1. |
American Carnage
03:50
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there's a porn star in the palace
with an opal on her plate
there's a ship of fools with sharpened tools
and jackals at the gate
don't they look hungry
don't they look mean
don't think they'll wait to lick that asshole clean
with a pitchfork and a password
wallet and a chain
power losses, burning crosses
heaven hath no shame
like a white man frightened
don't he look weak
don't think they'll wait to make that asshole bleed
with a hundred dollar haircut
another ape sits on the throne
and he'll strut and piss and shake his fist
and shove shit down your throat
and you'll say thank you
can I have some more?
and there's another asshole lined up at the door
we're living in the shadow of a dream
we ain't never seen the light but we believe
there ain't no wrong or right
when you've got god on your side
just another asshole down on his knees
so kiss your daughter goodnight
and kiss your son goodbye
a girl can dream of being seen
but your boy is gonna die
and we'll watch it on tv
while we eat
don't think we'll wait to lick that asshole clean
we're shooting out the shadows in the streets
we ain't never seen the proof but we believe
there ain't no black or white
when you've got god on your side
just another asshole down on his knees
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2. |
Masters of Words
03:28
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gotta make our voice heard
because the masters of words
don't want a chorus
gotta make our mind known
so all the swine on the throne
can't ignore us
with a cuff or a belt or a velvet fist
round our throat
may the will resist
we gotta make our voice heard
because the masters of words
don't want a chorus
gotta capture the light
from all the pastors of lies
get back to nature
gotta hold our head high
stare through a hole in the sky
into the future
under moon or a star or the southern cross
round our soul
may the self be lost
we gotta make our voice heard
because the masters of words
don't want a chorus
when we dream
a drop of rain
when we scream
a hurricane
gotta sing while we slave
because the masters of trade
won't employ us
gotta stand on our feet
so all the swine in the street
won't destroy us
with a stone or a brick or the new soft shoe
on our lips
may our song be true
we gotta make our voice heard
because the masters of words
don't want a chorus
when we dream
a drop of rain
when we scream
a hurricane
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3. |
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54 in '56, what you see is what's left
in a game of truth with Cowards death will always win
daddy tried to warn me about men and sloe
but he never mentioned women or the snow
cocaine cleans the palette
codeine clears a cough
absinthe makes the heart grow fond
but I'll take morphine 'til the memory's gone
Somerset Maugham and the aspirin vial
ain't gonna rain no more for a motherless child
if hell gets any hotter we'll be battered and fried
but I'll still be the last one left alive
white lightning wipes the palette
whiskey clears a cough
absinthe makes the heart grow fond
but I'll take morphine 'til the memory's gone
may you live as long as you want to
may you want to as long as you live
if I'm asleep and you want me, wake me
if I'm awake and I don't want to, make me
cocaine cleans the palette
codeine clears a cough
absinthe makes the heart grow fond
but I'll take morphine 'til the memory's gone
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4. |
Drunk on Power
02:18
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mason jar of moonshine
sticky in the summertime
fruit on her fingertips
honey in her little hips
reached out to pick a flower
I was drunk on power
apple core and alibis
empathy in empty eyes
sipping in the sunshine
bottle full of blood wine
kiss and tell and kill the hours
we were young and proud
never seen a patch of grass
that I couldn't pave
never seen a piece of glass
that I wouldn't break
honeydew and honey don't
whistle shot and whiskey throat
candy in her cotton dress
chloral kool aid acid test
seven acres set to plow
four riders and one pissed-off cow
never seen a patch of grass
that I wouldn't shave
never seen a piece of ass
that I couldn't take
mason jar of moonshine
sticky in the summertime
fruit on her fingertips
honey in her little hips
reached out to pick a flower
I was drunk on power
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5. |
The Lion
04:56
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tracing skylines on my skin
mapping meaning on a whim
dark as day and light as sin
you find your freedom from within
while cameras flash and bullets sing
tracing faces in the clouds
the lion made you laugh out loud
you saw a devil, I saw a saint
I cried love and you cried hate
in the final moment I sing your praise
may you be soft enough to slip through fingers
strong enough to carve through stone
and when you stand for something
may you never stand alone
climbing shade trees in the sun
building crosses just for fun
you never knew my youngest son
you never gave him time to run
but when you call me I will come
waiting patiently to fall
three eyes dry and standing tall
press my lips against the wall
visions blur and angels call
and if I see the light I'll crawl
you may be soft enough to slip through fingers
strong enough to carve through stone
but when you stand for something
you will always fall alone
time moves fast and life moves slow
lazy river ebbs and flows
but when you start to feel alone
resting on your rusted throne
take my hand and I'll guide you home
and we'll be soft enough to slip through fingers
strong enough to carve through stone
and when we stand for something
we will never stand alone
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6. |
Chapter XI
02:38
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put thirty spokes together
call it a wheel
but in the holes where space slips through
lies a need
to turn an empty vessel
out of mountain clay
fill it with the ashes of someone
who just escaped
this dark, damp prison
this pound of flesh
letting go won't be my last regret
settle on a homestead
plant a seed
turn those thirty spokes
until the wheat
shimmers just like copper
and shines like gold
but our pockets our still empty
when the last seed has been sold
this hot, dry prison
that never ends
letting go won't be my last regret
start a family
raise them well
teach them how to pray and sing
like everybody else
the light of heaven
the fires of hell
but in the dark of night
they still cry by themselves
and when our sky crumbles
our sun has set
letting go won't be my last regret
put thirty years together
call them real
but in the holes where space slips through
lies a need
to turn an empty vessel
into mountain clay
fill it with the ashes of someone
who just escaped
this earthly prison
this unpaid debt
letting go won't be my last regret
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7. |
Death in the Afternoon
03:49
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maybe if I were just a little stronger
if I could stay a little longer
I could see this through
then maybe I could fly just like the songbird
spread my wings and travel skyward
I could fly with you
lately I've been acting like a sinner
flying south just for the winter
coming home just for the food
and maybe we could take a flight together
you with your wings of leather
me with mine of wood
under black sky
steel moon
blue planet fading out of view
warm nights
cold truths
and slow death in the afternoon
hazy, all the visions that I'm craving
how you dip so slow and lazy
while your heart jumps like a gun
and maybe we could take this dance together
wear your foxtail and your feathers
and I'll be drunk on rum
under black sky
steel moon
blue planet fading into view
cold nights
hot truths
and slow death in the afternoon
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8. |
Little Bourgeois Lice
03:46
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little bourgeois lice
what do they fear?
the boiling wave of the proletariat!
little bourgeois mice
what do they hear?
the clicking claws of the proletariat!
little bourgeois owls
where do they fly?
in the shadow of the proletariat!
little bourgeois cows
what do they provide?
milk to fuel the proletariat!
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9. |
Heaven in the Suburbs
06:09
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twilight sings in violent dreams paved in green
an asylum from the city
flagrant breeze rustles five foot trees
fed by sidewalk streams
it's heaven in the suburbs
Miss Martin waits by her picket gate
in her high heel shoes and v-neck sweater
when the milkman comes she licks her gun
and the silence numbs
it's heaven in the suburbs
coffee bars and shiny cars
parked in all the handicapped spaces
silver maples turn into golden urns
when the skyline burns
it's heaven in the suburbs
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10. |
The Promise
05:42
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if you need a friend
don't look to a stranger
you know in the end
gonna always be there
and when you're in doubt
and when you're in danger
take a look all around
and I'll be there
I'm sorry but I'm just thinking of the right words to say
I know they don't sound the way I planned them to be
but if you wait around a while I'll make you fall for me
I promise you
when your day is through
and so is your temper
you know what to do
gonna always be there
sometimes if I shout
it's not what's intended
these words just come out
with no cross to bear
I'm sorry but I'm just thinking of the right words to say
I know they don't sound the way I planned them to be
but if you wait around a while I'll make you fall for me
I promise you
I promise you
I'm sorry but I'm just thinking of the right words to say
I know they don't sound the way I planned them to be
and if I had to walk the world would that make you fall for me?
I promise you
I promise you
I will
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