AIN’T COMING HOME
I ain’t coming home, no way can I return
I ain’t coming home, I’d rather see it burn
It’s a mess, its a shame, it can never be the same
I can’t take the blame. I ain’t coming home
In my gut a feeling, shoulda known it wasn’t right
All too good to be true, I got framed the other night
After all we’ve been through, the price you pay to play the game
I’ll take those backroads, I guess I’ll have to change my name
I ain’t coming home, I may not be prepared
I ain’t coming home, but I ain’t running scared
No way that I can stay, don’t look for me today
I’m already far away, I ain’t coming home
I know I messed up, this is a brutal jam
I can not stand to hear that jail door slam
I’ll go to Arizona, I’ll go to Idaho. (Canada, Mexico)
Where that road leads me is where I’ve got to go
I burned another bridge, I broke another’s heart
Now there is no other choice… I’ll make a brand new start
I ain’t coming home, this story’s never done
I ain’t coming home, I’m living my life on the run
It’s time disappear, in case it isn’t clear
I’ll take this exit here, I ain’t coming home
I ain’t coming home, I ain’t coming home
I’ll go to Canada, I’ll go to Mexico
Where that road leads me is where I’ve got to go
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GOT IT BAD
I’ve got it bad, I’ve got it bad, I’ve got it bad
I’ve got it bad, I’ve got it bad, I’ve got it bad
I’ve got the headache and the fever
Don’t you think that I’ve been sad?
Since I found out, my darling
Don’t you know I’ve got it bad
It used to be you and me together everyday
Been too long, the world’s gone wrong, since you went your way
I’ve got it bad, I’ve got it bad, I’ve got it bad
I’ve got it bad, I’ve got it bad, I’ve got it bad
I lie awake alone all night
Don’t you think that I’ve gone mad?
I was cursed with memories
Now you know I’ve got it bad
The day we met I can’t forget, I didn’t have a care
A love so true, I didn’t stand a prayer
I’ve got it bad, I’ve got it bad, I’ve got it bad…
But then a brand new madness
It wasn’t just my heart
Everyone could feel it now
This world is blown apart
Got it bad, got it bad, we’ve got it bad
Got it bad, got it bad, we’ve got it bad
I’ve got it, you’ve got it, they’ve got it, we’ve got it
I’ve got it, you’ve got it, we’ve got it
----------------------------------------------------
7:57
It's another sunny day down here in the bunker
Now I’ve got a lifetime to try to get through
I am checking the rations, I am watching for zombies,
I am scanning the airwaves, I am looking for you
The table keeps turning but the minute hand stays, 7:57, 7:57
I could really love you, Let me count the ways, 7:57 ‘til the rest of my days
I thought that I was smart, but maybe I was not
It was my big moment, there's one thing that I forgot
The last time I saw you, the war had just begun,
Then the bombs stopped falling, now see what they have done?
I try to lift the needle, but the record still plays
It will be 7:57 for the rest of my days
The city stopped burning but my mind is ablaze
7:57 for the rest of my days
I went to sleep a millionaire, woke up here dirt poor,
Today's a new beginning, just like the day before
I used to stay awake drinking endless pots of tea,
Who is left to tell or wonder what’s become of me?
Food is running low, trash is strewn about
I know, I know, I know quite soon I’ll have to go out
The slot machine spins, but who cares if it pays, 7:57, 7:57
I wish I could tell you we’re going through a phase
7:57 ‘til the end of my days
Fill in the blank with all the usual cliché’s, 7:57
You can have the cheese if I can leave the maze,
7:57 ‘til the rest of my days
----------------------------------------------------
THE USUAL SUSPECTS
Hens won’t lay, cows don’t milk
This sow’s ear, it ain’t made of silk
Whoa, it’s the usual suspects
Dig a hole, plant them seeds
Comes the Fall, you harvest weeds
Whoa, it’s the usual suspects
What crops there are, dying in the sun
If it don’t rain I’m gonna sell my gun
I say no, no, no… it’s the usual suspects
All I can do is drink that rum,
Gonna torch them fields when the locusts come
Whoa, it’s the usual suspects
Tractor’s old, the plow is broke
When that barn burns, everywhere is smoke
Whoa, whoa, it’s the usual suspects
They robbed the bank, there was no alarm
I rolled them bones and I lost the farm
Who can I blame? The usual suspects
I’ve been low, and I’ve been down
Don’t know why I still hang around
Perhaps it’s time, perhaps I should
Get on that train while the getting’s good
I knew a girl, she struck me blind
She found my heart and I lost my mind
Whoa, it’s the usual suspects
Every story’s got a man to tell
If I get to heaven, oh, what the hell
Whoa, it’s the usual suspects
The sun may shine, but not ‘round here,
The clouds will pass, but they reappear
I got weary bones and howling feet…
The cop says “move to another street”
I can tell you plain, I can sing it straight
Do you think I’ve got enough on my plate?
I say no, no, no… it’s the usual suspects
----------------------------------------------------
MISS ME
Did you miss me?
You had a sense of mystery, and a secret to withold
Everybody’s got a history and a story left untold
As I moved from far to near, suddenly, I disappear
Oh my dear… did you miss me?
Did you miss me when I almost stayed?
Did you miss me when I was delayed?
I might have failed to catch the clue
Did you miss me as much as I missed you?
Explosives coming from the air, again the bombs they fall
Rubble and shrapnel everywhere, and we’ve yet to see it all.
When the smoke begins to clear, wishing you might reappear
Oh my dear… did you miss me?
Did you miss me when the whistles blew?
Did you miss me when the missiles flew?
What in the world are we gonna do?
Did you miss me as much as I missed you?
I had my share of sleepless nights
Had my share of senseless fights
The countless chances that we take
When it comes to you, must my heat break?
You get one shot in this game
Best be careful with your aim
Did you miss me while I was away?
Did you miss me like an old cliche?
What is this world coming to?
Did you miss me as much as I missed you?
I watched the pigeons as they flew across the broken avenue
If I had wings, I’d make do… Somehow I’d make it through
I would reveal what you always knew… can’t you tell how I missed you?
I keep my cool, come what may
What comes next I can not say
Even when I have returned…
There’s some bridges must be burned
Are these the choices we must make?
If I could only shake myself awake
Did you miss me when the sunset came?
Did you miss me or forget my name?
Did you miss me in the dark of night?
Did you miss me and turn out the light?
Did you miss me? I’ll say it again
Did you miss me every now and then?
Sometimes the best-laid plans fall through
Did you miss me as much as I miss you?
----------------------------------------------------
EPIPHANY MACHINE
Slow to awaken, so naïve
I was mistaken to believe
There’s no way you can unlearn
Once the gears begin to turn
Are we lost at sea and drifting?
Heading towards the ocean floor
Even a fool could see the winds are shifting
There’s a wreck upon the shore
When all hope is lost… clear the deck at any cost
Out from quarantine… epiphany machine
How could I resist the temptation…
To jump off the carousel?
It’s a soul-crushing situation
And there goes the servant’s bell
When all hope is gone… keep calm and carry on
Cut to a new scene… epiphany machine
Slow to awaken, so naïve
Who was mistaken to believe?
Once the ton is forced to bow…
There’s no stopping progress now
The double-standard take for granted
Endless insults to unpack
The countless prayers have been chanted
But now there is no turning back
When the truth is known… high time to take the throne
When all hope is gone… overthrow and carry on
After the nasty stuff, no more, that’s enough
Time for the guillotine… epiphany machine
----------------------------------------------------
IF NOT NOW, THEN WHEN?
I’ve got a feeling, I should know when it’s right
Could it be soon or was it the other night?
Not all stars shine in the sky so bright
And furthermore the clouds up there block the light
Don’t you see my love, how fast time flies?
I’ve got to follow my heart, before the moment dies
There may never be a chance like this again
If not you then who? If not now, then when?
Under rocks and stones find decaying bones
Who will ever hear ancient spirit tones?
By my calculations, it should be no surprise
When fleeting truths become eternal lies
Drifting through the daily empty passion plays
All the ways of leading up to the end of days
There may never be another chance like this again
If not now with you, oh can you tell me when?
Meanwhile the agents of chaos are starting to take their toll
One day our bodies betray us, ultimately we lose control
I’m long done waiting for a clue that tells me what to do
I found the breadcrumbs that finally led me to you
I’ll take my cue, I’ll fall right down into the groove
And check when one of us takes that first final move
I got my wakeup call, yes, I have seen a sign
We’re getting closer to that infernal finish line
There’s no perfect time or place, I guess it’s down to me
When I saw your face, I saw eternity
There may never be a chance like this again
If not you then who? If not now, then when?
There may never be another chance like this again
If not now with you, oh can you tell me when?
----------------------------------------------------
WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU?
From the edge of the outskirts, you suddenly appear
Why you would want to talk with me… isn't really all that clear
I'm more than apprehensive, my spidey sense strong
And so you bring your sunshine here, where it's been dark so long
You could find my story in any ancient text
The classic paradox, you know what happens next?
But you’re a perfect pixie, too damn good to be true
So hey, where did you come from?
And by the way, what's wrong with you?
Clearly I am damaged, right down to the pores
Though I'm kinda functional, despite the countless flaws
I'm a lonely kid, set free in a candy store
It’s virtually real and all I want is more
I’m easily seduced, you know that’s nothing new
So hey, where did you come from?
And by the way, what's wrong with you?
We fall into each other… like a hand in glove
It’s shocking to discover… That’s what we call love
I can’t believe my eyes, the circus is in town
But, they’re not here for long, and the walls are coming down
The evidence is lacking, seems my hands are tied
I don’t know what’s true anymore, and the jury won’t decide
Its written in the cards, those wheels of karma turn
The stars are all aligned, so we can crash and burn
When you rush to judgement, like someone I thought I knew
So hey, where do you come from? And by the way, what's wrong with you?
And when we’ve had enough, & the time has come to flee
Looking for a brand new place to stake your misery
I see you from a distance, as far away as one can be
Where did you go now? And then I say, what's wrong with me?
----------------------------------------------------
IT’S ALWAYS SOMETHING
There’s a nagging feeling, now what did I forget?
Did I lock the door, what must I add to my stack of regret?
It’s a unique moment, just like every other time
Stuck here forever, at the scene of the crime
I wonder what the hell, when the foot’s in the other shoe
I tripped and then I fell, another turn of the screw
Was I supposed to call, an outstanding bill to pay?
Was it big or was it small, what was it anyway?
It’s always something, It’s always something,
It’s always something, nothing old, nothing new
It’s always something, we’re going through
This current love disorder… comes with repetitive stress
We’ve seen it before and yes, it’s a perfect mess
I’ve been around the block and across the avenue
The ticking of the clock, then again, déjå vu
It’s always something, It’s always something,
Something old, something new
It’s always something, we’re going through
Don’t you know it’s a shame, has my welcome been overstayed
I’ve tried to make my peace with every choice that I’ve made
With the push of a button I’m a stubborn donkey too
If I say I’m sorry, could I make it up to you?
Despite my best intentions, I’ve been known to miss the train
Surely I’ve been careless, what does it help to explain?
You can wish and hope and dream, I don’t see any master plan
Don’t you know? I know that you know and we’re doing the best that we can
It’s always something, where are we anyway?
It’s always something, same channel, different day
It’s always something, nothing old, nothing new,
It’s always something, we’re going through
It’s always something, coming down like a ton of bricks,
It’s always something, I hope we can fix in the mix
It’s always something, every day I wake to see,
It’s always something, as long as it’s always you and me
----------------------------------------------------
THE NEW NORMAL
The new normal, close the window, stay inside
The new normal, strap in for a rocky ride
The new normal, don’t look, don’t leap
The new normal is a field of grazing sheep
The lines are drawn, but the path ain’t clear
Close your eyes and you disappear
Can’t keep up with the cost of livin’
What the hell my friend, you might as well give in
The new normal is a divide and conquer machine
The new normal is right there on your laptop screen
The new normal is not so great for everyone
The new normal, take the canolli, leave the gun
Is there somewhere safe for me and you?
The end of the world we thought we knew
A destiny quite by design
Same old story with a new punch-line
Here we are in a hopeless war
While the selfish work so hard to crush the poor
The machinery is so well disguised
It’s no surprise, we’re hypnotized
The new normal, the new normal
The new normal is arriving right on time
The new normal, it is the perfect crime
The new normal is so old and worn
The new normal is a god-damn unicorn
The new normal is brought to you by the deaf, dumb and blind
The new normal is the daily grind and nobody seems to mind
The new normal, the new normal
The new normal is apparently
The new normal is looking like a penitentiary
----------------------------------------------------
YOU CAN NEVER TELL
This road I always took and now I have returned
And when I turned to look, I saw that I’d been burned
It’s not for me to say, we have all been through hell
Until the end of the day, you can never tell
Sand through fingers slip, I traded pearls for swine
I took my final chip, and laid it on the line
If wishes could come true, there is no magic spell
That I ever knew, but, you can never tell
Crawling towards the finish, I can not apply the brake
Falling down the rabbit hole, suddenly I’m half awake
What was can never be, the glory days have come and gone
At least there’s a memory and still road left to travel on
I can not take much more, I want to turn away
The war is at our door, it seems its here to stay
There’s molehills yet to cross, no precious time to dwell
For every win a loss, but you can never tell
You can never tell, you can never tell
You can never tell, you can never tell
----------------------------------------------------
BACK THEN
Back then when I lived downtown, always looking for a thing to do
On Mondays I’d head to Bleecker St, try to play me a song or two.
Kenny’s Castaways auditions, or the Back Fence for a spot
Pick a card at Folk City and hope to Hell for an early slot
Back then, every one was a hanging around
Back then, New York was a folkie punky music town
Back then, I had a job… I was working in a bakery
And the Village was the only place to be
Mondays at six I’d have to go to the Cornelia St Café
For the songwriter’s weekly workshop, with a brand new song to play
Too many names to mention, but I’m gonna try now still…
Shawn Colvin and Frank Christian, Kaplanski and Massengill
Jack Hardy, Peter Spencer, Maggie, and Terre, and Suzzy too
Caroline Mas, Suzanne Vega, Stevie Forbert was passing through
George Gerdes and Mark Johnson, and that’s just to name a few
There was a guy that looked like Dylan and another that looked like you!
Back then, I was working in a funky dive bar
Back then, no-one I knew, ever owned a car
Heading home you never knew who you might meet ,
On a bender, day or night, just walking down the street
And over in Washington Square, in the home of the first folk scare
Human TV, and Charlie Barnett, and Rick Aveles were telling jokes there
The little feast on Carmine Street, Connie Francis once sang there too
Tiny expensive record stores in basements off of Sixth Avenue
Back then, with the Bleecker Street Cinema crew
Did you know (for a minute), yes, I worked there too?
I started a band called the Dinette Set with some fellas and a gal I knew
And we played at that drag club was called SNAFU
The Bagel, Sandolinos, the Big Apple Bakery,
Charles Ludlam and his Ridiculous Theatrical Company
Music Inn, Alan Block, Blazing Salads, Jimmy Day
Even the Disc-o-rama, they are all long since gone away
We must’ve seen everyone who passed through the village back then
Over at Matt Umanov, the Bottom Line or the Bitter End
It may still be a hip place, but I tell you now, I can’t leave too soon
Not much is still left standing, but Panchitos and Mamoun
Back then, the village was a very good place to eat…
Best pizza in the world on almost every street
Back then, back then, Oh if we could go back again…
Back then, what a time we had my friend
Back then, the village was a very good place to meet…
Back then the memory still is tasting sweet
Back then, back then, Oh if we could go back again…
Back then, what a time we had my friend
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