1. |
America
05:09
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The thing you have to remember
is she kissed nearly everybody
Social before social went onscreen
Not that her smooches weren't sweet
Not that they didn't knock you off your feet
Better than getting coronated by a West Coast queen
She showed up early and she stayed late
She was funny under low light over small plates
I saw her married and I saw her newborn kids
I saw her slam down haters like trash can lids
I ain’t going back until I can see it
I ain’t going back until I can taste it
Until I can see shade against the skyline
Until I can see America upon her lips so fine
The thing you have to remember
is talking about it now makes it sound
more like forty years than ten to fifteen
Not that the date-stamps aren’t correct
or there ain’t reputations left to protect
Stoplights back then looked less red and more green
She got quoted and she issued retractions
She balanced passion against all distractions
I saw her move overseas and out of state
I saw her hold her head up against the fates
I ain’t going back until I can see it
I ain’t going back until I can taste it
Until I can see shade against the skyline
Until I can see America upon her lips so fine
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2. |
Big Casino
04:42
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He hit start on stolen land
Forward on another's fortune
Rewound dead narratives and
Made demands like a sore loser
The lies that help him save face for real
Are they bigger or smaller than the ones
that put him in the comfy seat
behind the spinning wheel
Take the house or it takes us we know
Nothing left to chance in a big casino
We hit stop and change channels
But his face is burned into every station
Overload more than we can handle
Table stakes nothing less than the nation
The lies that let him pretend he has friends
Are they better or worse than the one
that make him think he knows anything at all
about the art of the deal let alone how it feels
Take the house or it takes us we know
Nothing left to chance in a big casino
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3. |
Goners
04:16
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Stars over our heads for an instant in time
Winking into existence and then flashing out
We let our eyes trace every elegant little line
Make small talk between booms and bouts
Red glare and white lights
Blue feeling and twilights
It’s a natural celebration
for a moment, for a nation
Red glare and white lights
Blue feelings and twilights
Gone like those who died too soon
Like someday we’ll be goners too
Noise drowns out half what others try to say
Fire works us until we surrender to percussion
We stand underneath and exhale our breath
Let mute wonderment pass for discussion
Red glare and white lights
Blue feeling and twilights
It’s a natural celebration
for a moment, for a nation
Red glare and white lights
Blue feeling and twilights
Gone like those who died too soon
Like someday we’ll be goners too
Stars over our heads for an instant in time
Winking into existence then gone too soon
We let our eyes trace every elegant little line
Make small talk between bouts and booms
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4. |
Imp
03:33
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I’m glad you asked me who I am
I’m the man with the plan next to the man
Next to the man who only looks like he
doesn’t have anything like a plan
I’m glad you asked me who I am
I’m the man who looks like I understand
Next to the man who thinks he’s G-d,
I’m the weathervane beside the lightning rod
I’m glad you asked me who I am
Come closer let me show and prove
Nevermind that scar on the left side of my chest
it’s just a little thing I had to have removed
I’m glad you asked me who I am
My pens have gotten me this far, this clout
And writing myself into existence
only goes to show how I can write others in or out
I’m glad you asked me who I am
I’m the man who believes in being prepared
Wait rag and bone beside his magic throne
in case music stops right by his chair
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5. |
Normalization Blues
03:48
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6. |
Party Somewhere
03:54
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The way I wish it went down
was as something better
in word as well as in name
Kinder on the old hometown
than lonely kisses of smoke
and lashing tongues of flame
But a party somewhere
With a DJ still spinning
Moody grooves upstairs
Keeping dancers grinning
The way I wish it went up
was less a house collapsing
taint and clutter hard to face
And more scorch marks on metal
warped and blasted into liftoff
Into a cooler cheaper time-space
Just a party somewhere
With a DJ still spinning
Moody grooves upstairs
Keeping dancers grinning
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7. |
Potemkin Contempt
02:41
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No arms they sell will keep us any safer
No uniform can make me salute any harder
Your flag stands in for bad ideas on paper
Your love of country has emptied our larder
Ain't no ardor for your next can't-lose caper
Your love of order seems like so much ordure
Ain't no wine enough to wash away your wafer
Because the last line you crossed was a border
When will is work, we fight sadness with action
Amuse ourselves with new toys and old laughter
Leave nothing to chance, not even satisfaction
We'll slit its throat so we can gut and hoist it after
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8. |
Punching Nazis
03:41
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You haven’t seen me in a while
Been away working on my smile
Getting my condition into shape
Glitter lipstick and a spandex cape
Don’t mind me I’ll be out punching Nazis
Exercising my freedom of speech
if not my freedom from consequence
Advertising my range and my reach
to update the state about good sense
aka punching Nazis
I pick and choose when I’m around
Never know when I’ll be back in town
Ear to the ground for bells and alarms
Asking you what’s good and what’s harm
Beautiful darling with strategy and tactics
Some kick up heels handing out asskicks
Some find dressing up in black radical chic
Some are antifashion when antifascists speak
Antifa fa fa fa fa fa fa means I love you
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9. |
Shatterday
04:36
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I was standing on 14th and Broadway
Watching people walking by real fast
Everybody’s eyes looking like somebody
hit ‘em with an ax beat ‘em half to death
Some lady with a clipboard bent down to grab
A button in the gutter and I said what’s it say
She said it was only criss-crossed hammers
Wandered off muttering under her breath
I was talking later with the office millennial
Too young to remember what 2000 felt like
So I told she ought to look up Kristallnacht
And she searched it on a big pane of glass
A man brought pizza so we ate our feelings
While TV sent the story out state by state
Zoomed in on counties and counted them all
How to breach a firewall smash it en masse
Then I filmed behind conference room blinds
When one of the passersby turned on a heel
Wound up a wrist and pitched it just like this
And chunks just flew like confetti, like blame
I stood pat and waited for more to come flying
and as if by design right on cue was some litter
Drew my eye away from a hood whose brick end
bulls-eyed the big window just below our name
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10. |
Stay Off The Street
03:49
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Friends and family
were ready to exult
Till the polls closed
We started seeing results
Papa got unhappy
Mama slammed her drink
Grandpa said he’s going to bed
Kids don’t know what to think
Is it time to march?
Register protest?
Dust off the first amendment?
Tell me what you think is best!
Lots of people gathered downtown
Some with signs some with frowns
There’s a truck broadcasting music
We want to use it we can’t refuse it
People go to follow along
Police not far behind
coming up from behind
trying to keep the beat
trying to keep the police
But we’re already in pieces
If we could stay off the street we would
But the news just ain’t no good
We saw it go state to state
If we could we would levitate
We’d love to stay off the street
But we’ve got results on repeat
You know how that makes us feel
In shock trying to figure out if this is real
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11. |
Surrounded
04:20
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The ticking of the clock is overwhelming
but you're not listening to what it's telling you,
you're going to shut it out
you're going to shut it out
you're going to shut it out
Whatcha gonna about the night around you
when you find yourself surrounded?
Whatcha gonna about the night around you
when you find yourself surrounded?
You look like a million bucks but you don't want to spend,
tell me is this how you thought it might end?
What are you going to do,
what are you going to do,
have another drink,
have another smoke,
crack another joke, why don't you?
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12. |
The DTs
03:22
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I assume this line is compromised
Drawn crossed bought bossed
even more than realized
I assume this circle can't be squared
Plotted and projected despite
trajectories prepared
Fours followed by twenties
Dollars pursued by pennies
Shots chased with stillness
Meant to beat back tremor
Cure's worse than disease
Since we've got the DTs
No pleasure in business
Even eternity ain't forever
I assume this cube is occupied
Rubiked gleamed fried steamed
And served as a dish on the side
I assume we pour for old and young
Poisons poised for girls and boys
Moments on lips lifetimes on the tongue
It's all oversold inventory
gilded for maximum glory
Branded and red-handed
Masterfully baited for clicks
Cure's worse than disease
Since we've got the DTs
Withdrawal is demanded
But goes unheard by pricks
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13. |
Too Good
03:50
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I’m too good at missing my baby
And my baby’s too good at missing me
We wake up on opposite sides of the planet
Try not to panic until we can chat free
My baby has seen me drink coffee so much
I’m close as a screen but too far off to touch
We drive ‘round the city stare at the weather
Remembering why we’re not here together
I’m too good at enduring the distance
And my lover’s too good at the same things
We can only build up so much resistance
Before whining whims turn wishes to wings
My baby is fearful our love may wear thin
I say that we’re closer than sinner and sin
We argue and make up promise each other
We're not yet a nuisance more than a bother
We're too good at separation of powers
Friends share burdens and offer protection
Until it's time to resume domestic hours
And count time zones to time our connection
Our bed's too big our couch never tempts me
The passenger seat of our car just stays empty
We wait for the day of the next airport drive
We do what we must to do more than survive
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14. |
Wait You Out
03:22
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It’s one thing to be winning
and another to feel pride
A few votes here a few votes there
We’d be looking at the other side
(and we stand there)
Wondering what was on their minds
Looking at the hands of the clock in shock
Thinking how will we survive the times
Until there ain’t a doubt
That we’ve got the clout
We’ll hold you to account
We’re gonna wait you out
It’s one thing to be literal
and another to be serious
Maybe you make the trains run on time
But where are they taking you, taking us?
(and we’re inside)
Wondering how hard it’s going to get
Looking at the hands that rolled the dice
Thinking how loaded and how lost the bet
Until there ain’t a doubt
That we’ve got the clout
We’ll hold you to account
We’re gonna wait you out
It’s one thing to hold power
and another to hold consent
Wheeling and dealing advantages
One day you’ll find them spent
(and you’ll be)
Wondering what was on our minds
Looking at the hands of the clock in shock
Thinking how will you survive the times
Until there ain’t a doubt
That we’ve got the clout
We’ll hold you to account
We’re gonna wait you out
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Saint and Kings San Pablo, California
I’m a singer-songwriter using guitars and keyboards to craft distinctive dispatches from intimate interiors, vast exteriors and all points in between. Drawing on years of pop, soul, indie, folk and dance-music fandom, I try to turn observations and narratives into succinct sonic snapshots. ... more
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