A Shot in the Arm

The ashtray says You were up all night When you went to bed With your darkest mind Your pillow wept And covered your eyes And you finally slept While the sun caught fire You've changed We fell in love In the key of C We walked along Down by the sea You followed me down The neck to D And fell again Into the sea You changed Oh, you've changed Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm Something in my veins Bloodier than blood something in my veins Bloodier than blood something in my veins Bloodier than blood something in my veins Bloodier than blood The ashtray says You were up all night When you went to bed With your darkest mind You changed Oh you've changed What you once were isn't what You want to be any more What you once were isn't what You want to be any more What you once were isn't what You want to be any more What you once were isn't what You want to be any more What you once were isn't what You want to be any more  Instrumental credits: Jeff Tweedy – vocals, acoustic and 12-string guitars, synthesizers Jay Bennett – lap steel, piano, keyboards, synthesizers, drums John Stirratt – bass Ken Coomer – timpani

Random Name Generator

Come on listen to the weed whistle way
I belong to the stars in the day
I ran away
Eternal instigator
Well I was old

I remember the Milky Way, why?
I belong to the stars in the sky
Random name
Random name generator
Random name generator
Random name generator

You don't know me cold as night
Somebody hold me in the diamond light
A narrator
Mr narrator

I want to name every new born child
A miracle only ever grows wild
Invisible
Instigator
Random name generator
I kind of like it when I make you cry
A miracle only once in a while
Random name
Random name generator

I change my name every once in a while
A miracle every once in a while
I create
I am the flame, a flame creator
A random name generator

Come on cuff me to the weed whistle whine
If I miss your breeze will you miss mine
I kind of like it when I make you cry
A miracle every once in a while
Come on cuff me to the weed whistle whine
I think I miss my family fine

Side with the Seeds

Tires type black
Where the blacktop cracks
Weeds spark through
Dark green enough to be blue
When the mysteries we believe in
Aren’t dreamed enough to be true
Some side with the leaves
Some side with the seeds

The treetops nod
The rain applauds
The park grows dark
And the swings all slowly die
But you and I will be undefeated
By agreeing to disagree
No one wins but the thieves
So why side with anything

The streetlights glow
Comes and goes
When the sun comes back
As we all can plainly see
Embracing the situation
Is our only chance to be free
I’ll side with you
If you side with me

Written by Jeff Tweedy and Mikael Jorgensen
Instrumental Credits
Jeff Tweedy – vocals, electric guitar
John Stirratt – bass
Glenn Kotche – drums
Mikael Jorgensen – piano
Nels Cline – lead electric gutiar
Pat Sansone – Hammond A100 organ, Mellotron

One and a Half Stars

I wish

Too much

For you

To care

Goldfish

I won

At the fair

Meet the mother

Can't complain

There is

No mother

Like pain

I'm left with only my desire to change

So what

I stay

In bed

All day

I can't

Escape

My domain

Two stories high

In bed

All day

I can't

Escape

My domain

You mean

Too much

To me

I'm angry

I could need

So much

I'm worried

About the way

We're all living

And this

Is my

Love song

I'm left with only my desire to change

So if

I stay

In bed

All day

I won't

Escape

My domain

Two stories high in bed all day

I can't escape my domain

I can't escape my domain

I won't escape my domain

Art of Almost

No!
I froze
I can’t be so
Far away from my wasteland
I never know when I might
Ambulance
Hoist the horns with my own hands
Almost
Almost

I heard a faint olé
True love but
I had other ways to hurt myself
Like calling
I could open up my heart
And fall in and
I could blame it all on dust
The Art of Almost
Almost
Almost
Almost

I’ll hold it up
I’ll shake the grail
Disobey across the waves
Tomorrow
I’ll have all the love I could ever ache
And I’ll leave almost with you
All of almost
Almost

Art of almost
Almost

Art of almost
Almost

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

Via Chicago

I dreamed about killing you again last night
And it felt alright to me
Dying on the banks of Embarcadero skies
I sat and watched you bleed
Buried you alive in a fireworks display
Raining down on me
Your cold, hot blood ran away from me
To the sea

I printed my name on the back of a leaf
And I watched it float away
The hope I had in a notebook full of white, dry pages
Was all I tried to save
But the wind blew me back via Chicago
In the middle of the night
And all without fight
At the crush of veils and starlight

I know I'll make it back
One of these days and turn on your TV
To watch a man with a face like mine
Being chased down a busy street
When he gets caught I won't get up
And I won't go to sleep
I'm coming home, I'm coming home
Via Chicago

Where the cups are cracked and hooked
Above the sink
They make me think
Crumbling ladder tears don't fall
They shine down your shoulders
Crawling is screw faster lash
I blow it with kisses
Rest my head on a pillowy star
And a cracked door moon
Says I haven't gone too far

I'm coming home
I'm coming home
I'm coming home
Via Chicago

I'm coming home
I'm coming home
I'm coming home

Searching for a home
Searching for a home
Searching for a home
Via Chicago

I'm coming home
I'm coming home
Instrumental credits: Jeff Tweedy – vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, synthesizers Jay Bennett – banjo, piano, organ, moog, tambourine John Stirratt – bass Ken Coomer – drums

Laminated Cat (Aka Not For The Season)

Springtime comes and the leaves are back on the trees again
Snipers are harder to see my friends
Weeding out the weekends

Summer comes and gravity undoes you
You're happy because of the lovely way the sunshine bends
Hiding from your close friends
Weeding out the weekends

Candy left over from Halloween
A unified theory of everything
Love left over from lovers leaving
Books, they all know they're not worth reading
It's not for the season

When autumn comes you sit in your chair and you stare
At the TV square
Hiding in the deep end
Weeding out the weekends

Winter comes and the days all start late
There's motion on the boughs where the dark shapes prowl
Feeling out the feelings
Feeling out the feeling

Candy left over from Halloween
A unified theory of everything
Love left over from lovers leaving
Books, they all know they're not worth reading
They're not worth reading

Either Way

Maybe the sun will shine today The clouds will blow away Maybe I won’t feel so afraid I will try to understand Either way Maybe you still love me Maybe you don’t Either you will or you won’t Maybe you just need some time alone I will try to understand Everything has its plan Either way I’m gonna stay Right for you Maybe the sun will shine today The clouds will roll away Maybe I won’t be so afraid I will understand everything has its plan Either way Written by Jeff Tweedy Instrumental Credits Jeff Tweedy – vocals, electric guitar John Stirratt – bass Glenn Kotche – drums Mikael Jorgensen – piano Nels Cline – lead electric gutiar Pat Sansone – Hammond A100 organ Karen Waltuch – viola, violin

Company In My Back

I attack with love, pure bug beauty, curl my lips and crawl up to you I attack with love, pure bug beauty, curl my lips and crawl up to you And your afternoon And I’ve been puking I move so slow, steady crushing hand; holy shit! there’s a company in my back I move so slow, steady crushing hand; holy shit! there’s a company in my back Hide your soft skin; your sorrow is sunshine; listen to my eyes Hide your soft skin; your sorrow is sunshine; listen to my eyes They are hissing radiator tunes I move so slow, steady crushing hand; holy shit! there’s a company in my back I move so slow, steady crushing hand; holy shit! there’s a company in my back You learn so slow, old radiant beauty; I’ll curve my flight You learn so slow, old radiant beauty; I’ll curve my flight Under your bended knee And I will always die I will always die I will always die, so you can remember me I move so slow, steady crushing hand; holy shit! there’s a company in my back I move so slow, steady crushing hand; holy shit! there’s a company in my back There’s a company in my back Instrumental Credits Jeff Tweedy  Vocals, Acoustic Guitar John Stirratt  Bass Glenn Kotche  Drums, Hammer Dulcimer & Percussion Leroy Bach  Piano & Korg CX-3 Organ Mikael Jorgensen  Fenix Modular Synthesizer & Stylophone Jim O'Rourke  Acoustic Guitar

Impossible Germany

Impossible Germany
Unlikely Japan

Wherever you go
Wherever you land
I’ll say what this means to me
I’ll do what I can

Impossible Germany
Unlikely Japan

(The) fundamental problem
We all need to face
This is important
But I know you’re not listening
Oh I know you’re not listening

If this was still new to me
I wouldn’t understand

Impossible Germany
Unlikely Japan

But this is what love is for
To be out of place
Gorgeous and alone
Face to face

With no larger problems
That need to be erased
Nothing more important than to know
Someone’s listening
Now I know

You’ll be listening

Written by Jeff Tweedy and Wilco

Forget the Flowers

You're trying my patience, try pink carnations
Red roses and yellow daffodils
Don't forget the flowers, someday, I know you will

Displayers of affection and all good intentions
Why don't you just send me the bill
Don't forget the flowers, someday, I know you will

Lately you've been taking me
Way too seriously, oooh
I can't ever explain why
I don't feel your pain, oooh

I left you behind, I know it's been a long time
But I'm not over you
Don't forget the flowers, someday, I hope I do

You're tryin' my patience, try pink carnations
Red roses and yellow daffodils
Don't forget the flowers, someday
I know I will

Don't forget the flowers, someday
I know I will

Hummingbird

his goal in life was to be an echo
riding alone, town after town, toll after toll
a fixed bayonet through the great southwest
to forget her

she appears
in his dreams
but in his car, and in his arms
a dream could mean anything
a cheap sunset on a television set could upset her
but he never could

remember to remember me
standing still in your past
floating fast like a hummingbird

his goal in life was to be an echo
the type of sound that floats around
and then back down like a feather
but in the deep chrome canyons of the loudest Manhattans
no one could hear him
or anything

so he slept, on a mountain
in a sleeping bag underneath the stars,
he would lie awake and count them
but the great fountain spray of the great Milky Way
would never let him
die alone

remember to remember me
standing still in your past
floating fast like a hummingbird
remember to remember me
standing still in your past
floating fast like a hummingbird
a hummingbird
a hummingbird

Instrumental Credits

Jeff Tweedy Vocals
John Stirratt Electric Rhythm Guitar & Background Vocals
Glenn Kotche Drums
Mikael Jorgensen Piano
Jim O'Rourke Bass & Electric Lead Guitar
Frankie Montouro Hammer Dulcimer
Karen Waltuch Viola

Love Is Everywhere (Beware)

So tangled in the wild

Seeing myself as something more mean

Out in the country

Sadness wants me

Further away from the scene

Right now right now love is everywhere

Right now right now love is everywhere

Where the sunlight grabs the lake

It's frozen in the flames

Beneath the sleeping town

With the riots raining down

It's all yours now

It's all for you

Right now right now love is everywhere

Right now right now love is everywhere

So many things I do

I can't explain to you

Right now right now love is everywhere

Right now I'm frightened how

Love is here

Beware

Our love is everywhere

 

Box Full of Letters

I've got a box full of letters
I think you might like to read
Some things that you might like to see
But they're all addressed to me

I wish I had a lotta answers
'Cause that's the way it should be
For all these questions
Being directed at me

I just can't find the time

To write my mind
The way I want it to read

You'll come back again
And I'll still be your friend

I got a lot of your records
In a separate stack
Some things that I might like to hear, but I
Guess I'll give 'em back

I wish I had a lotta answers
'Cause that's the way it should be
For all these questions
Being directed at me

Just can't find the time
To write my mind
The way I want it to read

You'll come back again
And I'll still be your friend

I can't find the time
To write my mind
The way I want it to read

Just can't find the time
To write my mind
The way I want it to read

Instrumental credits:
Jeff Tweedy – vocals, guitar
John Stirratt – bass, vocals
Max Johnston – dobro
Ken Coomer – drums
Brian Henneman – guitars

Everyone Hides

If you're telling yourself a story

Where the secrets twist like vines

And you know where the bodies are buried

But you can't remember where you buried the mines

Oh no one denies

Everyone hides

Oh oh, everyone hides

If you're selling yourself on a tale

Where the details drift with time

Where the point gets lost in the telling

And the telling was the point all the while

Deep inside

Everyone hides

Oh oh, some of the time

If you're selling yourself on a vision

A dream of who you are

An idea of how it should be

And a wish upon a star

Remember...

Remember...

It can't be denied

Oh oh everyone hides...

Oh no one denies

Everyone hides

Oh oh, everyone hides

Oh oh

Oh oh

Oh oh

 

Dawned On Me

I’ve been young
I’ve been old
I’ve been hurt
And consoled
Heart of coal
Heart of gold
So I’m told

I’ve been lost
I’ve been found
I’ve been taken
By the sound
Of my own voice
The voices in my head

I can’t help it if I fall in
Love with you again I’m calling
Just to let you know
It dawned on me

Every night is a test
To the east from the west
The sun rises and sets
That’s the sun at it’s best

I forget, then I know
I’d regret letting you go
Sometimes I can’t believe how dark it can be

I can’t help it if I fall in
Love with you again I’m calling
Just to let you know
It dawned on me
It dawned on me

So on
And so forth
And again
I will stop to begin
At the end

I can’t help it if I fall in
Love with you again I’m calling
Just to let you know
It dawned on me

Oh I can’t help it if I fall in
Love with you again I’m calling
Just to let you know
It dawned on me

Jesus, Etc.

Jesus, don't cry
You can rely on me honey
You can combine anything you want
I'll be around
You were right about the stars
Each one is a setting sun

Tall buildings shake
Voices escape singing sad sad songs
Tuned to chords strung down your cheeks
Bitter melodies turning your orbit around

Don't cry
You can rely on me honey
You can come by any time you want
I'll be around
You were right about the stars
Each one is a setting sun

Tall buildings shake
Voices escape singing sad sad songs
Tuned to chords strung down your cheeks
Bitter melodies turning your orbit around

Voices whine
Skyscrapers are scraping together
Your voice is smoking
Last cigarettes are all you can get
Turning your orbit around

Our love
Our love
Our love is all we have
Our love
Our love is all of God's money
Everyone is a burning sun

Tall buildings shake
Voices escape singing sad sad songs
Tuned to chords strung down your cheeks
Bitter melodies turning your orbit around

Voices whine
Skyscrapers are scraping together
Your voice is smoking
Last cigarettes are all you can get
Turning your orbit around

Last cigarettes are all you can get
Turning your orbit around

Last cigarettes are all you can get
Turning your orbit around

Theologians

Theologians they don’t know nothing
About my soul
About my soul

I’m an ocean
And this emotion
Slow motion, slow motion

Illiterati lumin fedei
God is with us everyday
That illiterate light
Is with us every night

Theologians, oh they don’t know nothing
About my soul
Oh they don’t know

They thin my heart with little things
And my life with change
Oh in so many ways
I find more missing every day

Theologians

I’m going away
Where you will look for me
Where I’m going you cannot come
No one’s ever gonna take my life from me
I lay it down
A ghost is born
A ghost is born
A ghost is born

I am a notion
I am all emotion
I am a cherry ghost
Cherry ghost
Hey I’m a cherry ghost
Cherry ghost

Heavy Metal Drummer

I sincerely miss
Those heavy metal bands
I used to go see
On the landing in the summer
She fell in love with the drummer
She fell in love with the drummer
She fell in love

Shiny shiny pants
Bleached blond hair
A double kick drum
By the river in the summer
she fell in love with the drummer
another
then another
she fell in love

I miss the innocence I've known
Playing Kiss covers
Beautiful and stoned

Unlock my body
And move myself to dance
Into warm liquid
flowing blowing glass
classical music blasting
masks the ringing in my ears

Oh I sincerely miss
Those heavy metal bands
I used to go see
On the landing in the summer
She fell in love with the drummer
She fell in love with another
She fell in love

I miss the innocence I've known
Playing Kiss covers
Beautiful and stoned

I miss the innocence I've known
Playing Kiss covers
Beautiful and stoned

Playing Kiss covers
Beautiful and stoned

Playing Kiss covers
Beautiful and stoned

 

I'm the Man Who Loves You

All I can see
Is black and white
And white and pink
With blades of blue
That lay between
The words I think
On a page
I was meaning
To send to you
I couldn't tell
If it would
Bring my heart
The way I wanted
When I started
Writing this letter to you

But if I could
You know I would
Just hold your hand
And you'd understand
I'm the man who loves you

All I can be
Is a busy sea
Of spinning wheels
And hands that feel
For stones to throw
And feet that run
But come back home
It makes no difference
Ever known
Makes no difference
Ever known to me

But if I could
You know I would
Just hold your hand
And you'd understand
I'm the man who loves you

All I can see
Is black and white
And white and pink
With blades of blue
That lay between
The words I think
On a page
I was meaning
To send to you
I couldn't tell
If it would
Bring my heart
The way I wanted
When I started
Writing this letter to you

If I could
You know I would
Just hold your hand
And you'd understand
I'm the man who loves you

If I could
You know I would
Just hold your hand
And you'd understand
I'm the man who loves you

If I could
You know I would
Just hold your hand
And you'd understand
I'm the man who loves you

I'm the man who loves you

I'm the man who loves you

I'm the man who loves you

 

California Stars

I'd like to rest my heavy head tonight
On a bed of California stars
I'd like to lay my weary bones tonight
On a bed of California stars

I'd love to feel your hand touching mine
And tell me why I must keep working on
Yes I'd give my life to lay my head tonight
On a bed of California stars

I'd like to dream my troubles all away
On a bed of California stars
Jump up from my starbed and make another day
Underneath my California stars

They hang like grapes on vines that shine
And warm the lovers' glass like friendly wine
So, I'd give this world
just to dream a dream with you
On our bed of California stars

Published by Woody Guthrie Publications, Inc./Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp./Words-Ampersand Music [BMI]/Titanic Majesties Music [ASCAP] Words: Woody Guthrie [no date] Music: Jay Bennett/Jeff Tweedy 1997 Jay Bennett: piano, backing vocal Billy Bragg: acoustic guitar Ken Coomer: drums and percussion Corey Harris: lap steel guitar Eliza Carthy: violin John Stirratt: electric bass, backing vocal Jeff Tweedy: acoustic guitar, lead vocal

Red-Eyed and Blue

We've got solid-state technology
Tapes on the floor
Some songs we can't afford to play
When we came here today
All I wanted to say
Is how much I miss you
Alcohol and cotton balls
And some drugs
We can't afford on the way
When we came here today
We all felt something true
Now I'm red-eyed and blue

I Got You (At the End of the Century)

I got you and that's all I need I got you and that's all I need I got you and that's all I need I got you I got you and I still believe That you are all I will ever need It's you, oh All the way back in the seventies You were my little TV queen Tarzan and your friend Janine I got you I got you and I still believe That you are all I will ever need It's you, oh It's the end of the century And I can't think of anything Except you It's the end of the century And I can't think of anything But you, oh All, I, need I got you I got you, babe I got you You You, ooh ooh I got you I got you Oooh I got you

I'm A Wheel

hold on, you risk exciting me
once in Germany someone said nein
one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine

hold back, don’t invite me
one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine
once in Germany someone said nein

I’m a wheel
I will
turn you

I invented a sister, populated with knives

I’m a wheel
I will
turn on you

um,

I’m a wheel, I will
I’m a wheel, I will
I’m a wheel, I will
turn on you

turn on you turn on you turn on you turn on turn on…