I Will Sing You Songs

[ali]

guy has a great voice, i'd love to see them live... their songs are so evocative, particularly this one. he does heartbreak very well!

i love this one off the new album:

Mexican Standoff

Shifting my weight now from foot to foot
What did she see in this man
I'm not superstitious but if I can get
This ball in the basket
Then he'll wake up dead

Your sweet reassurances don't' change the fact
That he's better looking than me
Yet he'd look ideal 'neath the wheels of a car
Oh Mexican standoff I wish I was hard

(mental revenge is sweet! ) ;D

[ali]

for pure, lovely wackiness complete with gear-grinding...

Valet Parking - super furry animals

[Cardiff to Vilnius in five easy verses]
Vilnius vacation
I don't need no innoculation
I just jump in my car and go
For how long?
I do not know
The Euro Zone is my home
Passed my driving test last year
You know it took me a while to get there
It was my fourth time around
And I was in perfect mind of sound
Underneath my chair is the road to her

[At this point I switch my radio on]
If it's not crap trance on the radio
Then it's problem rock on every show
You know they're go no more lows to go
They're making too much money
And taking too much Blow
Your mind is behind

[And this is total nowness]
Fly away in my silver Bluebird
Some would argue that it's grey
Fly away in my silver Bluebird
Sleep in lay-bys on the way

[Coming up to Berlin I have a mild accident]
Well it's Solvent Abuse Awareness Week
At the clinic in a Berlin backyard
Sleek as the big lump on my head
I could really do with a bath and a bed
But underneath my chair
Is the road to her

[So I just head on for Poland, and, er...]
Reach my destination with no satellite navigation system
Just a map and a clear mind
If I run out of bucks
Maybe I'll drive a truck
But it's a lonely way to make some pay

Fly away in my silver Bluebird
Some would argue that it's grey
Fly away in my silver Bluebird
Sleep in lay-bys on the way

[ratsprayer]

My Curse - Afghan Whigs (sung by Marcy Mays of Scrawl)

You hurt me baby
I flinch so when you do
Your kisses scourge me
Hyssop in your perfume
Oh, i do not fear you
And slave i only use
As a word to describe the special way i feel for you
You look like me
And i look like no one else
We need no other
As long as we have ourselves
But i won't cry about it
Every time you get obsessed
Every time i came undressed
All ugly thoughts are gone
I'm sure we'll all be friends
I'll try to break your back
You'll try to make amends
Curse softly to me baby
And smother me in your love
Temptation comes not from hell but from above
And there's blood on my teeth
When i bite my tongue to speak
Zip me down, kiss me there
I can smile now
You won't find out ever
Hurt me baby
I flinch so when you do
Your kisses scourge me
Hyssop in your perfume
Oh i do not fear you
And slave i only use as a word to describe
The way i feel when i'm with you
If i have to lie about it everytime i came undressed

[EC]

I've had Bob Dylan songs running through my head, getting mixed up all day.  I think it's because I'm reading Chronicles.  

Here's a snippet from one of my favourites, and I would love to do the whole thing, but I don't think there's space for it here.  

Old lady judges watch people in pairs
Limited in sex, they dare
To push fake morals, insult and stare
While money doesn't talk, it swears
Obscenity, who really cares
Propaganda, all is phony.

While them that defend what they cannot see
With a killer's pride, security
It blows the minds most bitterly
For them that think death's honesty
Won't fall upon them naturally
Life sometimes
Must get lonely.


Man that man.  You read his book, and you don't even care if he's telling the truth or not.  That's a rare thing.

[archiecrisanto]

Does anybody know of Ben Kweller? I'm a pretty big fan of his. There's a song off his second album called "Living Life", that's so beautifully cheesy and simple. A few of my friends died or were seriously injured in a bunch of separate wrecks and accidents, including me, last year, all within about 1 month of each other.  One of my best friends passed away in the accident we were in, and while I was recovering I listened to that song on friggin' repeat all day. The words are kinda lame, but whenever I listen to the song, the lyrics always seem to be so comforting. They don't even merit posting the song really, but they always seem to grab at me.

[aMillionDreams]

I've had Bob Dylan songs running through my head, getting mixed up all day.  I think it's because I'm reading Chronicles.  

Here's a snippet from one of my favourites, and I would love to do the whole thing, but I don't think there's space for it here.  

Old lady judges watch people in pairs
Limited in sex, they dare
To push fake morals, insult and stare
While money doesn't talk, it swears
Obscenity, who really cares
Propaganda, all is phony.

While them that defend what they cannot see
With a killer's pride, security
It blows the minds most bitterly
For them that think death's honesty
Won't fall upon them naturally
Life sometimes
Must get lonely.


Man that man.  You read his book, and you don't even care if he's telling the truth or not.  That's a rare thing.

My eyes collide head-on with stuffed graveyards
False gods, I scuff
At pettiness which plays so rough
Walk upside-down inside handcuffs
Kick my legs to crash it off
Say okay, I have had enough
What else can you show me?

And if my thought-dreams could be seen
They'd probably put my head in a guillotine
But it's alright, Ma, it's life, and life only.



Great song.   Great book.  Great man!!!

[primushead]

My eyes collide head-on with stuffed graveyards
False gods, I scuff
At pettiness which plays so rough
Walk upside-down inside handcuffs
Kick my legs to crash it off
Say okay, I have had enough
What else can you show me?

And if my thought-dreams could be seen
They'd probably put my head in a guillotine
But it's alright, Ma, it's life, and life only.



Great song.   Great book.  Great man!!!

Darkness at the break of noon
Shadows even the silver spoon
The handmade blade, the child's balloon
Eclipses both the sun and moon
To understand you know too soon
There is no sense in trying.

Pointed threats, they bluff with scorn
Suicide remarks are torn
From the fool's gold mouthpiece
The hollow horn plays wasted words
Proves to warn
That he not busy being born
Is busy dying.


Like....how does someone even BEGIN to write a song like that?

[ratsprayer]

Like....how does someone even BEGIN to write a song like that?

i think one can do that with lots of lemonade.   ;)

[aMillionDreams]

Does anybody know of Ben Kweller? I'm a pretty big fan of his. There's a song off his second album called "Living Life", that's so beautifully cheesy and simple. A few of my friends died or were seriously injured in a bunch of separate wrecks and accidents, including me, last year, all within about 1 month of each other.  One of my best friends passed away in the accident we were in, and while I was recovering I listened to that song on friggin' repeat all day. The words are kinda lame, but whenever I listen to the song, the lyrics always seem to be so comforting. They don't even merit posting the song really, but they always seem to grab at me.

Does that "Living Life" go something like this:

Hold me like a mother would
Like I always knew somebody should
Though tomorrow don't so good....
Ohh, this ls life
Livin, livin, livin, livin, livin, livin,
Livin life


If so that song is by Daniel Johnston, who is a great songwriter.  Here's a gem from Daniel:

The Story of an Artist (Don't Be Scared)

Listen up and I'll tell a story
About an artist growing old
Some would try for fame and glory
Others aren't so bold

Everyone, and friends and family
Saying, "Hey! Get a job!"
"Why do you only do that only?
Why are you so odd?
We don't really like what you do.
We don't think anyone ever will.
It's a problem that you have,
And this problem's made you ill."

Listen up and I'll tell a story
About an artist growing old
Some would try for fame and glory
Others aren't so bold

The artist walks alone
Someone says behind his back,
"He's got his gall to call himself that!
He doesn't even know where he's at!"

The artist walks among the flowers
Appreciating the sun
He does this all his waking hours
But is it really so wrong?

They sit in front of their TV
Saying, "Hey! This is fun!"
And they laugh at the artist
Saying, "He doesn't know how to have fun."
The best things in life are truly free
Singing birds and laughing bees
"You've got me wrong", says he.
"The sun don't shine in your TV"

Listen up and I'll tell a story
About an artist growing old
Some would try for fame and glory
Others aren't so bold

Everyone, and friends and family
Saying, "Hey! Get a job!"
"Why do you only do that only?
Why are you so odd?
We don't really like what you do.
We don't think anyone ever will.
It's a problem that you have,
And this problem's made you ill."

Listen up and I'll tell a story
About an artist growing old.
Some would try for fame and glory
Others just like to watch the world.
 

[Chills]

Does that "Living Life" go something like this:

Hold me like a mother would
Like I always knew somebody should
Though tomorrow don't so good....
Ohh, this ls life
Livin, livin, livin, livin, livin, livin,
Livin life


If so that song is by Daniel Johnston, who is a great songwriter.  Here's a gem from Daniel:

The Story of an Artist (Don't Be Scared)

Listen up and I'll tell a story
About an artist growing old
Some would try for fame and glory
Others aren't so bold

Everyone, and friends and family
Saying, "Hey! Get a job!"
"Why do you only do that only?
Why are you so odd?
We don't really like what you do.
We don't think anyone ever will.
It's a problem that you have,
And this problem's made you ill."

Listen up and I'll tell a story
About an artist growing old
Some would try for fame and glory
Others aren't so bold

The artist walks alone
Someone says behind his back,
"He's got his gall to call himself that!
He doesn't even know where he's at!"

The artist walks among the flowers
Appreciating the sun
He does this all his waking hours
But is it really so wrong?

They sit in front of their TV
Saying, "Hey! This is fun!"
And they laugh at the artist
Saying, "He doesn't know how to have fun."
The best things in life are truly free
Singing birds and laughing bees
"You've got me wrong", says he.
"The sun don't shine in your TV"

Listen up and I'll tell a story
About an artist growing old
Some would try for fame and glory
Others aren't so bold

Everyone, and friends and family
Saying, "Hey! Get a job!"
"Why do you only do that only?
Why are you so odd?
We don't really like what you do.
We don't think anyone ever will.
It's a problem that you have,
And this problem's made you ill."

Listen up and I'll tell a story
About an artist growing old.
Some would try for fame and glory
Others just like to watch the world.

M Ward did a fine version of that one too


What's Happening Brother

(Marvin Gaye/James Nyx)

Hey baby, what'cha know good
I'm just gettin' back, but you knew I would
War is hell, when will it end,
When will people start gettin' together again
Are things really gettin' better, like the newspaper said
What else is new my friend, besides what I read
Can't find no work, can't find no job my friend
Money is tighter than it's ever been
Say man, I just don't understand
What's going on across this land
Ah what's happening brother,
Oh ya, what's happening my man
Are they still gettin' down where we used to go and dance
Will our ball club win the pennant,
do you think they have a chance
And tell me friend, how in the world have you been.
Tell me what's out and I want to know what's in.
What's the deal man, what's happening
What's happening brother
Ah what's happening brother
What's happening my man
Ah what's happening brother
What's been shaken up and down the line
I want to know cause I'm slightly behind the time.

[archiecrisanto]

Does that "Living Life" go something like this:

Hold me like a mother would
Like I always knew somebody should
Though tomorrow don't so good....
Ohh, this ls life
Livin, livin, livin, livin, livin, livin,
Livin life

No, I've heard that song, and other Daniel Johnston, not a whole lot, but I like what I heard.

[fitzcarraldo]

I can not fucking get enough of this song these days:

Cat Power's The Greatest:

Once I wanted to be the greatest
No wind or waterfall could stall me
And then came the rush of the flood
Stars of night turned deep to dust

Melt me down
To big black armour
Leave no trace of grace
Just in your honor
Lower me down
To culprit south
Make em watch a space in town
For the lead
And the dregs of my bed
I've been sleeping
Lower me down
Pin me down
Secure the grounds
For the later parade

Once I wanted to be the greatest
Two fists of solid rock
With brains that could explain
Any feeling

Lower me down
Pin me in
Secure the grounds
For the lead
And the dregs of my bed
I've been sleeping
For the later parade

Once I wanted to be the greatest
No wind or waterfall could stall me
And then came the rush of the flood
Stars of night turned deep to dust

[Mr. T.]

who recognises this:

Four o'clock in the afternoon
and I didn't feel like very much.
I said to myself, "Where are you golden boy,
where is your famous golden touch?"
I thought you knew where
all of the elephants lie down,
I thought you were the crown prince
of all the wheels in Ivory Town.
Just take a look at your body now,
there's nothing much to save
and a bitter voice in the mirror cries,
"Hey, Prince, you need a shave."
Now if you can manage to get
your trembling fingers to behave,
why don't you try unwrapping
a stainless steel razor blade?
That's right, it's come to this,
yes it's come to this,
and wasn't it a long way down,
wasn't it a strange way down?
There's no hot water
and the cold is running thin.
Well, what do you expect from
the kind of places you've been living in?
Don't drink from that cup,
it's all caked and cracked along the rim.
That's not the electric light, my friend,
that is your vision growing dim.
Cover up your face with soap, there,
now you're Santa Claus.
And you've got a gift for anyone
who will give you his applause.
I thought you were a racing man,
ah, but you couldn't take the pace.
That's a funeral in the mirror
and it's stopping at your face.
That's right, it's come to this,
yes it's come to this,
and wasn't it a long way down,
ah wasn't it a strange way down?

Once there was a path
and a girl with chestnut hair,
and you passed the summers
picking all of the berries that grew there;
there were times she was a woman,
oh, there were times she was just a child,
and you held her in the shadows
where the raspberries grow wild.
And you climbed the twilight mountains
and you sang about the view,
and everywhere that you wandered
love seemed to go along with you.
That's a hard one to remember,
yes it makes you clench your fist.
And then the veins stand out like highways,
all along your wrist.
And yes it's come to this,
it's come to this,
and wasn't it a long way down,
wasn't it a strange way down?

You can still find a job,
go out and talk to a friend.
On the back of every magazine
there are those coupons you can send.
Why don't you join the Rosicrucians,
they can give you back your hope,
you can find your love with diagrams
on a plain brown envelope.
But you've used up all your coupons
except the one that seems
to be written on your wrist
along with several thousand dreams.
Now Santa Claus comes forward,
that's a razor in his mit;
and he puts on his dark glasses
and he shows you where to hit;
and then the cameras pan,
the stand in stunt man,
dress rehearsal rag,
it's just the dress rehearsal rag,
you know this dress rehearsal rag,
it's just a dress rehearsal rag.

[sonysucksdonkeydic]

Hot Freaks-Guided By Voices    
I met a non-dairy creamer
Explicitly laid out like a fruitcake
With a wet spot
Bigger than a great lake
Took me to the new church
And baptized me with salt
She told me, liquor
I am a new man

Hot freaks

This one is on the house
This one is better than ever

I walked into the house of miraculous recovery
And stood before king everything
And he asked me to join him in the red wing
Took me to pie land
Said, I’m a thigh man
I will be eternally hateful

Hot freaks
Hot freaks
Hot freaks

This one is on the house
This one is better than ever
And this one is on the house
This one is better than ever
This one is on the house
This one is better than ever

[sonysucksdonkeydic]

...Pretty much anything written by Bob Pollard.  The man is a scientist... err umm I mean genius.

[EC]

This is a J.Cash song, although Nick Cave sings it, too.  But Mr. Cave calls it "The Singer", and the original title is "The Folk Singer".

So I'm referring to the version called The Folk Singer that J.C. did.  I've probably heard it 150 times in my life, but I put it on at work the other day, and felt like I was listening to it for the first time.  1968.  What the hell?  It doesn't seem to fit in any time.

Anyhow:

As I walk these narrow streets
Where a million passin feet have trod before me
With my guitar in my hand
Suddenly I realize nobody knows me
Where yesterday the multitude
Screamed and cried my name out for a song
Today the streets are empty
And the crowds have all gone home
I pass a million houses
But there is no place that I belong
All I knew to give you
Was song after song after song
All the truths I tried to tell you
Were as distant to you as the moon
Born 200 years too late
And 200 years too soon
I`m a child of this age
Locked into the pages of your book
And when I am but dust and clay
And all the children stop to take a look
Will they marvel at the miracles I did perform
And the heights I did aspire
Or will they tear out the pages of the book
To light a fire
With the rain on my face
There is no place that I belong
Did you forget the folk singer so soon?
And did you forget my song?

[Gripe]

I didn't even know this was a Johnny Cash song. I only know the Nick Cave version and I frickin' love it. The jangly guitars sound fantastic, as does the space between twangs.

Great, now I have to go buy the original album. Thanks a lot.

[ycartrob]

Suicidal Tendencies- Institutionalized

Sometimes I try to do things and it just doesn't work out the way I wanted
to.
I get real frustrated and I try hard to do it and I take my time and it
doesn't work out the way I wanted to.
It's like I concentrate real hard and it doesn't work out
Everything I do and everything I try never turns out
It's like I need time to figure these things out
But there's always someone there going

Hey Mike:
You know we've been noticing you've been having a lot of problems lately.You
know, maybe you should get away and maybe you should talk about it, maybe
you'll feel a lot better

And I go:
No it's okay, you know I'll figure it out, just leave me alone I'll figure
it out. You know I'll just work by myself.

And they go:
Well you know if you want to talk about it I'll be here you know and you'll
probably feel a lot better if you talk about it.

And I go:
No I don't want to I'm okay, I'll figure it out myself and they just keep
bugging me and they just keep bugging me and it builds up inside and it
builds up inside.

So you're gonna be institutionalized
You'll come out brainwashed with bloodshot eyes
You won't have any say
They'll brainwash you until you see their way.

I'm not crazy - institutionalized
You're the one who's crazy - institutionalized
You're driving me crazy - institutionalized

They stuck me in an institution
Said it was the only solution
to give me the needed professional help
to protect me from the enemy, myself

I was in my room and I was just like staring at the wall thinking about
everything but then again I was thinking about nothing
And then my mom came in and I didn't even know she was there she called my
name and I didn't even hear it, and then she started screaming MIKE! MIKE!
And I go:
What, what's the matter
And she goes:
What's the matter with you?
I go:
There's nothing-wrong mom.
And she goes:
Don't tell me that, you're on drugs!
And I go:
No mom I'm not on drugs I'm okay, I was just thinking you know, why don't
you get me a pepsi.
And she goes:
NO you're on drugs!
I go:
Mom I'm okay, I'm just thinking.
She goes:
No you're not thinking, you're on drugs! Normal people don't act that way!
I go:
Mom just give me a Pepsi please
All I want is a Pepsi, and she wouldn't give it to me
All I wanted was a Pepsi, just one Pepsi, and she wouldn't give it to me.
Just a Pepsi.

They give you a white shirt with long sleeves
Tied around you're back, you're treated like thieves
Drug you up because they're lazy
It's too much work to help a crazy

I'm not crazy - institutionalized
You're the one who's crazy - institutionalized
You're driving me crazy - institutionalized

They stuck me in an institution
Said it was the only solution
To give me the needed professional help
To protect me from the enemy, myself

I was sitting in my room and my mom and my dad came in and they pulled up
a chair and they sat down, they go:
Mike, we need to talk to you
And I go:
Okay what's the matter
They go:
Me and your mom have been noticing lately that you've been having a lot of
problems, you've been going off for no reason and we're afraid you're gonna
hurt somebody, we're afraid you're gonna hurt yourself.
So we decided that it would be in your interest if we put you somewhere
where you could get the help that you need.
And I go:
Wait, what do you mean, what are you talking about, we decided!? My best
interest?! How can you know what's my best interest is? How can you say what
my best interest is? What are you trying to say, I'm crazy? When I went to
your schools, I went to your churches, I went to your institutional learning
facilities?! So how can you say I'm crazy.

They say they're gonna fix my brain
Alleviate my suffering and my pain
But by the time they fix my head
Mentally I'll be dead

I'm not crazy - institutionalized
You're the one who's crazy - institutionalized
You're driving me crazy - institutionalized

They stuck me in an institution
Said it was the only solution
To give me the needed professional help
To protect me from the enemy, myself

What does it matter i'll probably get hit by a car anyway

[ycartrob]

Stan Ridgway - Pile driver

There is a big click clack machine
Whose engines don't pump gasoline
It's a poundin' crazy arm that works all day
It's run by all the people who
Have got some blueprint plan to do
So don't shake your head––no, just nod and say "okay"

And before I knew it, I got shoved in line
Marchin' south in single file, and countin' off in time


Chorus:
(So, And) Bring that pile driver over here and be quick
We've got to dig a hole right now, so we can put in this stick
We've got a hundred fourty-seven done, we only got a day
So bring that pile driver over here right away



Now here's a big wide open space
So wipe that smile right off your face
And replace it now with a look of stern regard
It's the early bird that gets the worm
So what happens when the worm will learn
It's the older ways for new we will discard


And someone sent us this big machine that guarantees
There'll be no argument at all when we're packin' one of these


Chorus repeat


But wait a minute
Did you hear it cough
This crazy arm
We can't turn off
It's rollin' round
And diggin' down a mile
Look out––this big machine
Has gone hog wild!


So look out, world, we're buildin' now
When the hammer hits, the thumb says "Ow!"
Somewhere you know there's progress made
One thing's for sure, we'll get our asphalt laid
This big machine has run amuck
And someone somewhere passed the buck
So keep an ear out for that whistle call
And duck when you see that wreckin' ball


And hey, Bob, don't light that match, we could explode
I'll move some dirt while you block off the road

[Easy Morning Rebel]

Dear Anne by Ryan Adams, one of the most beautiful lyrics ever written. It's about Anne Frank.

I read a book on you
You were doing fine
One lazy afternoon
You wrote in your diary
Your sister Margot, she don't talk
Peter, he's sad and rude
My thoughts they are with you

Who turned you in?
Who let you down?
Who sold you out?
The green police or the Dutch N.S.B.?
Oh honey why?
You was a beautiful child.

Yeah, and she was just sixteen,
Barely a girl.
And she watch the leaves go green
Through the cracks in an old window sill.
What the hell did those people do?
Yeah, and how could they sleep,
Once they laid their eyes on you?

Who turned you in?
Who let you down?
Who sold you out?
The green police or the Dutch N.S.B.?
Oh honey why?
You was a beautiful child.

Well, it broke your daddy's heart
But you made him smile
And Miep, she kept your book
With the cloth and red checkerboard tie
I want to thank you for your thoughts
Though they weren't mine to read
p.s. --  keep an eye on me

Who turned you in?
Who let you down?
Who sold you out?
The green police or the Dutch N.S.B.?
Oh, honey why?
You was a beautiful child.
A beautiful child.
A beautiful child.