1. |
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unspeakable things
written longhand in your diary
unspeakable things
in bags piled into a phone booth
pressed against glass
shouted aloud alone in gear at a red light
unspeakable things
stored at a high rate of interest
everything
that you've done
laid out here
one by one
caught on tape
and compiled
no one could ever ever try and forgive
unspeakable things
gathered and sold at auction
unspeakable things
go on overlooked in the kitchen
out the back window, through to the laneway
drawn in chalk then washed away
remember that day turns to night
and cries for blood at the Cinesphere
what you'd say
if we could see
every day
every key
if we got in
by brute force
you never ever could go home again
you're never going home again
“oh what a night,” sings the heir
“how’s your heart still beating?”
“oh what a night,” sings the heir
“how’s your heart still beating out time?”
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2. |
Parasite II
02:37
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there's gotta be another man in the house who's spending all the money
someone down in the laundry room keeps shrinking all my shirts
but they won't show
plant a seed, watch someone else watch it grow
I don't really have time for a movie or really the money
there's gotta be another man in the house who's drinking all my beer
if they won't show
pull a tooth, put it under someone else's pillow
there's an ancient crisis of faith that’s building in the bedroom
a retelling of Arthurian Legend in the bathroom mirror
I betcha can't tell
between venomous and poisonous
mowing grass of the World Cup pitches 2022
it’s gotta be just right, it’s gonna be a big year for me
make a sound to hear someone else make a sound
make a sound to hear someone make a sound too
if it's good for you and it's good for me
it's good for the family
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3. |
Clerical Sleep
03:25
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I'm only painting with green
I'm mixing blue and yellow together
it felt so good to be home
but leaving feels even better
they’re building this powerful magnet
to disrupt the rhythm of my heart
I run and I hide
but it's like trying to get out of someone else's car in the dark
I need clerical sleep
ya clerical sleep
painted Victorian teardrop
can’t handle the truth
oh clerical sleep
talking about clerical sleep
let the attack dogs of the old world
howl, "Goodnight Moon"
I want to reveal my truths
spill my guts then leave town forever
and if I can get close enough
I'll detonate for peace time atomics
hey Skinny, how’s the Oldsmobile?
hey Skinny, how’s the open road?
if we can get as far as Rivière-du-Loup
then we'll really see what these old ponies can do
on some clerical sleep
clerical sleep
a note left on your windshield
promises have been kept
we all need clerical sleep
oh oh clerical sleep
painted Victorian tear drop
and Jesus wept
I know a man with the most advanced robot prosthetic in the history of the world
built in a lab, it cost $2,000,000, but he hates it, can’t stand it, never wears it, it just sits there
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4. |
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I'm waiting on a Dodge Caravan
and I don't wanna take it too far
but it's outta my hands
then there’s light
bleeding in the ditch
your band hears a brand new Outkast song
for the very first time
making all the stops, hit the storage locker, there’s a dead deer
lit up in the sensor light behind the Petro-Can
but late to the party, that’s good for the party
I can do anything for you
but I'm gonna have to do it running
it might take another year
it might take a shotgunned beer
it might take a rifled deer
head shot, night vision, sex tape, head shot
turn it out
I don't wanna take it too far
losing it over you
it's overdue
and I don’t choose losing it over you
it might take another year
it might take a shotgunned beer
it might take a rifled deer
head shot, night vision, sex tape, head shot
turn it out
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5. |
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there's a soft opening, she'll be there if you wanna stop by
flirting with the human scorpion jacket from Drive
he's a haircut aiming a jar of gin
and he talks about Los Angeles, that's a cue for you to jump in
“excuse me I couldn't help overhear you mention LA
see I was there for Kobe Bryant's last NBA game
it was five or six years ago back when there were no guarantees
and it was on the tv at a bar somewhere in I think Los Feliz”
making friends
making plans to pull someone out of a crowd
out of a crowd
yeah out of the crowd
and into his spotlight
the extra sees the film and totally collapses
the extra sees the film with Bette Davis Eyes
as if I had a way to move us all forward
if I had a way to put us all back on pace
we could make out headlights in the ditch off the road
crying blue light and buried under falling snow
we were on our way from Fredericton to Charlottetown for the show
now we're stomping and kicking in three or four feet of snow
dancing to discover a body in our boots
Stetson hats and rhinestone Nudie suits
ya we might have to cut a few half-finished new songs
there's only twenty five more minutes until we go on
it’s probably fine
they’re probably fine they were picked up and taken back home
taken home
calling friends,
“hey I'm gonna be on TV”
the extra sees the film and covers up his name badge
the extra sees the film and has to call his mom
as if I had a way to move us all forward
if I had a way to put everything back on pace
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6. |
Contract Killers
03:15
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the roads were closed opening day
by thoroughbred RCMP
I walked alone Joe Shuster Way
Superman probably made more money than me
all the older highways got their names from God
workflows traced to hired contract killers on call
no card I play and nothing I say would ever change minds
I'm starting to think they don't do it for the money
now is the time for all good men
(guest speaker, why’d you let the runners go?)
to come to the aid of the party
(one motion to kick in and kick out of gear)
by the time the wicker had been wove
(guest speaker, why'd you let the rhythm go?)
all the liquor was gone and we drove home
all the older highways got their names from God
wiretaps of hired contract killers at large
no turn I take and no call I make would ever change minds
I gotta think they don’t do it for the money
oh wandering headlight take to a lonesome road
oh great wandering headlight take to a lonesome road
and ya I admit it does sound a bit funny
the obituary arranged for guitar
but nobody ever says no to the money
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7. |
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you took one too many Ativan and raced out into the street
danced in line with the EMTs who stared at your bare feet
I'll never recover from the shape of your little fist
swinging at the coat check singing, I Have Confidence in the rain
I was on your last paragraph when they asked, “guess who's been killed?”
then I heard those European police sirens from all those action films
I'll never recover from doing what was right
you said, “If you die in your sleep
you're all alone in the middle of the night”
so long, farewell, Julie Andrews
we lose quarters in candy machines
when they pulled you out of the harbour you were holding onto a book
then you shoved your screenplay into my chest and said, “won’t you at least take a look?”
I'll never recover
from the colour of your tears
when you came home from spring break after thirteen years
so long, farewell, Tony Walton
we lose fingers in pairing machines
ah so long, farewell Julie Andrews
we lose lines in deleted scenes
! ! !
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8. |
Downtown Area Blues
02:33
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trapped in a downtown area storage facility overnight
Christ on the cross sees the sunrise for a second time
if I can make it through the night
I won’t let go of the light
till I see something familiar
there's a downtown area Ford dealership with a picture on the wall
of my wife and I onstage with the mayor at the Policeman's Ball
and when they saw I was no cop
I started running and said I'd stop
I’d stop
yeah I’d stop
when I saw something familiar
I'm with a downtown area personal injury lawyer on a conference call
or working a debt till 4 or 5 at Rol San
I gotta ride this out and I will
I wait over and over again and I will
we're a downtown area band
we got downtown area fans
we're a downtown area band
get us out of here
get me out of here
trapped in a downtown area storage facility overnight
Christ on the cross sees the sunrise for a third time
we're a downtown area band
ya we’re a downtown area band
we got some downtown area fans
get us out of here
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9. |
Kennedy Curse
04:08
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looking for your Kennedy curse
and getting nowhere
flashing your badge, footing the bill
on a quest for the grail
in time waiting in line looks better on tv
it’s your turn get to ripped off so get inspired, ya get inspired
when they tell you that they're going through
just what you're going through
just to see how much you can take
it's the same old salty fish in the ocean
trying to get a message through
to see how soon you will break
break down
deadlifting
a Fender guitar
and getting nowhere
showing your ass
trying to dance
to a cycle of failure
high-five the overachievers who tried harder
it’s your move to let the telepathics reach inside, way down inside
they’ll tell you that they're going through
just what you're going through
to see how much you can take
still the same old moldy bread on the counter
waiting for a number to fall
and to see how soon you will break
break down
they’re pulling up on your Aperol
ah baby come on
waiting for your brother to call
come on, come on
we all stare at the clock inside the Judy Garland Museum
In Grand Rapids, Minnesota click click clicking our heels
waiting for a breakdown
another breakdown
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10. |
The Masked Singer
06:02
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So You Thought You Could Dance out on the bill
peering through keyholes, looking to kill
trying to see The Masked Singer
and you're not the first
flower to trust
the iridescent birch bark into the dusk
like some new Last Duchess of the forest floor
faceless, more or less
following footprints
new name feels the same
fake it till you fail
shovels in trenches digging up just rain
always underestimate the panic in the writers room
always has to be some new kid undercutting protocol
tell me it's not my problem, that's just fine
you can take your time
cuz I’m taking mine
ya I'm taking mine
so many men died in the parade
now the ships sail down The Esplanade
they used to find sashes and brass washed up on the shore
you've got ideas
to ricochet the runway
a cascade of comebacks
and business ain’t booming
moving house in the same direction
can't protect your favourite sponsor's wing from museum fatigue
can't shake the manger hay off knocking on open doors
buddy, it's not my problem and that's fine
you can change your mind
cuz I’m changing mine
ya I'm changing mine
the rumours were true
everything hurt like hell
the rumours were true
now I am a changed devil
and I could have danced all night
I could have spread my wings
I could have danced all night
and done a thousand things
but without begging
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