North Adams, MA - Mass Moca

Having Been Is No Way To Be

Oh I was naive

My shoes were untied

In heaven everything is just fine

But the phones are dead

And so is the light

And so are you

And honey so am I

But the earth still turns

For the unconcerned

Days pass below like train windows

I was a sapling tree

The birds looked like me

So I begged my nerves to kick me something new

From time to time

I’d watch you sleep

I wonder how much freedom we can dream

And I’m sorry when you wake up to me

I just got tired

Shining steady like a spider web

Is an empty stage

Now people say

“What drugs did you take?”

And “Why don’t you start taking them again?”

What difference would it ever make to them

But they’re not my friends

And if I was dead

What difference would it ever make to them

If I got high

From time to time

I wonder how much freedom you would need

And I’d be sorry when you wake to me

I’m reaching out to you

I’m writing all the time

I don’t see deep but I see far and wide

I see dead trees

But the roots have leaves

Just because I can’t describe it doesn’t mean I shouldn’t try

To untwist the knife

To unmake my mind

Having been is no way to be alive

And I’m alive

When I watch you sleep

I wonder how much freedom we need

And I’m here

When you wake up to me

I’m still here

When you wake up to me

Opaline

I hear the police outside my window

I can hear them talking on their radios

Well I keep my head underneath my pillow

Pray that they’re gonna leave me alone

O’ Opaline

Make believe that you still love me

O’ Opaline

It’s hard to see reality

When you’ve got no love at all

There’s nothing worse than a hearse driving slow

Out on the tollway stopping at the tolls

No change, no E-ZPass, what a way to go

There’s nothing worse than a hearse driving slow

O’ Opaline

Make believe that you still love me

O’ Opaline

It’s hard to see reality

When you’ve got no love at all

I’d like to find out why she had to go

My heart wants what a heart can’t control

Now I hang in the air as the light gets cold

And I hide in her shadows

Welcome her home

 O’ Opaline

 Make believe that you still love me

 O’ Opaline

 It’s hard to see reality

 When you’ve got no love at all

New Moon

A Robin or a Wren

At the last last call

When it’s time for us all

To say goodbye

I know I’m gonna cry

Know I'm gonna cry

Because all in all

I’m just having a ball

Being alive

And I don’t want to die

I don’t wanna die

At the end of the end

Of this beautiful dream we’re in

I’ll wake up again

A robin or a wren

And then I’ll sit

Outside your window

I’ll sing a song you’ll recognize

And you won’t know why

You won’t know why

And then a teardrop will fall

Into the corner of the smile

On your face

And I’ll be alive

I’ll be alive

I’ll be alive

I’ll be alive

I’ll be alive

I’ll be alive

Bombs Above

All my life

I’ve played a part

In the bombs above

The ones you love

I’m taking a moment to apologize

I should have done more

To stop the war

So I’m sorry

I leave behind

A trail of songs

From the darkest gloom

To the brightest sun

I’ve lost my way

But it’s hard to say

What I’ve been through

Should matter to you

A man so drunk

He could hardly stand

Told me once

Holding my hand

Suffering is the same

For everyone

He was right

But I was wrong

To agree

Ahh ahh ahh ahh

Ahh

Some Birds

Some birds

Just sit

Useless

Like fists

I wrestle

On TV

But no one ever

Let’s me win

I lean

On the wall

Like a broom

Confused

By the scope

Of it all

Any fool

Can tell the truth

And though I don’t

Think that I should

Add one

To the sum

Of all that you fear

I’d love to take you down

And leave you there

In my window

I have a twin

I look out

He looks in

He has a point

I applaud

Oh my goodness

Oh my god

Is it my fault

The countrysides

Are so full

Of suicide?

I break bricks

With my heart

But only a fool

Would call it art.

No I don’t

Think I should

Be one

Of the sum

Of all that you fear

I’d love to take you down

And leave you there

So why fuss

Why not bend

Like a nail

Hammered in

Times are tough

If I recall

Oh it ain’t easy

No not at all

And no I don’t

Think I should

Complete

The sum

Of all the you fear

I’d love to take you down

And leave you there

I Am Trying to Break Your Heart

Please Tell My Brother (Golden Smog)

Hints

Please Be Wrong

Reservations

Just a Friend [cover song- Biz Markie]

Evergreen

If I get back from wherever I travel

I'll tell you what I've seen

The good and the bad

The hearts and the hassle

In the cities under siege

I'll tell you all about where I have been

And I won't ever leave again

Now you might think it's a lie

When I say I'm going to write

But if I break my pen filling you in

Wouldn't that change your mind

Evergreen

Evergreen

Have you even seen anything?

Evergreen

Whenever I get back from

Wherever I go

I'll look for you in the shade

A marker in the grass

I'll tell you at last

You're not the reason I went away

Sometimes I wish you were the one

Who had left and I had stayed

Evergreen

Evergreen

Have you even seen anything?

Evergreen

Evergreen

Evergreen

Have you even seen anything?

Evergreen

I Know What It's Like

Far away

From the fireworks display

Quiet and bright

I know what it’s like x 3

To not feel love

When a sunny day

Starts to rain

Keep me in mind

I know what it’s like x 3

Even when I’m wide awake

I keep turning back one page

I can’t find the plot

Something else is taking shape

I know what it’s like

To keep losing your place

My shadow stays

Even when I’m miles away

Waiting outside

I know what it’s like x 3

To not feel pain

When the lights are dim

In my window I have a twin

I’m always looking out

And he’s always looking in

I know what it’s like

Starting over again

I know what it’s like x 2

To not feel love

Far away

From the fireworks display

Quiet and bright

I know what it’s like x 3

To not feel love

Even when it’s years away

I still think it’s yesterday

I can’t find the plot

Something else is taking shape

I know it’s a lie

When you say it’s ok

I know what it’s like x 9

To not feel love

I know what it’s like

To not feel love

Half-Asleep

Half asleep

All your dreams

Come alive

You’re all I need

Come to me

Close your eyes

There’s no other

There’s no one

No one

But you

Half of me

Still believes

We never die

Won’t you lay

Next to me

Close your eyes

There’s no other

There’s no one

No one

But you

When you need me

I’ll be there

When you need me

I’ll be there

When you need me

I’ll be there

When you need me

I’ll be there

When you need me

I’ll be there

When you need me

I’ll be there

I’ll be there

I’ll be there

When you need me

There’s no other

There’s no one

But you

Don't Forget

Don’t forget

Don’t forget you’ve got a key

Yeah a cosmic key

Oh I love you so much

Don’t forget

We’re all blowing in

The interstellar wind

I’m your little galaxy

Don’t forget

Don’t forget sometimes

We all

We all think about dying

Don’t let it kill you

Don’t forget

I won’t forget the long drive

We arrived in time to say goodbye

And the way my roses shook

I won’t overlook

The willows bending by the graves

The very next day in the shade

Sweating in a new suit

I don’t regret

I don’t regret sometimes

We all

We all think about dying

Don’t let it kill you

Don’t forget

Don’t forget to brush your teeth

Or you’ll have a funny smile

You don’t have to smile at me

Don’t forget

Don’t forget sometimes

We all

We all think about dying

Don’t let it kill you

Don’t forget

Don’t forget sometimes

We all

We all think about dying

Oh

Gwendolyn

I don’t think I can take another day

Oh I don’t know how I could ever say

I’m OK being so far away

Oh I don’t think that I can take another day

When Gwendolyn, when she starts to speak

To a county police with a plastic cup between her teeth

The sun beating down like a big trombone

That’s right when I start missing home

She holds my hand between her knees

It’s like a dream, I never know what it means

I only know I’m feeling alone

That’s right when I start missing home

Honestly Gwen I’m not ashamed to say

Between you and me I’m relieved they put you away

Sun coming up like a piece of toast

That’s right when I started heading home

That’s right when I started heading home

Well that’s right when I started heading home

Desert Bell

Guess Again

Oh tomatoes right off the vine

We used to eat them like that all the time

And if you think that’s the best thing

That I ever knew

Guess again

My love

It’s you

Riding with the wind blowing in my hair

And the sun shining down everywhere

If you think that’s the best thing

That I can do

Guess again

My love

Guess again

My love

It’s for you

Oh trouble

I can sing it the same

Or just about the same as any other song you can name

And if you think that

That’s the main thing

Pulling me through

Guess again

My love

It’s you

And if you think that’s the best thing

I’ll ever do

Guess again

It’s you

Maybe you noticed

How light I am

Maybe you’ve been thinking

I’m drinking again

Oh I’m high

But there’s really

Nothing new

Guess again

My love

Guess again

My love

It’s you

Guess again

My love

Guess again

My love

It’s you

Low Key

Love Like a Wire (Diane Izzo cover)

You Are Not Alone

You're not alone

I'm with you

I'm lonely too

What's that song

Can't be sung

By two?

My broken home

A broken heart

Isolated and afraid

Open up this is a raid

I want to get it through to you

You're not alone

You're not alone

Every night

I stand in your place

Every tear

On every face

Tastes the same

A broken dream

A broken heart

Isolated and afraid

Open up this is a raid

I wanna get it through to you

You're not alone

An open hand

An open....

Family Ghost

I’m a dope

Blowing smoke at a tv screen

I’ve lost all hope

Based on the things I’ve seen

I’m a man content

For the sake of argument

But underneath each added straw

I feel so american

Spray paint me gold

Pull my face up to the blinds

I’m a family ghost

You’ll never leave behind

I wanna exist

Where the misfit fits

I want to have some purpose

I believe what she believes

I believe my children

When the lights go off

There’s no applause

Condescending to the hideous thought

Imprisoned in my lonely skin

I feel so american

Spray paint me gold

Pull my face up to the blinds

I’m a family ghost

You’ll never leave behind

Time will tell this story again

Different clothes than they wore back then

Digging holes and filling them in

I feel so american

Spray paint me gold

Pull my face up to the blinds

I’m a family ghost

You’ll never leave behind

Love Is The King

Here I am

There it is

At the edge

Of as bad as it gets

I’m a boxer

Blind when I swing

I sink

To my knees

I cling

And I bleed

But cry don’t you dare

When I die in the ring

Life isn’t fair

Love is the king

Love is the king

Love is the king

Of the beautiful trees

How everyone sings

And tanks in the street

Like cats

Watching with skill

Green and grey

Violent and still

Spinning above

Stones in slings

When push comes to shove

Love is the king

Love is the king

Love is the king

Love is the king

Love is the king

Love is the king

The Lonely 1