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1. |
Tongue-Cut Sparrow
03:51
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Tongue-cut sparrow in the nest don’t sing
Tongue-cut sparrow in the nest don’t sing
Too young, too pretty.
Too young, too pretty to sing much of anything
Tongue-cut sparrow you should know your place
Times are tough and there’s no time to waste
You better stay inside your shell
There’s no time to think about yourself
We already have birds that sing
Tongue-cut sparrow
Now they’re all inhaling her White Shoulders
She’s older and shimmies cross the stage
Grandma gives a smile and wonders how she’s, how she’s
Got such pretty legs
Here’s she’s coming with her chi-chis out
Here’s she’s coming with her chi-chis out
You should hear them howl. You should hear them shout
From her painted brow and her pretty mouth
And you should watch her wiggle when you look down south
Tongue-cut sparrow
She’s adored by all the men
Even Sinatra says he’s a friend
Most of her family don’t understand
But grandma’s in the audience giving her a hand
Tongue-cut sparrow now you’re singing
Tongue-cut sparrow you’re a human being
What you’re doing’s not obscene
Ostrich feathers are a sight to be seen
In the Forbidden City you’re the Queen
Tongue-cut sparrow
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2. |
Falmouth
03:45
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Slipping back to Falmouth off the cape
Haven’t had a drop but feeling great
And I heard the news that your chips were down
And you’re getting yourself straight
Can you bust a move like I bust a move?
You know I’m feeling great
’Cause when you’re in the dance
You gotta dance
And when you stop for a breath
You hope the room won’t be spinning
Immovable luck can tip your way
And if you give it a chance you know that things can just
Be beginning---like flowers, like flowers, like flowers, like flowers,
If you stick around
We can work things out
Get some chicken and talk things over
We’ll get some tickets to the roller derby
Calling out her name as she smashes in the wall
It doesn’t matter
Slipping back to Falmouth off the cape
When I got your call I filled the tank
And I packed the trunk with your weathered ball
And your record crates
With your Killer Queen and your Aerosmith
You always had good taste
You always said that snakes
Shed their skin but they’re still snakes underneath
Will you answer when I’m buzzing
Immovable luck can tip your way
You can’t stop me, can’t stop me from coming
With flowers, with flowers, like flowers, like flowers
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3. |
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The usher should have told me to avoid the saddest part
The villagers surrounded him as he’s clutching at his heart
He accidentally killed the girl; begs forgiveness from the mob
It’s sad for him, it’s sad for me
It’s sad for everyone involved
Not from a womb delivered, a revived rotting heart
From a grave assembled, from mismatching parts
Clearly a mistake’s been made
Now he’s walking through the yard
The girl has got him by the hand
I try to warn her from the dark
Come play, come play with me by the lake
Come play, come play, oh, it’s not too late
Take a flower, take a flower and see how it floats
Take a flower, take a flower and see how it floats
See look, see look, there’s your little boat
See look, see look, there’s my little boat
Oh no! Oh no! They’re all out of boats
Oh no,! Oh no ! Oh no!
I did all I could to warn them
I waved at the screen
The father carries her through town
Oh, it is a bad dream
He accidentally killed the girl
Begs forgiveness from the mob
And I’ll keep coming back again
To see if it cannot be stopped
Don’t play, don’t play with him by the lake
Don’t play, don’t play, oh, it is too late
Don’t take a flower, take a flower and see how it floats
Don’t take a flower, take a flower and see how it floats
Don’t look, don’t look at his little boat
Don’t look, don’t look at your little boat
Oh no! Oh no! They’re all out of boats
Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!
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4. |
Shards
03:38
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The cherry stone
The marble rolls
The ashtray stains consume me
Zero percent on all my mail
Ooooh . . . they see right through me
My tattered vest
My Sunday best
The Lord will have to approve me
My pants are creased
I’m tucking in my tails
I can’t afford to ruin these
The pencil shavings
The sourballs
The paperclip dispenser
They cheer me up
I know they’re always there
I know they won’t desert me
Oh, I’m looking fine
I bump and grind
Right here in my apartment
Come on in. You know the pears are ripe
We’ll take them from the parchment
And I said shards
The Big Wheel’s in the yard
Grown over in the weeds
We should clean up one day
And your son
Standing among the ruins
Look at all he’s done
We should meet up one day
And I said scarred
The blue rabbit tattoo
Still jumping for the clouds
Oh, how much did you pay?
Starred
Your name inside my book
We always understood
Things could get strange this way
And I said shards
The Big Wheel’s in the yard
Grown over in the weeds
We should clean up one day
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5. |
Mamanama
02:49
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Landed back in LAX
Tired and wired and drained
Inserted my last cigarette
Before I set foot off the plane
Found myself a titty bar
Where the dancers couldn’t care less
Wave my twenty like a flag
Oh, this is my S.O.S.
Can’t you see? I’m good company
Couldn’t tell night from day
Just needed to get some rest
I had squandered my good will and
I had no will left
Bourbon and a powdered cheek
That’s my therapy
Since there’s no one in this bar
Hell, the next drink’s on me
Can’t you see? I’m good company
Mamanama
Oooh, when happy hour’s reached
You know it’s time to leave
Catch the bus to Venice Beach
Dr. Feelgood set me up
Pushed me out toward the waves
Lay my coat on down the sand and had to catch a ray
Teenagers offered me a cup of vodka and juice
I said, “Lend me your boogie board
Kids, I gotta cut loose!”
Can’t you see? I’m good company
Mamanama
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6. |
Good Answer
02:46
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Freedom of speech—good answer
Freedom to do what’s right—good answer
Freedom to move it all around—good answer
Good answer, good answer, good answer, good answer
I’m willing to compromise
I’m willing to do what’s right
I’ll go with the status quo
I’ll go with what you want to know
Good answer, good answer, good answer, good answer
The hem of Scalia’s robe—good answer
Some cheap men’s cologne—good answer
We’re going to get granular with this—good answer
Well liked by his peers—good answer
You in the back please lower your voice
Keep up with the rest of the boys
You’ve all been given a choice
You’ve all been given a choice
Good answer, good answer, good answer, good answer
Atom Bomb
James Bond
Freedom fries
Snorting bath salts
Manifest Destiny
Archduke Ferdinand
Edward Snowden
Pepperspray cop
I’m willing to compromise
I’m willing to do what’s right
I’ll go with the status quo
I’ll go with what you want to know
Good answer, good answer, good answer, good answer
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7. |
To Sea in a Sieve
02:01
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The clock has come to tell me; it’s time to pull off shore and drift
It’s time to pull up anchor; it’s time to feel the cosmic shift
Even the holes in the hull seem to call us, to call us to starfish below
We’ll welcome the ocean to come in and join us and see if our vessel can float
Break the waves, set the sail, check the compass, get the pail
Leave the tuner in the galley, I’d rather just sing off key
One hand is in the water, one hand around my Ring-Bo–Ree
We’re stocked with strong cheeses and marmalade toast, don’t bother to wipe off your chin.
We’ll follow the gull with the star on his tail, here’s your pillow, relax, let’s begin
Cast the rope, crack the bottle, pet the dog, away we go.
The sky at night will shower you in jewels
A seaweed shirt will warm you when it’s cool
I know your worried look
Comes when the breeze goes dead
I’ll see it disappear
When I raise the paddle . . . above . . . my head
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Life in a Blender New York, New York
For over 30 years, Life in a Blender has been the canvas for singer and songwriter Don Ralph's blackly comic landscapes. The group has released albums ranging from screaming punk to orchestrated chamber pop, and has brought the high theatrics of its live act to stages from Berlin to Austin to Toronto to Brooklyn and Seattle. ... more
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