Normal American Kids

I remind myself of myself long ago
Before I could drive, before I could vote
All of the time, holding a grudge
Before I knew people could die just because
Shot from a sling, head full of buzz
I knew what I liked was not very much
High at the time, tied to the grid

Always afraid of those normal American kids
Oh all of my spirit leaked like a cut
I knew what I needed would never be enough
I was too high to change my bid
Always afraid to be a normal American kid

Always hated normal American
Empty summer days
Lightning crazed and cracked like an egg
High behind the garden shed
Painting myself as a normal American kid

I always hated it
High as high as high can loom
Under the sheets in my bedroom
I was as high as high can get
Always afraid of the normal American kids

Oh bongs and jams and carpeted vans
Hate everything I don’t understand
High times tightening the lid
Had to get away from those normal American kids
Always hated those normal American kids
Always hated those normal American kids

If I Ever Was A Child

I’ve never been alone
Long enough to know
If I ever was a child

I was tied up like a boat
Unbuttoned like a coat
Set free for a while
Well I jumped to jolt my clumsy blood
While my white, green eyes
Cry like a windowpane
Can my cold heart change
Even out of spite?

I slump behind my brain
A haunted stain never fades
I hunt for the kind of pain I can take

And I cry like a window pane
Can my cold heart change over night?
So I won’t ever want to touch
Your heart too much
Or hold you too tight

I slump behind my brain
A haunted stain will never fade
I hunt for the kind of pain I can take

I never was alone long enough to know
If I ever was a child

Cry All Day

I know that I'm unknowing
I'm never totally right
I'm gonna walk away slowly
Instead I bid you good night
Another goodbye, I'm gonna cry
Cry, cry, cry all day

Whatever you're withholding
I never said it was good
If I could sell it by the dozen
I'd never dare but you would
I know that you would, I'm aware that you could

Cry, cry, cry all day
Cry all night

I had a hole in my heart, I had a "company" me
It kept me whole-y from rolling
Someone into something like me
Something like me, you don't wanna be
I cry, cry, cry all day
I cry all night
I cry all day

And I cry, cry, cry all day
Cry all night
At the open mic
I sing and I stall
I fall on the knife

However there's another
Another future to fight
I never took it so seriously
Oh it was serious alright
Watch them all fight, but you can't fight it
And I'll cry, cry all day
Cry all night
Cry all day
Cry all night
All day

And now the hounds are calling
I see the world I find
I'm sick of your affliction
But you're just a smartass and blind

Out of the light
Now be kind
Cry, cry, cry all day
All night
Into the light
Into the light
Into the light

Common Sense

When you’re in some bad light 

In the climbing flood 

And you kneel before them

It’s common sense

It’s practical

Lay low

One moment I beg

I bolt

On a thousand legs

What you can’t say swallow

at the moment I’m bored

Buried more and more and more and more

I slam my finger in the door of love

God damn the judging

Stranger judge

All I want, all that I want

A burning bush or

A button to push

A chance encounter 

With common sense

Common sense

Nope

Oh I can’t say what qualifies as pain

So transfixed by the wavering flame

Mortal kings of each grade and grain erased

Oh I’m blessed

The slant may rain knows my door

Tambourines my floor in four

Laughs and shakes my folded face where Jesus mowed my lawn

Fame has legs, blazing chrome

Amputate but it’s never quite gone

Rakes in clover shown like snakes shine over rate my crime

Why kill a man when you can drive him crazy

Why make it end when my amusement always depends on the joke

Won’t you lend me my punchline

As a favor, can you be entertained so that

day I can savor whatever remains

Of hurricanes too rattled to romance massive plates of circumstances

Someone to Lose

Where you gonna go in your winter coat

I wonder what you’re hiding cause it’s not too cold

It’s already too late

Somebody’s gonna get you

And if I hold you to tight, someone else won’t get to

Ohhhh wouldn’t you know it, I keep it rolling

Considering no one punching a path

Facing the blast and the moon and the math

But you still never know where your soul is attached

Oh, wouldn’t you know it, ah wouldn’t you know it

I’m so confused

I can’t move

I can’t even try

I hope you find 

Someone to lose, someday

Now where you gonna go like a cobra coiled

Sweating in sweater, you’ve got too much style

But you’re never alone, someday they’re gonna get you

I hope you find

Someone to lose, someday

I hope you find

I hope you find 

Someone to lose, someday

Happiness

My mother says I’m great 

And it always makes me sad

I don’t think she’s being nice

I really think she believes that

So now I bend my days around the people, other people obey 

Whoah

So sad it’s nothing, happiness depends on who you blame

I gather things can change 

So maybe she’s asleep in her grave

She gave her body to science

So I’m not sure what’s in her place

Maybe roses or Tanqueray™

So sad it’s nothing, happiness depends on who you blame

I know the dead still listen

She sings a part of every refrain

Under the weight of the living pointing a finger with no eyes to aim whoah

So sad it’s nothing, it’s absolutely nothing

So sad it’s nothing, it’s absolutely nothing

So sad it’s nothing, happiness depends on who you blame

Quarters

The tavern where you worked 

was cold and dark as a cavern

You kept quarters in your shirt but I never could just have them

You always made me sweep 

around every fly and floozie

Under booths and bums asleep

waking up they’d ask you “who’s he?”

Behind a glass without a glance

“my daughter’s boy,” you would say

While I stood there in a trance 

listening to the jukebox play

Locator

Shrug and Destroy

We Aren't the World (Safety Girl)

Have you seen any mention

It’s been quiet in detention all week

Is that so?

I saw the winter party person candidate, give a sermon 

Shook his fist, like this.

Is that so?

And everyone sat as blank as a cake and in love 

like a stupid lump of clay

Is that so?

I know a good Armageddon might have made my day, that day

Is that so?

We aren’t the world

We aren’t the children

But you’re my safety girl

And you know we could go spend ourselves like money

Let’s pretend we’re hundred dollar bills

Is that so?

And complain everyday there’s a spider in my soup

Tired of my opinion, like everybody else

Is that so?

We aren’t the world

We aren’t the children

But you’re my safety girl

Like so

Is that so?

We aren’t the world

We aren’t the children

But you’re my safety girl

Just Say Goodbye

Sometimes when I’m fading

I fight to stay awake

Here I lie, come and take me

I’ll go

I will go so far 

Just to say goodbye

My my in my opinion

I try, I huff and I puff

Why am I in my skin again

Well, I don’t know

How it works so I

Just say goodbye

Sometimes I see sorry faces

I don’t think I qualify

Be kind as the nights embrace us

Oh, oh, we tried so hard

Oh, as if I have answers

Oh, we tried so hard

Just say goodbye