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1. |
Us Girls Know
02:17
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You're a saint but you're jumping ship
your lover takes you for granted his mother hates your kids
the water's moving slow
you're alive
the salt's stinging your eyes but it's your turn
your lungs are screaming, "someday this place is gonna burn."
so delighted
not gonna fight it anymore
how long will it take for me to rot
I guess that depends which casket I got
my beauty will fade
I will stay
'till gravity takes me back to the sea
I'll still be making love to whoever I please
so delighted
not gonna fight it anymore
I'll admit it, it's a little hypocritical
come on boys even Jesus would be cynical
your Book of Revelations, your Nostradamus bit,
blow us back into the universe
and say it was right, all of it...
but us girls know
it's the Romans, it's male greed
the Sermon on the Mount's the part you didn't read
will their souls be redeemed?
That's not my concern
I'll be chasing rainbows in the frosty air
and shakin' my ass like I just don't care
so delighted
not gonna fight it anymore
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2. |
Mastodon
04:26
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I'm glad we survived there were a couple years there drinking three or four hours past dawn if you can't stay up there's always something to help you along. You were selling cocaine to the rich white kids and hard to the strung out mothers with babies crawling 107th, I'd be waiting up for you. You had my love, you had my love, you had my love. But lovers just can't be drunks together. It's kind of romantic you with all that money, me spending it and crashing cars but there were other boys but I was too busy making noise in these dingy punk rock bars. I know what you're thinking another song about Cheryl but it's a good story and it's not about us anymore, it's about that teenage war and we're still here. We're still here. You had my love, you had my love, you had my love. Sweetheart - did you keep it? What can I say we were young, and yes we were fools. You felt kinda bad about selling it, I was scared of everything we were about to lose. I thought maybe I'd be a monk or a lead a life of crime. I've seen a lot of women, but she never escaped my...
"Blood on the Tracks" and those whisky burned out basements. You left me but I still have Jack and The Replacements. I still have Jack Kerouac.
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3. |
Burn Down the Churches
06:10
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We tell each other secrets without saying anything. You walk by and I just stand aside. I'm giving up on reason, in a life that's so untame, nights of blue and days spent just with you. And there's some recurring themes in my dreams and songs I sing - like love and death and all its mystery. And in every little song well there's a part of her, the kind of love that makes you believe in god. And yeah. I think god exists. But not in a church or a book, that's sacrilege. Our souls they pull apart and our bodies, our lives - this beauty's too much for the human heart. It's not the end. Looking back now trying to make some sense, November girl and all that pain, and knowing that it's all a part of me. And to the girl who saved my life from the terror of diseased love - I miss her but I know that you're the one. And yeah I hope god exists. I mean look at this place, O' Beauty, I digress...and some romantic poet wrote the real bible and he didn't even know it. It's not the end. I hope it's not the end.
Burn down the churches. And let the priests get laid. Don't ever vote and then no one has to pay - we don't need religion. We need to live our lives, we need our own god, one that comes from inside. And quit our jobs, or work two days a week. Why does the weekend become the only time we're free? And sex of course, well it's my favourite thing, so many people, so many people...
Falling out of love, hey baby that won't ever happen to us.
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4. |
Yer Ghost
03:12
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I'm in your car ten years from now on a late night drive. We used to drink vodka and cruise around I'm on the passenger side. You're driving me crazy. Here I am all alone strung out on the east coast, talking to your ghost. How do you know the right way to go, how do you make the most of anything at all. We've all got dark secrets maybe yours are worse than mine. But when you're living this way boy, you're bound to cross the line. Your conscience is just your shadow it leaves when she turns out all the lights.These are my people huddled in corners of basements, sharing lines and lives. You don't talk about things both beautiful and strange, it belongs to the night. And this autumn grey sky is bleeding blue tonight. Running tabs get around in cabs another kiss by the moonlight. The bartenders are pretty in every city I don't smoke but I've got a light. If you want to live in bars, it's not an easy life. But people are honest I've been warm inside ever since I fell in love with the night. Ask the dust, if that was us, it's scary but it's true. These days have been more Henry and Anais, Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue."
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5. |
Shining God's Shoes
04:11
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I have this dream where I'm on the bus in the backseat at night and there's no one else on it. She gets on at the stop right before I get off and sits down right beside me. I always wondered where this bus finally ends up.
The devil's shining god's shoes. In New York City I've got the blues and it's so fine. The girl's a model she reminds me of you. Dress undone she's laughing at my shoes, and she's so fine.I said, "It's cold in this place why don't we head uptown and catch the train". See those stars mean that beauty always outlives pain. It's always funny what matters more, like a good meal and could I please sleep on your floor, it's so fine. We're just water love and fear, I'll miss the slow fade eroding all my years. A mountain softly becomes the sea. The devil's shining god's shoes I miss Montreal but I'll be back there soon, it's so fine. The devil's shining god's shoes, some words on a napkin hey Rick, lay off the booze. But it's so fine.
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6. |
Breathless
04:04
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With a rose in your teeth and your eyes on the stars you're Brigitte Bardot to my Jean Luc Godard, you're turning heads when you walk into those little cafes. A couple more gins and maybe I'll look your way. You've got that innocent charm like "Nights of Cabiria" I don't care who came before I just want to be near to ya, I'll kiss you right now to get it out of the way. No one expected Annie Hall to stay. True love is "Harold and Maude." I'm going off the cliff, try and finish the job my heart bursts into flames, ever since I met you girl, my whole life's changed. You were wearing my coat it was cold in the theater you said you loved Bob Fosse that's strange he's a cheater, a liar, a womanizer at best. As long as you're brilliant it cancels out all the rest. She said most of that shit applies to you, you'd better make something beautiful too, that's ok It's what I like in a man. Besides god's never around but the devil's always holding your hand.
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7. |
Ballad of a Blind Dog
04:34
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That family fell apart when a good woman fell
It’s taken me all these years to find out how I felt about it
My dad brought her back to life, it wasn’t enough
I was just 12 years old and that can be tough
But nothing compared to what my brother went through
Well he’s not actually my brother, but he’s tougher than you.
I was confused and angry for years
Their family found religion and things got weird
My brother met a girl who probably saved his life
I had something burning way down inside
She died around Christmas in the snowy gloom
I never prayed before but that night in my room
I’m sorry, I’m sorry sometimes I was mean
I was just a kid wishing I’d seen as much as you’d seen
So they moved to a convent and left him behind
Like putting down the family dog just ‘cause he went blind
I don’t believe in an interventionist god
But if there is, then he’s a fucking fraud
I took my dog for a walk when I was 14
I can see it all now like a slow motion dream
I let her off her leash so she could run free
I never would have guessed how true those words would be
My friend was there when I ran in the street
The truck was gone, so was her little heartbeat
I picked her up and screamed through the tears
In those dark nights lies the heart of all my fears
Years down the line I fell badly in love
We were crazy, drunk and floating above
One night she drove out to meet some strangers and friends
Well do you fight back girl, or do you just let them in?
So if you’re happy well just let it ride
‘cause true love’s not far from suicide
and watch how you bet because you’re gonna need help
the next time a shitty hand’s been dealt
there’s something about people and dealing with dying
I’m worst than most but I’m still trying
To find my place here, keep my feet on the ground
Walking through the darkness in the streets of this old town
My dad brought her back to life, it wasn’t enough
Her kids were by her side, I guess that’s love
The ambulance came and took her away
I guess we’ve all been a little different since that day
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8. |
Jane Gallagher
02:59
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It all went dark after we stopped
Jumping into puddles and waking up brand new
You don’t want to get your new clothes wet
You like her but the ugly sister gets upset
End up walking in the nighttime
If you’re like me
I know we go to different schools
In your uniform so pretty you stand out from these bus stop blues
Your little plaid skirt and your catholic guilt
Your sister don’t love god, your sister’s a jerk
end up feeling like an asshole
If she’s like me
It’s a lifetime baby, when the summer comes and you’re gone
(you’re gone)
the moon is on my side
and tonight we’re trying to find you
everyone’s got a Jane
that they call at 4am soused in the pouring rain.
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9. |
Opening Line
03:59
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The weekend starts on Thursday, we'll ride our bikes and stash them by the riverbank, you're doing your makeup in a puddle by the moonlight, crouched in the dirt. We'll hike up this path across these "Don't Walk" aves I'm beside you, I've got a flask in my pants. No smoking in bars it's our generation, still can't see through the haze of all this hesitation. The guys are lurking they need a few more drinks to get on the dancefloor, they need time to think, what's their opening line? And the rich boys are always so paranoid , does she like me for me or my money I guess I can't avoid they want a ride in my car they want to turn it up loud, still I don't feel like I stand out in a crowd. The slackers are stealing drinks off of tables they're wiping glasses with their sleeves as if they were able to wipe all the stains from the sheets of the beds of all the women they wish that they'd never met but they did and it's too late to turn it around, go out with some style don't lose any more ground. Maybe I'll stay in this weekend and watch "Boys on the Bus," pretend that the glory happened to us, but we were born in the 80's we weren't really there and why am I supposed to care about things that happened before me I didn't exist in that world besides history bores me in the way that it's people telling people things they didn't live through, still I get nostalgic for that shit hey well, what about you? Our own experience is more than we can take all history proves is we don't learn from our mistakes and god won't bail us out. Can you blame him? The weekend starts on Thursday we'll ride our bikes and stash them by the riverbank, you're doing your makeup in a puddle by the moonlight, crouched in the dirt.
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10. |
Miss the Cold
05:10
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We were 16 then, now we’re 22
We don’t talk about it, ‘cause I just look at you and we know
We’re pretty much fucked
When I told you I loved you that night it was true
I shouldn’t have said it but I guess I still do
Oh well. You know how I get.
Why’d you come over I’d almost forgot
Lovesick days just valium and smoking rock
Writing songs about you
You know I don’t go for any of that "in another life" shit
You’re like an angel that don’t believe in heaven
You’re a bird that waits for the last day of fall
to fly south
are you gonna miss home
are you gonna miss the cold
are you gonna miss life’s sweet sadness,
are you gonna miss me?
We don’t want to talk about what I actually believe
If we got into detail you’d probably leave
I’m selfish and cruel besides it’s a wonderful night.
So let’s change the subject, ‘cause the stars catch your eyes
In the prettiest light, let's stay out until the sunrise
measures our worth
You’ll feel bad when you go home to him
And I’ll probably go to a bar ‘till it’s nighttime again
You won’t be there
That was nice but not worth waiting for another life
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11. |
Northern Toll
04:54
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The softest words, spoken so plain
She says baby, you can’t make it rain
Well it poured.
She says, you’re always talking about being free
But the bars can’t take the place of me
and you’re sad.
I said it’s probably just how my brain is wired
But when winter comes, I get so tired
Please help me
We don’t need your social graces
We’re all terminal cases
And these chains disguised as morality
Laws based upon some dead religion no one’s soul believes.
I won’t lie, sometimes I talk out loud
to people who are gone,
In the field behind the bar.
I prayed in the dirty snow
On my knees, I paid the northern toll
I held my breath
With eyes shut tight
I try to float, like I do in my dreams
I won’t lie
I dream ‘cause I can’t fly.
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12. |
Under Streetlights
02:44
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A broken arrow, some juicy marrow
The things your dog dug up before it was his turn to go underground
Watch out for potholes and broken bottles
A summer breeze on a ten speed
Car alarms in the night make me feel safe
Tonight under starlight
We’ll go out past midnight
And throw rocks at cops ‘till we’re too tired to run
You brought a flask and some gum to mask
Our breath so our parents won’t be able to find us out
Man that tastes weird, well is that a beard
No that’s peach fuzz, it’s all because
She says she likes older guys.
Tonight under streetlights
We’ll sneak out past midnight
Some spare change, we’ll ride to Sev in the rain
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13. |
Work
02:49
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Some of us work 'cause we've got no choice
Some of us work to fill the void
Of days reflecting on ourselves
Some of us work to accumulate wealth
Some of us work to buy more things
A brand new car for your suffering
Some of us work because our parents did
They gave you everything for free when you were a kid
Besides it's our debt to society
Some of us work to make rich people free
Some of us work right into our graves
Just look at all the money we saved
Some of us work to start a new life
Put your heart and soul under the knife
Come from foreign lands just to stay alive
You won't get respect no one's on your side
Except maybe a few of us
Working at not working by that I mean not getting fucked
By greedheads who steal our precious time
As if work's redemption and life's a crime
As if life's a crime.
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14. |
O' Lost
06:27
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You were laying down by the riverbank in the gravel and snow, studying the map that would lead you to the stars. Tragedy is random and so is this life you've waited long enough, for fate has passed you by. Your sadsmile last night. The last thing you did before you died you took off your dress you were warm inside your heart was pounding you drew your last breath from a cigarette in the cold air. They found your words, an empty bottle of pills they found a mickey of scotch but those are cheaper thrills compared to your great adventure. Where do we go babe, only you won't tell no matter how many pennies I throw down the well. What comes next? O' Lost we are all sometimes. Life loses luster through routine but chaos has a way of getting mean. You left this world 'cause they never let you be a kid. What a sad crime.
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15. |
Parking Lot
04:40
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I always said I’d never use these chords
But now my hearts at war, my heart’s at war tonight
‘Cause there’s these girls and a broken world and my soul is all a' light
I know I should just let her go but she hides her eyes from me
trudging through the snow.
We’re living our lives, trying to do what’s right
Then why do I keep waking up in the middle of the night
Wishing I was somebody else
The sunset, it could sense my shame,
its beauty’s lost on me and so is the rain
nothing tastes, this wine is sour,
the wind it blows her scent like the sweetest flower
it brings me back, my shoes are wet
but I don’t care ‘cause this pain is all I’m gonna get
it’s all I’m gonna get from her.
It’s gotten to the point where I just don’t know
Are the stars in heaven just some burning coals?
God’s little joke
And girl I know I’ve touched your soul
You won’t let me in your scared you might lose control
Well, let yourself go.
Did I ever tell you about the time
I stole a car and drove the wrong way down a double line
I got real sad ‘cause I felt ashamed I could be so selfish
With so much of the world in pain
But then the car broke down, I pulled to the side
And an angel came and said,
"kid it’s not your time to die"
I swear to god that story’s true
In the parking lot where I whispered it to you.
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The City Streets Edmonton, Alberta
Rick Reid, Matt Leddy, Mark Chmilar. 2005-2013. Edmonton/Montreal.
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