smoke
dance the rest of the night
and still hold out hope
until closing time arrives
but for now
just smile
and i
will smile
with you
i feel it too
how happy we both are
but sadness is never far
away
here is the time
and here is the consequence
i'll pretend it's right
if you pretend this makes sense
life will go on
and we will move on somehow
we both know we're wrong
but we're too weak to change things now
but for now
just smile
and i
will smile
with you
|
||||
73. |
Small Fucking Town
01:33
|
|||
Small fucking town
Everyone is out tonight
Everyone I've met a thousand times
Small fucking town
Everyone barely alive
Everyone I've seen a thousand times
She's been with him
Who's been with her
Who's been with him and her
A never-ending spit rotation
Six dirty sheets of separation
Small fucking town
Everyone is out tonight
Everyone I've met a thousand times
|
||||
74. |
||||
open the window
it's that time of year again
to turn off the thermostat
and let the breeze back in
the neighbors are all out
in the much-missed sunshine
soon the blossoms will be as
frequent as yard sale signs
put the coats in the closet and hope they don't need further use
then let's join the neighbors in a stroll that's long overdue
your friend's band is playing
down at the same place
where seven months earlier
we had our first date
the other acts look promising
it's an early show
and since the weather is nice
they'll have it on the patio
they're the only ones in town with the beer that you like
so a kostritzer for you, i'll have a maker's on ice
i still steal a glance of you
as often as i can
and think of your beauty
and how lucky i am
the music has finished
the evening's at an end
we tip the bands and chat
for a while with your friend
but our focus has shifted, all that is now on our minds
is an unmade bed next to a set of windows open wide
so let's get back in the car
and make our way home
head up the stairs
and take off our clothes
let's shuffle in the sheets
and then end our day
with your head on my shoulder
and a smile on your face
i couldn't be happier to have you here
this is my favorite time of the year
|
||||
75. |
||||
Hey, please understand that we're through - it
Was your one chance and you blew it
And now I'm moving on
I don't mean to sound so malicious
But it'd not be at all fictitious
To say I'm glad you're gone
Hey, there's no need for underscoring
All my friends thought you were boring
And I would have to agree
Though I know your heart's still a-flutter
These lips of mine now kiss another
And I couldn't be more happy
|
||||
76. |
Spanish Song
02:36
|
|||
Ooh boy, let just go with the rough translation:
"I'd like to know what we're going to do with this great evening
We could go out or stay here - I could make you dinner
And after, I believe what we should do is return to the bed
To kiss and kiss and do much more - I will love you if you will love me"
More or less.
|
||||
77. |
St Louis Song
04:28
|
|||
On a St. Louis balcony
With little shade and facing east
Intolerable in the late morning heat
Less so as the day goes by
Less so when you come outside
The weather's now the last thing on my mind
You can talk to me for hours as the world makes its slow turn
You can talk to me for hours as my pasty white skin burns
And peels away and burns again with a new intensity
I don't care as long as you are here with me
I love the stories that you tell
Their cadences and rhythmic swells
Pretending we don't know it's hot as hell
It's funny to think how these
Twists of fate brought us here, now we
Only wish that it could be partly cloudy
We'll keep talking as the moon and stars come out in the night sky
When the only other source of light comes from the fireflies
And even though I've to work early and could really use the sleep
I don't care as long as you are here with me
Don't tell me that you haven't
Got enough cash for the Pageant
It's my treat, it's what I can
So you can see your favorite band
So let us walk over the stars
That line the sidewalks of Delmar
Screw the humidity
'Cause it's just you and me
|
||||
78. |
Tennessee Interlude
04:24
|
|||
Fireworks at the start of sunset
It was as late as the children could wait
White smoke drifting towards the valley
Slipping through the corn fields and trees
We were the last to exit the pool
Waited all day for it to be just us two
I lagged behind and watched you walk away
Pretty sure I fell for you earlier in the day
Heads turned up towards underwhelming blasts
Still, the kids gave collective ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’
Bursts of yellow, purple, red, and blue
Through it all, I couldn’t help but look at you
|
||||
79. |
The Alley Party
03:41
|
|||
i'll bet this town is full of rebellion
the signs are everywhere, i'm telling ya
these kids must savor any chance to get rowdy
i should have taken you to the alley party
i should have taken you to the alley party
i'm sorry, dear
so we kill the time at this downtown dive bar instead
the only one where membership is not needed
with the same beer that we could be drinking if we had not left
in a darkened corner next to the pinball machine
behind the jukebox where some drunken guy is stumbling
to round up change in order to play some Otis Redding
i should have taken you to the alley party
i should have taken you to the alley party
i should have taken you to the alley party
i'm sorry, dear
i wish i wasn't tired but what can i say?
you know that it's been one hell of a stressful day
and you know tomorrow that an even longer drive awaits
so we kill time with more beer and some crude drawings
in a darkened corner next to the pinball machine
and i can tell from your eyes that this is not where you want to be
i should have taken you to the alley party
i should have taken you to the alley party
i should have taken you to the alley party
i'm sorry, dear
|
||||
80. |
||||
Reflections from the disco ball onto the dancefloor
Make their way in circles through the crowd
The smell of sweat, the air of cigarettes and thrift stores
Sticky shoes from spilt beer on the ground
The scenesters on the brink
The ones here only for the cheap drinks
The background characters of my life
She leaves the bar and makes her way up to the D.J.
And asks if he could play her favorite song
Then starts to dance with an unparalleled, warm grace
Shakes her hips and quietly sings along
The slight smile that is sent
The quick nod of acknowledgment
Then, "Goodbye, see you in a couple months"
I'm trying to catch up with my feet, my head is spinning
Eyes are circling, taking it all in
She grabs her purse and disappears into the evening
The dancefloor empties out and the songs end
It's only when I get to bed
That I think of all the things I should've said
|
||||
81. |
The Bus Riders
04:17
|
|||
We were a wreck, we were uninsured, but worse,
We were slightly uninspired
And a cold had made its way through both of us
Still, we were too young to feel this tired
It was safe to say that we were in what
Can only be called a rut
We were both very aware
Still we were too reticent to change things up
We had so many things to do and jobs
We could not afford to miss
But the car had finally reached the point
Where it just was not worth it to fix
There was no time to dwell upon these matters
We could not pretend that we did not care
We had to get to know the schedules
Had to make sure we had correct fare
So with cheeks battered by wind,
Runny noses and tattered throats
We stared blankly out the windows
Happy only to get out of the cold
We are riding the bus
In a city that hates bus riders
It was all falling apart so fast
The stress was getting to us both
But you had a knack for being beautiful
Exactly when I needed it most
I love you, still it's hard not to deny
Things aren't what they used to be
I am pining for the days
When you meant the world to me
So with cheeks battered by wind,
Runny noses and tattered throats
We stared blankly out the windows
I could tell that you were giving up hope
Confide in me and trust in me
Do not yet give up hope or tire
We are riding the bus
In a city that hates bus riders
|
||||
82. |
The Dress Song
03:47
|
|||
kira, could you wear a dress
is it so hard to change
from the tired t-shirt and jeans
that you wear everyday
is it a selfish request
is it too sexist of me
to ask the girl that i love
to show off her femininity
it's a thought that i've had on my mind for quite a while
it's not a comment on your beauty at all
it's just a comment on your style
recall the girl that we saw
back at the coffeshop
in that strapless number
black with small, white dots
punctuated by the small
pink carnation on her chest
and the matching, lace trim
that ran along the hem
is she prettier than you? that's not what i'm trying to say
but in that moment she looked so beautiful
i couldn't look away
it doesn't have to reveal
it doesn't have to be tight
maybe a summer number
now that the weather's right
anything would be ideal
anything would suffice
i don't care about brand names
and i don't care about price
in fact, it should be cheap since it would be so overdue
that it would not take me too long at all
to tear that dress off of you
|
||||
83. |
||||
I am a default napper
We've been staying up all night
Songs and drinks, smiles and after
Doing what just feels right
We are zombies through the workday
Barely there, sleepwalking
Needing sleep in the worst way
But not regretting a thing
Such an inane endeavor
To try and put a name to this
It's just the first days of "whatever"
That's more or less appropriate
|
||||
84. |
The Fun Of The New
02:32
|
|||
On an impulse road trip when we should be at work instead
In a car that smells of gyro meat, rice, and pita bread
Cooled-down leftovers from that new Turkish cafe
Where we came up with the idea and set off on our way
But we're too broke to go as far as we'd like
We won't worry about that until another time
It was a reverse autumn as the trees went back to green
At a Macon cemetery at the start of Halloween
We photographed the gravestones, the monuments to those long-dead
Then we walked back to our car and at the pita bread
And we really didn't know were next to go
We just wanted to remain off of the main roads
We don't know
If this fun can last
It never has
In the past
We walked along the river on Savannah's bumpy streets
Amidst the usual tourist traffic and the costumed revelry
As they marched on past us, each one trying to top the next
I liked the guys dressed as Ghostbusters, you liked the zombies best
We don't know
If this fun can last
It never has
In the past
We don't know
If this fun can last
It never has
In the past
It'll never last
It'll never last
It'll never last
|
||||
85. |
||||
When the daytime begins
And the sunlight creeps in
As it shines
Through the blinds
Onto you and me
It's the greatest thing
The greatest feeling in the world
When you open your eyes
And your glance catches mine
And you smile
And I smile
Half-asleep
It's the greatest thing
The greatest feeling in the world
But sometimes love
Is not enough
To keep you here
Keep you lying
Next to me
And there's nothing I miss
More than the morning kiss
But soon a-
Nother day
Will be here
And it's the greatest thing
The greatest feeling in the world
|
||||
86. |
The Heart
03:20
|
|||
Smoke is exhaled and dispersed into the air
Expectations rise and fall throughout the night
I might be drunk but I'm nowhere near as drunk as I would like
Chatter fills the room with a steady constant tone
The jukebox never tires of Dylan, Cash, or Waits
Pretty girls at the end of bars will never take your place
Hey you
With the freckles on your shoulder
And your calm distinctive style
And the subtleties you express with your smile
There are many nights like these where I need to be alone
With a notebook, pen, and a nice strong rum and Coke
Many words tend to disappear as quickly as the smoke
Hey you
But there are some that don't escape me
Regardless of the drinks I've had
And I know without a doubt you understand
It feels right
It feels true
It's incomparable to anything that I felt
Before you
There is 'I'
And there is 'you'
And there can only be one thing that can come
Between the two
Hey you
With a grace that seems so fragile
And a charm that can't be faked
Let my fingers trace the outline of your face
Hey you
You're my source for inspiration
And I'm so glad that you're here
Kiss me on the lips - you know how, don't you dear?
|
||||
87. |
||||
Let's just say there's a reason why this is the one song in which I bury my vocal deep in the mix.
|
||||
88. |
The Hop
02:03
|
|||
In those summer days
We used to slip away
Into the smoky haze of the nightclub
None of the friends we knew
Ever had a clue
It was where me and you would always meet up
And we would dance all night
Under the garish lights
Just two kids with no rhythmic coordination
But we didn’t really care about that
Always the youngest there
Breathing the same stale air
Totally unaware of all around us
The games of courtship played
The suitors and their dames
The desperate displays that would surround us
And we would dance all night
Under the garish lights
Just two kids with no rhythmic coordination
And we didn’t really care about that
I heard the place is still there
With that same stale air
And the tinted hair of all the usuals
If we ever find
Ourselves back at the same time
We should make it a night - it would be beautiful
|
||||
89. |
The Lighter Trick
02:10
|
|||
You taught me the lighter trick
I hurt my fingers once or twice
But slowly got the hang of it
Maybe you can teach me other things
Like how to hold my chopsticks right
Or perhaps the art of whistling
There's nothing going on tonight
In this town, that comes as no surprise
So Saturday with boutique beers that don't twist off
I'll be in Florida for a couple days
To meet familial obligations I've
Consistently tried to delay
I should have some free time before coming back
Is there anything that you would like
Some chintzy trinket or knick-knack?
A baby shark dead in a jar
Shells from the beach, a manatee phone charm
A lighthouse snowglobe, a flamingo figurine
Or anything
In a dream I kissed you twice
For now, this dream will have to suffice
'Cause I'll be far away
And you'll be making do
With these tired Dayton blues
You thought me the lighter trick
I hurt my fingers once or twice
But slowly got the hang of it
|
||||
90. |
||||
looking out on lake champlain
on a windy springtime day
with occasional reminders of the winter’s remains
the waters rise and rise
the flooding won’t subside
over the rocks, towards parking lots, to the streets and homes nearby
and the clear blue sky above
belies the tension down below
that builds concurrent of
the way the water goes
if the lake keeps creeping up
and the current’s strong enough
it could set me free from where i’ve been standing for too long
and if the wind obeys
then i could float away
far from the shore and out towards the place where i belong
drifting aimlessly
towards islands in the north
past bridges and ferries
or westward to new york
it’s where i’m meant to be
where i’m supposed to go
with new stars above me
free but still alone
|
||||
91. |
The Old-School Apathy
04:19
|
|||
i think i've had enough
it doesn't matter anymore
keep me out of it
feel free to call me uninformed
calling it a day
i couldn't be more unimpressed
the old-school apathy
what doesn't kill me makes me care much less
staring at the clock
anything to pass the time
i'll detach myself
i like to pretend not to mind
laze about the day
it never really does get old
sometimes i make sense
sometimes i imitate a casserole
yeah, i don't care
|
||||
92. |
The Shadow Of Lists
03:29
|
|||
Under the shadow of lists, I try to keep going
Under the shadow of lists, I go on
But the shadows persist as the lists keep growing
The shadow of lists grows on
I'm biding my time with the pen and the paper
But the pattern of words come out wrong
Tell myself it'll be fine - that the best can come later
Putting off, putting off, putting off
Under the shadow of lists, I try to keep going
Under the shadow of lists, I go on
But the shadows persist as the lists keep growing
The shadow of lists grows on
I'm wasting my time with the pen and the paper
The patterns always come out wrong
Stare at the lines as the dread grows greater
Putting off, putting off, putting off
It's too much to bear and the worst of it is that
The fault is no one's but my own
The solutions are there - I know that I can beat this but
It's easier to let the lists grow
Under the shadow of lists, I try to keep going
Under the shadow of lists, I go on
But the shadows persist as the lists keep growing
The shadow of lists grows on
I'm just killing time with the pen and the paper
And the pattern of words come out wrong
Tell myself it'll be fine - that the best can come later
Putting off, putting off, putting off
It's too much to bear and the worst of it is that
The fault is no one's but my own
The solutions are there - I know that I can beat this but
It's easier to let the lists grow
I don't want to wait anymore
I don't want to wait anymore
I don't want to wait anymore
I don't want to wait anymore
Under the shadow of lists, I try to keep going
Under the shadow of lists, I go on
But the shadows persist as the lists keep growing
The shadow of lists grows on
Under the shadow of lists, I try to keep going
Under the shadow of lists, I go on
But the shadows persist as the lists keep growing
The shadow of lists grows on
|
||||
93. |
The Telephone Song
02:21
|
|||
Back and forth it goes
Neither one of us at home
To receive the call that comes from
The other
Answering machine
Records my awkward message
Every stumble, every nervous
Stutter
Back and forth it goes
Neither one of us at home
It's almost to ridiculous
To be true
To see how you are
To hear your voice would be terrific, but
Who knew it'd be so difficult
To reach you
I keep missing you
|
||||
94. |
The Wake Up Song
01:01
|
|||
Wake up
It's noon and you'll be late
You can't afford to miss another day
I've drawn your bath
A kiss and a farewell
Now I must go or I'll be late myself
But those sleepy, trapdoor eyes
Lure me back to bed
We'll make love all afternoon instead
|
||||
95. |
||||
i want to feel myself falling
close my eyes and jump from this balcony
i can not hear what they're saying
all that i hear is the sound of the wind
life is unfair and unrelenting
should come as no real surprise but it still does
failure will come
the senses go numb
there's only one way
to be free
why must the fix be so easy
yet filled with so much doubt and uncertainty
i can't let go of this railing
as much as i want to i know that it's not time
and failure still comes
the senses go numb
but there's more than one way
to be free
|
||||
96. |
Too Far
03:57
|
|||
She asked me how far away was my place,
I said, “It’s not too far - you know it’s not too far.”
“Maybe we should start heading out that way,
If it’s not too far.” “No, it’s not too far.”
We played by the rules, we accepted our roles
I acted my part to a T
Though nothing was certain until the sun
Came through the blinds to show
That the scene was over
But in that morning’s haze we were wondering
If we went too far - if we went too far
“Did you really mean those words that you said to me?”
Did we go too far?” “I think we went too far.”
And it didn’t take long for everything to change
Our care-free encounters were gone
Replaced with a tension that soon became
Too much to bear
The scene was now far from over
We can claim it was nothing - just part of the game
We can lie to ourselves if it’s not too late
And convince each other that things can be
Just as before -
The scene can be started over
But, in the end, I fell back on my selfish ways
‘Cause we went too far - yeah, we went too far
“How can you act like it was just another day?”
“It’s not that hard - no, it’s not that hard.”
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97. |
Truth
02:12
|
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There's no greater mystery
Than what keeps you right here with me
I was cynical, I was aloof
Couldn't understand the truth
I'm a novice in this game
Three time's all that I can claim
There are many stories out there I don't refute
They can't be further from the truth
I had problems and I had fears
But now I'm free of worry when you're near
There's a heaven up there and I have proof
You are beauty, you are truth
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98. |
||||
This river lacks the romance that it once had
A warm park bench inviting integration
On a faded springtime night
With two fingers inside
A gentle moan of affirmation
The rain turns to a drizzle then comes to an end
The wind and trees in casual conversation
A sky of airplane lights
And quiet satellites
We're left alone to our infatuations
You've got to learn somewhere
And if not here, then where?
Now the rocks are littered with bottles and cans
The water brown from unknown infestation
The old oak trees are bare
There's dog shit everywhere
And posted signs to note our violations
(motherfucker)
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||||
99. |
Your Arms, I Guess
02:30
|
|||
Your arms, I guess, will do tonight
If you’ll make do with mine
I tried, I failed, I’m here, you just
Did not feel like trying
I wish my heart could accept yours
And yours could accept mine
It’d make things so much easier
There’d be no need for hiding
No one knows our secret
Your arms, I guess, will do tonight
If you’ll make do with mine
And afterwards - who knows - I guess
We’ll just keep on trying
No one knows our secret
|
||||
100. |
Last Song
04:35
|
|||
This is the last hurrah
A prolonged denouement
Won't help anyone
Get over it . . . it's done
I can't say as yet
That I have no regrets
'Cause that would just mean
I must overlook a couple of things
There doesn't appear
To be anything here
That makes me want to stay
It's unfortunate but that's just the case
I've made some great friends
And I'll miss most of them
No bonds have been made
That are strong enough not to break
This is the last hurrah
A prolonged denouement
Won't help anyone
It's over . . . deal with it
I can't say as yet
That I have no regrets
'Cause that would just mean
I must overlook some things
I'm just a sarcastic fraud
Beneath this cynical facade
Lies a sympathetic fool
Who loves each and every one of you
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