1. |
delta blues
05:46
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Delta Blues (C F G)
I was born by c-section in a hospital in surrey
nothing natural about me
I just kept my mouth shut
and my mom said I was such a quiet baby
what a good girl, did well in school
what a good girl
but I was slow at arithmetic
and it caused concern but I wasn’t concerned
how fast do you need to multiply?
take your time, I took my time
I wrote stories
didn’t let anybody read them
grew up in delta
whole lotta bullshit, makes me sick
I hate to go back there
my mom says I was a good girl
but she never said it to me
didn’t think I needed to know
but I needed to know
and I grew up lazy, and I grew up selfish
and I shut my mouth, and I shut my door
and I wanted to sing in a rock and roll band
never told anybody
and I wanted to do something but I didn’t know how
and I had nobody to ask because nobody did nothing
nothing going on
grew up in delta
whole lotta bullshit, makes me sick
I hate to go back there
I read every book of poetry in the george mackie library the summer I turned sixteen
used up a lot of paper
and I got drunk under the overpass
got stoned and skipped school
dropped acid and learned what it’s like to go crazy
I didn’t want to go crazy
I went a little crazy
and I listened to the wall and I felt like dying
but what I really wanted to do was live
and my dad told me to drink some milk, huh
and I wanted to do something but I didn’t know how
nobody doing nothing, nothing going on
and I wanted to sing in a rock and roll band
but I never told anybody
I didn’t think I could, I didn’t know I could
grew up in delta
whole lotta bullshit, makes me sick
I’m never going back there
I fell in love
I fell in love with a guy, long hair,
he smoked cigarettes and played guitar
he was really smart
he loved me he loved me he loved me he loved me he loved me he loved me he loved me he loved me
we moved outta delta, went to university
watched a lot of movies, drank some whiskey
he loved me he loved me he loved me he loved me he loved me he loved me he loved me
he asked me to marry him, gave me a white gold ring
I said yes I said no I said yes I said no I said yes I said no I said yes I said no
I said no, teach me to play guitar
and he did
and now I sing in a rock and roll band
and now I’m a one man band
and now I’m my own damn man ;)
grew up in delta
whole lotta bullshit, makes me sick
nobody doing nothing
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2. |
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I Quit My Job To Go To The Colourbook Show
(capo on 2nd fret - E G D G)
about a month ago I got up at quarter to six
about a month ago I thought about calling in sick
about a month ago I walked to work in the rain
cuz in nanaimo on sunday there’s no bus to take
I thought that I might say
I’m not selling cigarettes to anyone today
I thought that I might say
I’m not selling cigarettes to anyone today
I thought about what they might say-
go back the way you came
I got to work a little bit late
my supervisor was having a really bad day
I didn’t have the heart to say
I’m not selling cigarettes to anyone today
I had made up my mind
if I got myself fired
I’d go home and make a solo record
called the erin just got fired and needs to make some money record
and I didn’t have the heart to say
I’m not selling cigarettes to anyone today
but I quit my job today
I’m moving on today
so I wrote this song today
I’m not selling cigarettes to anyone today
I started going through my songs
I could make a record 20 hours long
with all the things that I’ve been through
and all the songs I wrote about you
I just brought you into this
you could be anyone that I’ve kissed
you could be anyone that I’ve missed
so I started going through those songs
I found one two minutes long
about the things that I might say
if you ever came my way
it had always been one of my favourites
I thought I’d put it on my first solo record
but that song’s where I was then
and now I’m never going back
that song’s where I was then
and I’m not staying
that song’s where I was then
no one ever really listened to it anyway
I saw your eyes gloss over
I saw you heading for another drink
that song’s where I was then
and I’m not staying
so I wrote this song today
I’m moving on today
I quit my job today
I’m not selling cigarettes to anyone today
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3. |
nice work
01:48
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Nice Work (D A G)
I passed a woman with two little girls
they were building a fence
I said, nice work
they were building a fence
I said, nice work
they were building a fence
I said, nice work
but I’m breaking it down
but I’m breaking it down
but I’m breaking down
we all collapse a little bit
we all collapse a little bit
we all collapse a little bit
and the little one was banging a hammer
the older one was checking the levels
and they were building a fence
I thought, nice work
they were building a fence
I thought, nice work
they were building a fence
I thought, nice work
but I’m kicking it down
but I’m kicking it out
but I’m sticking out
well we all learn from what we go without
we all break down and go without
we all shut down and turn it out
and we keep within what we can’t put out
and you’re fenced in and I’m fenced out
they were building a fence
I said, nice work
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4. |
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I’m Trying, I’m Trying. . . (G D C G)
I ate the good food
and I fought the good fight
and I stayed out late skateboarding
every night
I was thinking of boys
I would have liked to have loved
but who I’d just go and leave
when I’d got enough
I’ve been building up a store
of passion and what for
it’ll come crashing down
and bash down my doors
but doors, what were we closing them for?
to keep out the creatures and people and what more?
I’m in my fear, living in here
remembering happy, and waxing all sappy
in a rhyme a voice keeps time without accompanying noise
and I’m trying to be everybody I need
I’ve been avoiding the dishes
writing down all my wishes
ignoring the boring task
of scoring my misses
I’ve been playing guitar
as if I’m crashing a car
it’s a style you can imitate
when I’m a star
I’ve been leaning to screams
the louder it seems
to get tighter and closer
to the sound of my dreams
but dreams, what were we holding them for?
to keep up illusions and seclusions and what more?
and I’m in my fear, singing in here
remembering happy, and conjuring it here
in a rhyme a voice keeps time without accompanying noise
I’m trying to be everybody I need
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5. |
forget bad dreams
05:29
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Forget Bad Dreams (G A C D)
I forget bad dreams
I look smaller than I am
and everyone’s young
and cups of coffee talk like the whisper songs you swallow
someone young is a judge
terrible taste living bold and unafraid
fear is ordinary
and to be visionary
you must sneak away through the leaves so unassuming
I forget bad songs
the best can clear a room
nobody knew
and paying attention
is cheaper from the easy room
so I’ll be leaving soon
when I’ve split enjoyment into
hate and devotion
I’m turning up the tension
and would somebody sing with me
the soul escapes in anonymity
careless of your perfect lover
your heart escapes with distraction
pay more attention to the
laws of attraction
I’m breaking and boring
I’m empty and waiting
I’m trying but not wholehearted enough
and my head’s in the clouds
my feet in the mist
that fell over me as I crossed over the sea
stepping down on this side what was left of me?
I could admit, only everything
but I’m not quite committed to swearing
I’m fucking scared shitless of
everything inside me
my past and my body
play cruel tricks on me
at night reinterpret that nothing is real
forget all my dreams and go right back to sleep
and act in accordance with ancient programming
the age of my body is right to have babies
it’s sending me messages like pop-ups on screens
and I can’t quite ignore them
but I don’t quite agree
and my soul escapes in a crowd
with everybody singing loud
it’s the union of physical beautiful spiritual whimsical ethereal phenomenon
it’s a high plane we’d all like to die on
but for now let’s just visit
it’s a hot bed to lie on
it’s a beckoning ear
a relation to cry on
you can reach and be reached
it’s a dream you can try on
you can be a lover and a friend to rely on
so let’s just sing till our voice is tired
cry till our eyes are dry
sigh till we’re out of sighs
and touch till we’re
satisfied
and won’t somebody sing with me
the soul escapes in anonymity
the program explains your life away in code
I live away a random embrace
I’m good at forgetting
I’m getting older than I look
unless you look me inside
but nobody bothers
if I’m looking for someone to bother me
to forget me, to upset me
it’s soooo easy
and my soul is old
it’s a fantastical magical fictionable bewitchionable sensational idealistical story told
and I lose it in a crowd
with everybody singing loud
I become one with the clouds
the mystery shining proud
and looking away is not allowed
so everybody sing loud
let’s just sing till our voice is tired
cry till our eyes are dry
sigh till we’re out of sighs
and touch till we’re satisfied
sing till our voice is tired
cry till our eyes are dry
sigh till we’re out of sighs
and touch till we’re satisfied
sing-tired, cry-dry, sigh-sigh
touch till we’re, touch till we’re, touch till we’re satisfied
sing-tired, cry-dry, sigh-sigh
touch till we’re, touch till we’re, touch till we’re satisfied
sing-tired, cry-dry, sigh-sigh
touch till we’re sat-is-fied
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6. |
I think we can make it
03:28
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I Think We Can Make It (mainly G & D)
we’ll make records and records
we’ll play shows and shows and shows
we’ll make love, and love
we can live by the ocean if it’s not too far for all our friends to drop in and make themselves a cup of tea
I’ll make soap and soup and tinctures
you’ll make brand new instruments
I’ll sing all our conversations
we’ll make records and break records
we’ll make a mess and fake success and take a rest
we can make a little money, I think
we can make a little baby
we can make a little house if it’s big enough for all our friends to make all the means to all the ends
we’ll trade all the things we make
for a little piece of kristjanne’s cake
for authentic recordings of heartbreak
we might fail every test we take
but we’ll have our own secret handshakes
and teach them to everyone
you’ll take all my compliments
and make them into brand new instruments
we’ll make little makeshift monuments, just little
we can live on an island if we make room for all our friends
we’ll make some new mistakes to fix our old mistakes
and lose track of all the time it takes
we’ll make records and records
we’ll play shows and shows and shows
we’ll make love, and love
we’ll make a lot of noise……………………
we’ll make records and records
we’ll play shows and shows and shows
we’ll make love, and love
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7. |
black star
02:12
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Black Star (G D C)
black star these are
the ones that stay and they stay hard
and when they go they go so far
black star
black star feeling heart
winding yarn these are
the ones that feel
they laugh and show you what they steal
and you know they can’t be real
and you know it’s always their deal
and you know only what you feel
black star
black star mind dart
communicated from end to start
retrospect is changing the art
of coming together and breaking apart
from breaking together and coming apart
to coming together and feeding the heart
one heart two heart one life with many parts
coming together and spreading apart
no reason to break your heart
no reason not to start
no reason to curse the art
of coming together and just enjoying the weather
beating heart one life with many parts
word art black star
black star these are
the ones that stay and they stay hard
and when they go they go so far
black star
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8. |
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You Are Responsible For Your Own Freedom (Em & A)
I grew I grew
a little comfortable
a little alienated
I knew I knew
this was a trial for me
and I could cry or make it
so what are you gonna do now
now that you’re free again
now that you’re broken down?
I got tied up in a thing
and I knew some things that I forgot
I left my books under a pile
I didn’t ask if it was right or not
if I was happy or not
if I was doing the thing
or if I was wandering aimlessly
I did I did
a little wearing out
a little holding up
I said I said
this is not easy for me
like I was persecuted
and I could be executed
if I did not carefully do it
and this would sadly prove it
that I was right and I knew it
so what are you gonna do now
now that you’re free again
now that you’re broken down?
I got tied up in a thing
and I knew some things that I forgot
I left my fears under my bed
I didn’t ask if it was healthy or not
if it was hungry or not
if I was doing the thing
or if I was running
the debt collectors keep on coming
I grew I grew
a bit uncomfortable
a little liberated
I knew I knew
this was the trial for me
and I could die or take it
comfort was overrated
so what are you gonna do now
now that you’re free again?
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9. |
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Hey Paper Shoes, What Happened To You? (G C D)
dear hawksley, I hated your last record when I first heard it
dear hawksley, I bought your last record when I first saw it
but I thought it was boring, apocalyptic and pessimistic
I wondered what happened to your crazy enthusiasm
I love it when you get a little crazy
dear hawksley, don’t get me wrong, I don’t want you to be crazy
but sad house daddy, open up the door
and come on now, you soggy old airplane wing
where is the love?
dear hawksley, my old roommate bought last night we were the delicious wolves
and I thought jealous of your cigarette was the coolest thing I’d ever heard
and when I was in korea, my brother sent me lover/fighter and almost a full moon for christmas
I opened them before christmas, because I knew it would be something good
and it was just what I needed
but hawksley, I hated your last record when I first heard it
what happened to the light in your eyes, the spring in your step
hey paper shoes, what happened to you?
dear hawksley, I heard you had a broken heart
and you put it in a little room, with a big piano, and an eight-track
and I have to respect that
but hawksley, I still hated the record
I didn’t hear the hope, I had no time for understated compassion
no time for sadness
I was in love with a boy, I was in love with the world
I was in love with everything yes, loud and shouting and chasing success
I was in love
dear hawksley, I’ve been spending time alone
I’ve been spending time at home, I got a new home all alone
I’ve been slowing down and letting in the quiet
and my heart, is tired and broken
dear hawksley, I listened to treeful of starling
dear hawksley, I finally heard treeful of starling
I listened nine times today to treeful of starling
I get it now
a moth is not a butterfly, and I can take the time to cry
and everyone keeps falling in and out of love, and I’m tired
and you are too beautiful to be in bed with me
but I will still write you a song
because we will still need a song
cuz it’s a long life
and I’ve got to rise past the darkness I’ve seen
dear hawksley, I’m glad you made a treeful of starling
dear hawksley, I’m glad you found a treeful of starling
dear hawksley, I’m glad I bought a treeful of starling
dear hawksley, I’m glad I found a treeful of starling
it was just what I needed
I’m not in love
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10. |
enzyme happening
03:57
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Enzyme Happening (G D A)
I dread the night I sit with your ghost
in my dream you hurt me the most
but I forgive you all the time
all the time time
I step away, this way and that way
started out before you could catch me and
when I’m gone you carry on
thinking you’d put me first
you put me first
in my dream you hurt me the worst
but I forget it all the time
all the time
you lose your sight and get a gun
and I was there and you point it at someone
that made me and I call you a baby
and you shot it at me
I could feel myself bleed
where I couldn’t see, right in the control
you made me and I call you a baby
and you shot it at me
you lose your sight
calling yourself alone in the night
you can play with each other the killing game
the fighting to stay the same
and never call one another by your name
and you can make the things you never meant
that make you able to say I regret, I regret, I regret
and you could kill me by mistake
and not remember the mess you made
you made me and I call you a baby
and you shot it at me
I’d never know if I was dead
if I didn’t count on somebody else instead
I shared a house with your ghosts
in my dream they hated you the most
but I’d defend you all the time
all the time time
I would tell them about your good intentions
you were just younger and dumber
than you like to mention
and they’d ask if that’s your best excuse
and say, is that good enough for you?
and I’d let them live with me in my house
and we would share the things we’ve lived without
and I’ll never blame another shot
on the things you did
and the things you’re not
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11. |
waking up
03:36
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Waking Up (C D A B)
I’ve been alive awhile
I’ve been in love and I
I’ve been around the world
I’ve been a friend to many boys and girls
and all this time
I’m waking up
it’s not the sound I thought it would make
I’ve been a silent witness
I’ve been a vocal catalyst
I’ve been a seeker of experience
I’ve rested comfortably in darkness
and all this time
I’m waking up
it’s not the sound I thought it would make
I’ve walked around aware
I’ve smiled at condescending stares
I’ve hid myself from my choices
I’ve choked as I accept the consequences
and all this time
I’m waking up
it’s not the sound I thought it would make
I turned down a promise with a golden ring
I cried over many petty things
I spoke my mind spoke my mind when it’s embarrassing
I clenched my fears and I began to sing
and all this time
I’m waking up
it’s not the sound I thought it would make
I’ve been alive awhile
I’ve been in love and I
I’m not afraid to die
and I can hold my head up high
as I
I’m waking up
it’s not the sound I thought it would make
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12. |
the machine
03:28
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The Machine (D G C)
I like the music
I like the sound it makes when you sing
I like the sound it makes when you hit the strings
I like the look it makes when your hair swings
I like to feel the unknowable things
we’re all trying to make sense of things
we’re trying to change things
we don’t want to be a part of the machine
that just eats your work
and ploughs over everything
we’d rather die
we’d rather die free
we’d rather die free daily
so fuck you, and fuck me
if it looks like we’re struggling
it only means it’s working
if it looks like we’re dying
you can tell how hard we’re trying
if we ever stop arguing
we probably need some reminding
of the blinding unending reasons for living
and I’ve got no time for giving in
I’ve got no time for playing
I’ve got no time for winning
I’ve got no time for serving and deserving
so I die free daily
so fuck you and fuck me
we’re all trying to make sense of things
we’re trying to change things
we don’t want to be a part of the machine
that just eats your work
and ploughs over everything
we’d rather die
we’d rather die free
we’d rather die free daily
so fuck you, and fuck me
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