Shame Shame Shame:
shame shame shame in the system,
shame shame shame in the system’s lies,
shame shame shame in the broken promised land.
we cannot keep a promise, we can’t call ourselves honest,
we’ve been lyin and they’ve been dying
for way too long.
they took our voices from us
but we won’t lie down in the dust,
we’re gonna have our say one way or another.
we’re the dogs that bite when we get cornered,
we’re the cats gone stray that scratch away.
Rich Man’s War:
the war lords are planning in washington,
the military, businessman, and president,
the rest of the country has gone to bloody hell
but the military’s spending and the rich man’s well.
(ch) it’s a rich man’s war, its one we can’t afford.
they’re taking all your money
and their walking out your door.
it’s a rich man’s war, its one we can’t afford
the score, the poor, it cannot be ignored.
the new three branches of government
the military, businessman, and dirty rats.
they’re dirty rats.
Petersburg Imperial:
he’s tallying up his assets
he’s got enough to make it through
today
and maybe tonight.
his fancy cars and his fine cigars
are his worn out boots and a packet of marbs,
its like that childhood dream come true
(that one where you want to wake up.)
he’s got one cigarette left
but he can’t light it
cause the rain keeps falling down,
and that’s all he’s got.
(ch) and that’s all, and its nothing more
than a shredded anthem on a rain-soaked floor.
and that’s all, and its nothing more
than a wrecked armada being washed to shore.
he spends his last five
on a petersburg imperial pint
and throws it in his jacket and walks outside,
and that’s all he’s got.
Flowers in the Frost:
don’t stand up, don’t raise your voice,
you turn away,
you’ve got nothing to say.
how can you stand it anymore?
you can’t walk out the door and not see
a state without conscience,
but they will pass away
like flowers in the frost.
Stick Figure:
it was nineteeneightyfive on 56th
joe's got a flannel and his shoes are ripped
one eye's black but its just as quick
to see another swing and dodge another fist.
joe and my brother used to ride with one another
down to pdq on 66th
his bike was busted and his chain was rusted
but he was still showing off, he's a
stick figure, life is like the trigger of a nine millimeter,
don't sqeeze, don't pull.
a few years back i ran into him again
he's got a mohawk, he's on the skids, his shoes are ripped
he was gonna play guitar in a rock and roll band
but the record was full of skips,
and i can see a red rose from a mile away
when its blooming in the center of a city's decay,
and i can see joe's got a bad headache
but he's telling stories anyway, he's a
stick figure, life is like the trigger of a nine millimeter,
don't sqeeze, don't pull.
well i saw joe late last night
he had a chain on his wrist and his shoes were ripped
his fingers were wrapped around a brown paper sack
sittin on the steps he turned and laughed and said
do you remember back in 85,
your brother and i used to go for rides
my bike was busted and the chain was rusted
but i'll never forget those times,
he's a stick figure.
hey joe where've you been, where'd you go?
Rats Swim:
the president wants to start a depression.
when the states look third world then who're the oppressed ones
when the president starts an armeggedon
with serious delusions and prophetic intentions.
if we let him steer he will sink this ship.
where you gonna go when all the rats swim?
the president wants to start a fist fight
so he'll sell you pretty pictures of bombs at night
bring it on, bring it on, bring it on its sick
american kids are laying down dead.
Donate to the Cause:
they made a law that says people can't gather in the street
to tell the lawmakers what they think.
they made a law that says guns are for police
to scare us off the street.
so if you wanna donate to the cause
then go out there and break a couple laws
break the ones that never should've been made
in the first place.
then they told us that the people make the laws
as if the people ask for scars,
don't you know we know better than that, oh yeah.
we're so sick and tired of your unfair laws,
corporate clauses, and ignorant cops.
we're sick and tired of your unfair laws
Another Drink:
i don’t wanna hear no more
i’ve heard enough of your shit before
i don’t need your lies, telling me why,
everythings gone to hell.
and I don’t need an interpreter
to tell me I’m still missing her
and I don’t need another drink
but it sure sounds nice.
Swindle’s Victim:
there is a picture of the Red 48ers hiding on the shelf
between the covers of a dusty old book they took and turned around
offense so easily taken when the stakes are high
they put a match to the pages and the wages burned all night,
(ch)
and you will thank me tomorrow for today’s alibis
i know just where I was when I stood and watched the crime
and you will thank me tomorrow for today’s alibis
the road we’re wandering is littered with demise…
we were smoking red lights, hot july night
downtown beneath the bridge in the park, alright
the only fireworks burning weren’t running through the sky
they were at the tops of cop cars, they’re saying we’ve no rights.
(ch)
when you know you’re the swindle’s victim,
you’re at the end of your rope,
and you construct your enemys’ effigies
ain’t it funny how no one gets the joke
(ch)
you are the swindle’s victim, you are the price
they pay to keep their dirty deals alive.
Bad Luck:
some people got bad, bad luck
some people can’t get enough
and when they stand up
they just fall back down again.
my buddy alan’s got bad bad luck
drinks newcastle brown from a bottomless jug
and picking fights in pubs for the fun of it
his bad bad luck was being born with the love of it.
my buddy matt’s got bad bad luck
london street hooligan, polish thug
picking fights in pubs for the fun of it
born with the love of it…
Bombs on Dresden:
the hypocrite is sitting on his throne
throwing out lies like bones
to the dogs of the public who are begging for the scraps
anything to make them feel bigger than the pack,
and the diplomat in his cowboy hat
is making deals with the devil
whose laughing all the way to the podium to say
this is never gonna happen again…
(ch)
now i know that i never wanna hear you say
this is never gonna happen again.
your lies are falling down like rain,
they’re falling like bombs on dresden…
and the hypocrite says
that the war is being fought for justice
that the people who are dying deserve this
that the people telling lies are honest, oh yeah
they’re so honest that they took the time to tell us
this is never gonna happen again
but the diplomat knows that a good war
is his best friend…
(ch)
your lies are falling down like rain,
they’re falling like bombs on dresden.
Heartless:
capitalistic enterprises
are moving over me like a downtown highrise
scraping the sky
there’s nothing left on the ground,
capitalistic enterprises
are moving overseas like an army of spiders
crawling over culture
and spreading like fire.
(ch)
i wouldn’t give a damn about your false convictions
if they weren’t bringing misery to innocent victims
and i wouldn’t give a damn about the innocent victims
if i didn’t have a heart…
the only thing beating ain’t the heart of the system
its big gun boys beating those who resist them
it’s the rain beating down
on a landscape full of victims,
heartless,
with a brass-knuckled golden-ringed fist
heartless,
no love, just money and pride at the world’s expense.
Lady Liberty:
if you think that you can run
faster than a bullet from a gun
then don’t come down to this side of town
cuz you’ll find out that you’re wrong.
lady liberty,
she got stopped at the gates
they said ‘you can’t come in here darling
you’re already too late’
the hand of justice
will never touch this
benedict arnold had a gun in his hand
when they got him for treason and he went down swingin, sayin
(ch)
two wrongs never make a right
when there’s two kids lying on the pavement
and one man smoking on a fine cigar saying
‘i believe in the state of the nation.’
benedict arnold went down with a gun in his hand
he says i’m never coming back again.
Half Mast:
over and over again
they steal our liberties and then they grin
our freedom lies down in her shallow grave
when the wake is over we walk away,
and fly that flag at half mast.
Lincoln City Sunset:
i was eighteen and wondering where
all these people came from who were sitting right here with me
and does it get any better than this?
andy's modified half gallon had him ragin
and the rest weren't too far behind
there's a little line that seperates
sanity from the rest of us,
and i don't wanna be there when you gotta come down
cuz i've been there before and when you hit the ground
you detonate and your pieces go flyin around.
that lincoln city sunset was burnin up the ocean
bringing out the best and the worst.
Bad Attitude:
i want some whiskey, i want some coke
i’m drawing lines on my black leather coat
i wanna hide in the wintertime sunshine
and when it rains I don’t wanna be alone,
just like you.
you got a bad attitude, you’re out of place,
you’re a really good liar, but you’re still a disgrace
and when i ask you questions
all i get is a blank face
Sailor's Prayer:
Though my sails be torn and tattered
and my mast be turned about
let the night wind chill me to my very soul
though the spray might sting my eyes
and the stars no light provide
give me just another morning light to hold
Chorus:
I will not lie me down
this rain a ragin'
I will not lie me down
in such a storm
and if this night be unblessed
I shall not take my rest
till I reach another shore.
And though the only water left
is but salt to wound my thirst
I will drink the rain that falls so steady down
and though night blindness be my gift
and there be thieves upon my drift
I will thank the fog that shelters me along
Chorus:
And though my mates be drained and weary
and believe their hopes are lost
there's no need for their bones on that blackened bottom
and though death just off the bow
we will not answer to him now
he shall stand to face the morning light without us.
Gather on the Docks:
another one of us is going down tonight
one more martyr who saw through the lies
you can lock him up, you can put him in chains
but you’ll never take his heart, its beating in us today,
theres a candle burning bright tonight
steadfast to the mast of its owner’s life
you can take his freedom, you can put him away
but you’ll never take that flame, its burning in us today,
(ch)
gather on the docks and wave your lads goodbye
gather on the docks and wave your caps goodbye
drink a pint of that wild irish rose and
pin another patch up on your soul.
Billy Stick Blues:
mayday! Of ‘99
andy’s on the front line, working overtime
on strike, they got rights
but the cops don’t want the workers to unite
so they got there fast with their tear gas
riot gear and the gas masks
call out the cavalry, tell ‘em to disperse
horseshoes or billysticks, which hurts worse?
(ch)
bang bang – at point blank
you never thought you’d get hit with the billystick
bang bang – at point blank
cracks on your head, and now you’re feeling it.
unity is an unlawful assembly
and now its illegal to stand up for your family
16 years for oregon steel
now andy’s getting shoved with a police shield
he wants to have his say – he can’t
he wants to get away – he can’t
he wants to get away – he can’t
here come the crack on the back of your head.
And you don’t feel it hit you till it all goes black…
Get up off of your back!
Lexington Rebels:
the lexington rebels didn’t fight for this, didn’t die for these hypocrites
they were in tatters and rags, fixing their bayonets
and these days the patriots are fighting for what they were against
the sun that rose for freedom has fallen down and set.
lack of compassion is the fashion of the day
and the sons of liberty are turning in the grave
the modern day loyalist is raising his fist and flag
as a new war unfolds and old glory waves goodbye.
the sons of liberty are turning in the grave.
End of the Line:
take me to the end of the line, i'm in victoria station
with the city in my sights, in the crosshairs
i've got my hands in my pockets as i'm walking
across this borderline
that was the night i saw the lights go down on the thames
with a bottle of scotch, walking across tower bridge
the city upstream is dreaming of falling in
but i won't be there to save her, i'm on my way again.
take me to the end of the line
a cold day's fire is dying on the city skyline
and underneath it and drifting through the streets
i can hear her singing in the night
take me to the end of the line, and theres a girl there
playing broken string lullabies to the passers-by
she wants more than just pence and dimes
she wants to fly away from here
that was the night i saw the lights go down on the thames
with a bottle of scotch, walking across tower bridge
and the city upstream is dreaming of falling in
but i won't be there to save her, i'm on my way again.
Danny At The Station:
danny’s at the station looking for a way to break out of these walls
danny’s at the station looking to escape and get away before another day calls,
well, you can board that liner at sunrise, but you can’t get very far
you can sail away from yesterday but you can’t sail away from your heart.
away, away, away, away, away…
he’s got nothing but a wave and the stars.
danny’s at the station feeling wasted once again
danny looks down at his feet and says these streets are my ball and chain...
danny saw a black cat crossing his path when he was walking the plank
between here and far away there’s a lot of time to wander and think
but you don’t have anyone to tell your stories to,
and you don’t have anywhere to call your home.
away, away, away, away, away…
he’s got nothing but a wave and the stars.
when are you coming home?
Corporate Criminal:
I'm not a criminal, a millionaire is,
I'm not a terrorist, the pentagon is,
I'm not a liar, but the president is,
I'm not a traitor, but your leadership is,
alls quiet on the western reaches
corporate criminal is buying more than he can afford
to buy so he takes it anyways
he'll take and take until the government says hey man, no more.
corporate criminal is walking to the end of his street.
keeps going on to 1600 pennsylvania boulevard,
to president bush's house- looks him in the eye
and say's i think im going to tell you you're wrong.
Not A Part Of It:
you can sing your war anthems, swing a six gun in the badlands,
but the deceit you bring to the masses has turned your banner to tatters.
you can’t fire your cannons, and from that have a free land,
no matter how hard you try we won’t find truth in your lies.
and we won’t be a part of your answers
and we won’t be a part of your lies.
you can burn the bridges that we’ve labored over
(we won’t be a part of your answers)
and you can turn your hired liars into heroes
but we won’t be a part of your lies.
Bogota:
just like a whirlwind vagabond
she’s blowing up from columbia, a poor girl in dorchester
she’s cleaning the graveyard shift
in the four star hotel where i worked behind the desk
she’s been here for years and years
thinking about the last time she saw her mother crying
she was standing in the driveway and waving goodbye
she never thought she’d stray so far…
oh oh monica, you go back to bogota
and buy your mother that blue dress you’re dreaming of
i’m leaving boston at dawn
so so long.
she sends half of her paycheck home
to her mother and her brother with a letter enclosed
it says, ‘i’m dealing fine with this east coast life
but i miss the way those southern stars shine’
that chapter ended and i told her that i had to go
back to the west coast, back to the world i know
so lo siento seniorita
she said ‘don’t take your luxuries lightly, adios.’
we’d steal bottles of heineken from the supply room at midnight
and gaze across the bay at the moonlight
falling on the skyline bringing us change
she said ‘yeah, i miss my home
but not as much as i miss not being alone.’
Mission Accomplished:
the line at the mission isn't getting any shorter
and the boys on the docks ain't got a job
(the only jobs left are in the war)
oh, when are they gonna stop stealing all our labor
and giving us nothing in return
Pay Day:
its pay day, they finally caught me,
they had to tie my hands around my back
before they fought me.
it’s pay day today.
cuff me up, rough me up
give me a charge and trump it up,
make the stars around my head
start to spin and get lit up,
i’ll be living on poor boy street
no thanks to corrupt police,
it's pay day at the precinct
they finally caught me.
The Proud Right Wing:
every american goes to heaven
and all of their enemies go to hell
they better make space at the pearly gates
for the guns and bombs and grenades and tanks,
fly, fly away, in your war machines
fire your guns in heaven and leave me here in peace.
“you’re either with us or against us
with the proud right wing or the enemy,
you’re either with us or against us today.”
you sing of redemption
but i have no faith in
the state of the nation
so just leave me here in peace,
you can fly, fly away, in your war machines
fire your guns in heaven and leave me here in peace.
Miriam Disappears:
in a one act play, crossing the border
is a ripped red fishnet mini-skirt girl
running, running away.
find another city where you can fade away
miriam disappears, black boots on saint denis boulevard
miriam disappears, and the curtain falls on montreal
the drunks are singing cest la vie
on the avenue carrying vanishing dreams
gone, gone, gotta move on
this dream ended at the break of dawn
gone, gone, gotta move on
this dream ended
with the streets, the city
add her to the list of the missing
she’ll be strutting down sain denis
with a drink in her hand and a memory.
miriam disappears.
Cold Wind:
the sun was fighting to shine in your eyes
the night was dying to stay alive
and that april dawn won
and i’m trying to bring back the day
we were singing out rock and roll songs
we were drinking \cheap wine in the park
and the nights were longer than memories turning cold
but I won’t hang my head and cry
no tears shed in this drink tonight
princess when you’re the queen
tell me will you still sing
on your throne, on your own, all alone
i know where the cold wind blows
right behind your back, you’re moving on
but darling before you go to your castle and crown of gold
have a drink with me and sing me one more song.
American Bliss:
don't talk about the war to me, can't you see
i can't be bothered by things so far away from me,
go tell it to the poor boys, they're the president's war toys,
the ones he's sending over to the desert to die, for a lie...
don't talk about the casualties to me - i can't be bothered
don't talk about the the atrocities - i can't be bothered
can't you see i'm a regular patriot and i can't be bothered...
don't talk about the war to me, can't you see i'm a regular patriot
and the best ones are the ones that keep their mouths shut
while their country's getting fucked,
i'm a regular believer in the red, white, and blue
i wave it on the fourth of july, and veteran's day too,
so don't talk about the war to me.
(the sticker on my s.u.v.
says u.s.a.
don't talk to me...)
i'm a regular patriot and i can't be bothered.
The Riots Outside:
they're storming the embassy with rocks, with rocks
they're getting answered with m-16s
we're spreading democracy with rocks, with rocks
the chains are complimentary, in the land of the free...
and the town crier said everything's fine - never mind, close your eyes
he didn't tell the people about the riot outside,
"never mind," he said, "close your eyes"
and all the meanwhile it was silent inside - never mind, close your eyes
the handsome anchorman said, "everything's fine,
that's your news at ten, i hope you all have a good night."
in the land of the free
the chains are complimentary.
Flag Draped Coffins:
oh shit - its happening again
some grinning politician wants some blood on his hands
oh shit - its happening again
now we're dying in a war that nobody wins
but i'm not buying it
i'm not flying that
flag you're dying on today...
no more flag draped coffins
no more blood stained promises
no more lies from the dirty thieving cheats
no more wars for american profits.
oh shit - its happening again
some civilian got lead in his head
oh shit - its happening again
it came there from the gun in america's hand
oh shit - its happening again
we're dying in a war that nobody wins
oh shit - its happeing again
nobody wins...
Crank it Up:
i feel a little like a train track rat, i got the rhythm
all the upper class brats hate me cuz i bit 'em
and then i disappeared into the underground,
i can feel the sound through the ground of the power chords
riding on a line, high above the decibals
i bare my teeth and bite and then i go
and turn up the stereo.
cops show up at the show
they think we're a threat to the status quo
cuz we won't sign on the dotted line and we won't go away,
so turn the record over and have another shot
turn the dial to the right, up until it stops
turn this rat nest out, we're ready to roll
and turn up the stereo.
The Voice of Reason:
the aristocrats never go to the big house but they ship all the rest to the pen
they can buy away with their spare change what the rest can't afford to defend
and it doesn't seem to make much sense that only that class is free
in the society that we live in.
its sunny as hell where the bosses dwell with their money,
but the poor man's singing the blues.
and the upper echelon they just keeping citing the golden rule
thinking fools will be fools will be fools.
the voice of reason is lost in the breeze in the society that we live in
the voice of reason is lost in the breeze in the society that we live in.
Shipwreck Survivor:
just like the lonely shipwreck survivor
the horizon's fire i burned my eyes upon
i've been picked up, let down, turned around, lost and tossed,
waiting for the dawn...
just like the old man down in camden town
talking through his whiskey on the rocks
i've been with the witches and i've been with the queen
i've been down in the ditches and i've been high and clean
just like the solitary kid on queen's street
walking from the city down to the sea
the pavement ends and the night begins and the crazy kid just walks right in
and the breakers keep on crashing down on me...
just like the lonely shipwreck survivor
the horizon's fire i burned my eyes upon
i've been picked up, let down, turned around, lost and tossed,
waiting for the dawn.
