burden (face to face)

*A favorite song from a favorite album.  Ignorance is Bliss is the album that broke up the band.  It essentially tore the fan-base into two warring factions.  Shows turned into riots.  They couldn't play the songs live.  Call it a lesson in knowing your audience, or call it a lesson in love.  The album had to be made.*

You could say I might find it difficult
to show it on the outside
from far away
I should seem as ordinary as would seem the truth
but all we find
dishonesty and lies
it's hard to recognize the truth
and why can't I discover what the reason is
that I know there`s something left that I should prove

I didn't mean to burden you
is there something more to this?
I didn't mean to burden you
is there something more to this?
was it something that I've already missed?

peel away the fear that I`m not good enough
to give back what I've taken
it's hard to say
the disappointment tends to make
the optimism fade
I'm still behind and running out of time
it's nothing but a trite excuse

and why can't I discover what the reason is
that I know there's something left that I should prove.

down here with the rest of us (social distortion)

*Sorry about the poor quality.  That's Blogger's fault. I upload pristine files but Blogger says, "Hey, how about we make everyone listen to shit instead?"  A real hard-luck story, I know.*

You work hard now

to put the food on the table
you're working for the men
who don't even know your name
that's the way that it goes
when you're down here with the rest of us
you might lose now
your beautiful children
your happy home, yeah
and your beautiful wife
that's the way that it goes
when you're down here with the rest of us

you'll suffer hard now
as you bury
your loved ones
you'll suffer hard now
when you lose your best friend
that's the way that it goes
when you're down here with the rest of us
that's the way that it goes
and I know how you feel

no one's immune now
to a world of problems
no one's exempt now
from a world of pain
that's the way that it goes
when you're down here with the rest of us

I try hard now
to do the right thing
yet I wonder
why I still do what's wrong
that's the way that it goes
when you're down here with the rest of us
that's the way that it goes
and I know how you feel.

day by day (hank III)

I've been runnin all around
just a-burning up the land
knowin how to have a damn good time
livin like no end
always ready to begin
burnin out to get to overdrive
tearin up the mountains
muddin up some fields
ridin rivers on a good day
runnin full throttle
and racin like hell
we're gonna make through one more day

yeah we're living day by day
getting by the old outlaw way
yeah we're living day by day
getting by the old outlaw way

Well I like ridin high
and now I'm a friend with overdrive
shootin guns and doin it my ol way
I've seen some good friends die
livin in this big ol lie
don't you know
that we're livin for today
I've been out on the run
doing what I can for fun
better watch your back
and get out of my way
living mighty fine
and working to stay alive
gotta make it through one more day

yeah we're living day by day
getting by the old outlaw way
yeah we're living day by day
getting by the old outlaw way
we got our own style of living a different way

coelacanth

It's hard blending in
when you're an ancient soul
so hard living in
a petrochemical meltdown
everything is plastic
everything disposable
litter is our new currency
the sun shines down
on more and more blight every day

future harvests are exchanged
for new subdivisions
old infrastructure is abandoned
left in the wake of a mobile society
left in the wake of manifest destiny
newer is better
and older is, well, old
so I guess that leaves me
out in the cold
on the fringes
out of place
out of time
looking for survivors
the last of my kind.

counting shadows

Shadows bleed
shadows rage
shadows blend in
shadows rattle your cage
what good is it to be alive
if you can't get your head above water
what good is the truth
if you insist on living a lie

shadows remind you
of the impending night
of the clairvoyant truth
if you're missing perspective
shadows will provide it

we are all broken here
we are simmering in discontent
I could do much better
than all of you
if I wasn't so damaged
if I was clothed and in my right mind
but that's a lot of ifs

tonight
when I turn out my light
I will count the shadows
number myself with them
and know
that I will never be alone.

stating the obvious

There is a way
there is the truth
there will always be
those who believe
as for me
I have found myself
all the way down

broken in mind and body
broken in spirit
unlike a man
all the way down

there are liars
there are dreamers
there will always be
those who believe
as for me
I have found my home burning
and it will burn
all the way down

broken in mind
broken in body
broken in spirit
unlike any man should be
I am
all the way down.

cure for pain (morphine)

Where is the ritual
and tell me where
where is the taste
where is the sacrifice
and tell me where
where is the faith

someday
there'll be a cure for pain
that's the day
I throw my drugs away
when they find a cure for pain

where is the cave
where the wise woman went
and tell me where
where's all that money that I spent

I propose a toast
to my self-control
you see it crawling
helpless on the floor

someday
there'll be a cure for pain
that's the day
I throw my drugs away
when they find a cure for pain.

tares and the wheat

You keep talking about
the tares and the wheat
but all I hear is
the pain in my feet
you've got dreams
and I've got schemes
we're both falling
apart at the seams
you've got love
and I've got hate
so much more
than the world can take

what you need from me
is a brand new day
what I need from you
is unending night
I'll never find the end
of my shortcomings
I don't expect you
to understand
life is fraught with
danger and boredom
I can't give you security
and I can't make you whole
I'm like all the rest--
looking for some fun
before the sun goes down
just looking for a quiet place
to lay my aching head.