Andrew Bird

Wishing for contentment, hoping for relentment
venting my resentment on the happy few

Awaiting resolution, and dreams of restitution
finding retribution's just another thing to do

You've got to keep yourself busy, visit Aunt Lizzy
just see how she's been
But when you're making a late run
two judgmental matrons retort, see what I mean?

A seeming reprobation, perhaps it's my vocation
a nauseous elation comes to mind but it fades so soon

I love the winter weather
Because the two of us can get together
There's nothing sweeter, finer
When it's nice and cold I can hold
Baby closer, to me
Collecting all the kisses that are due me
I love the winter weather
Because I've got my love to keep me warm
I love the winter weather
Because the two of us can get together
There's nothing sweeter, finer
When it's nice and cold I can hold
Baby closer, to me
Collecting little kisses that are due me
I love the winter weather
Because I've got my love to keep me warm
So warm

quiet
quiet down she said
speaking to the back of his head
on the edge of her bed
I can see your blood flow
your cells grow

hold still a while
don't spill the wine
I can see it all from here
I can see
I can see
weather systems of the world

and every time you turn the soil
another cloud begins to boil

some things you say
are not for sale
I would hold that we're
all free agents
of a substance or scale

hold still a while
don't spill the wine
I can see it all from here
I can see
I can see
weather systems of the world

Elder Green is dead and gone
Lost his way going to town
Don't know who he is or what he's done
But it sure sounds sweet rolling off the tongue
Yeah it sure sounds sweet rolling off the tongue

If I was in an old hotel
That happened to be on fire
Maybe I'd jump or
Maybe I'd reconsider
Then I'd climb a little higher

Like an oily rag
In a dusty corner
Like a box of matches near an open flame
I'd jump 18 stories from a burning fire
Sooner than I'd face this world of shame
Yeah I'd skip this town and
Jump a westbound train

Take these fingerlings from my fingers
Spoken with your breath
With white-washed eyes
And flies that linger
Seems rather forlorn and bereft

I said where you goin' with that sack on your shoulder Willie
As if I couldn't have guessed
He says I'm gonna get the hell
Out of Slag Valley and take a little stroll way out west

If I was in an old hotel
That happened to be on fire
Maybe I'd jump or
Maybe I'd reconsider
Then I'd climb a little higher

Like an oily rag
In a dusty corner
Like a box of matches near an open flame
I'd get so far away
From that old matchbox hotel
Man I'd skip this town and
Jump a westbound train
Anything to get away from this shame

Take these fingerlings from my fingers
Spoken with your breath
With white-washed eyes
And flies that linger
Seems rather forlorn and bereft

I said where you goin' with that sack on your shoulder Willie
As if I couldn't have guessed
He says I'm gonna get the hell
Out of Slag Valley and take a little stroll way out west

Wait, don't go too early
you're tired but everyone's tired
but no one is tired enough
only wait a little and listen

music of hair, music of pain
music of looms weaving all our loves again
be there to hear it, it's your only chance

hair will become interesting
pain will become interesting
second hand gloves will become lovely again

wait, wait for now
distrust everything if you have to
but trust the hours
haven't they carried you everywhere up to now

There was a time when I enjoyed vidalia
there was no other fruit I dared my lips to touch
my grandad he prescribed vidalia
"for whatever ails ya" - heart disease, the grippe and such

But to yourself this medicine you'll properly expose
the benefits of health, wealth, and respect
Eat it like an apple of a deep-colored rose
sweet victory will be yours to delect

But how my palate grows tired
so sweet, so sweet, so sweet
no thanks I'll take defeat

I remember a dark and smoky den
Cheeks of roast beef bloody rare
Oh, whiskey-edged faces of barrel-chested men
And I'm feelin' small, weak and scared

I remember that nook, the way I shook
pain hurts innocence be damned
red with shame and red with pain
we all sit down to eat our leg of lamb
our leg of lamb...
we all sit down to eat our leg of lamb

You come to me at twighlight
The soft summer breeze, the sand, the waving hair
But how am I to know?
This feeling has no name.
Each morning I dream of twighlight
And wait for your glow
Down from where the moonflowers grow.
Far beneath the sea
Awaits a home for me.

This is the story of the trou macacq, the pine box derby, the monkey track
This is the story of the trou macacq, the pine box derby, the monkey track
Not what I heard or saw on TV,
But what I witnessed entirely
Each bend in the road was infact another curve on the monkey track
Once upon a time we thought we were free
And had control over destiny
We saw ourselves a competent band
Able to reason, prosper and plan
But we had a chamber in the moon
Circumstance made us change our tune
When the veil was torn from our face
We became the monkeys riding the race
MONKEY!
You think you got the stuff it takes to break away!
Boy youll be on the track every day
Talent, vigor,drive
Youll eat peanut butter the rest of your life
And these last things you can arrange
Find other people equally strange
Stuff yourselves in the van and ride the pine box derby to the finish line
I said: Chris P. rides on a serious plan
Hes going to finish as fast as he can
The Escalator takes it personally
And does not drive professionally
Charming Enchantress and Bones can run
Even if the winshield wipers are on
I the Broadcaster avoid police
But the Bat was led into custody

I knew this one girl
Drowned in her own curls
Candy colored swirls
That never seemed to end

I could not comprehend
Half what she said to me
So casually
All our tender ears would bend

Tales of ritual self-torture
She's making you abort your
Most carefully laid plans
To make a final stand
The rest threw up their hands
Scoreless victory for serendipity

Tales of ritual sef-torture
She's making you abort your
Most carefully laid plans
TO make a final stand
The rest threw up their hands
In scoreless victory for serendipity

This is a story, some kind of a story
this is a story about about a boy and girl,
a girl and a boy, a boy.

( ), only fighting.
that some boy in the dark while he held joan of arc
inverted crystal mountain kind of a story.

this is a story
man, about the serifs and ciphers that the scholars deciphered
translations of sanskrit
just as my handwritten story.
this is a story

where the singers begin to appear
in the spaces between all the dashes and braces
in the mothbitten story - of getting left behind.
this is a story

some kind of a story.

with the pages distressed sins you held to your chest,
they were mangled and dog eared, while the rest were just mangy and gory.

this is a story about the memory of water
translating the sound of the traffic.
remember the traffic?
it's making you carsick all along southfield freeway.

and translating mistakes and the trees and the stake
and the trees for the woods and the sound of the trash
for the sound of the blowing leaves along the southfield freeway.

my name is a blackbird, (breast is a) two tone.
feathers are warm in molasses,
twisting the words from the silence to gases.
now i don't have worry (of making it)
it's so unclear.

am i dead or am i dying
or am i simply tired of crying?

my name is a blackbird, (breast is a) two tone.
feathers are warm in molasses,
twisting the words from the silence to gases.
now i don't have worry (of making it)
it's so unclear.

am i dead or am i dying
or am i simply tired of crying?

my name is a blackbird.

Don't sell me anything
Your one time offer, so uncalled-for
You call it peace of mind

Cause I can see your house from here
Now all the leaves have fallen, dear
I can see you're just a little privateer
As your confession draws more near

Time and again, I find I'm listless
Or rather, fistless
In time, oh, that's what I find

So carry me to Mecca
With what you may divine
Take me with you, take me with you
Don't leave me behind

Oh cause I, I don't want your life insurance
Home, auto, health, flood, and fire insurance
Oh, just make, please make this basic inference
And speak of me in the present tense

Oh cause I, I can see your ships from here
Now all the weather's so bright and clear
I can see you're just a little profiteer
As your confession draws more near

As your confession draws more near

As your confession draws more near

Tonight I will dream
Far below the fading light
My dream is for you
My arms were made to hold you tight
Now the time has come
The time has come

Don't tell me anything...anyhow
your contribution, proposed solution fails for now
cause I can see your house from here
now the leaves have fallen, dear
you're such a little privateer
as your confession draws mor enear

Don't sell me anything...of any kind
your one time offer is so uncalled for
you call it piece of mind
but I don't want your life insurance
home auto health fire insurance
just make this basic inference
employs a little common sense

Time and again I find I'm listless or rather fistless
in time that's what I find
Carry me to Mecca with what you may devine
take me with you, take me with you, don't leave me behind

Don't tell me anything...anyhow
your trite donation, commercialization
won't hold water now
'cause I can see your ship from here
now the weather's bright and clear
you're such a little privateer
as your confession draws near

When you do that little thing
That fascinating thing
I get so fascinated with you baby
My knees get weak
Every time you speak my name
The way you treat me mama means everything
Come on and do that thing
That fascinating thing!

Tenuous at best was all he had to say
When pressed about the rest of it, the world that is
From proto-Sanskrit Minoans to Porto-centric Lisboans
Greek Cypriots and harbor sorts who hang around in ports a lot uh huh

Here's where things start getting weird
While chinless men will scratch their beards
And to their minds a sharpened axe
Is brushed upon the Uralic syntaxes

Love of hate acts as an axis
Love of hate acts as an axis
First it wanes and then it waxes
So procreate and pay your taxes

Tenuousness, less seven comes to three
Them, you, us plus eleven
Thank the heavens for their elasticity
And as for those who live and die for astronomy

When coprophagia was writ
Know when to stand or when to sit
Can't stand to stand, can't stand to sit
And who would want to know this?
Click, click, click

Who wants to look upon this?
Who wants to look upon this pray tell?
Who wants to look upon this?
Who wants to look upon this pray tell, pray tell?

Tenuousness, less seven comes to three
Them, you, us plus eleven comes just shy of infinity
And as for those who live and die from numerology

When I was a little boy I threw away my action toys
I became obsessed with operation

with Hearts and minds and certain glands
You learn to keep a steady hand
And thus began a morbid fascination with...

sweetbreads, I could taste what you were thinking
sweetbreads, that's the taste of neurons thinking

Do you wonder where the self resides
Is it in your head or between your sides
And who's going to decide its true location?
cause it's a question for the centuries
from communion to mad cow disease
but is it worthy of a song - all life's location?

oh and the sweetest sweetbread of them all within the kingdom of afar
call them thoughts and metaphor-inations
they call them

sweetbreads, I could taste what you were thinking
sweetbreads, that's the taste of neurons thinking

does the thought of bowels red and black
the thought of tongues that taste you back fill you with a nauseous elation
where a simple trip to the grocery store could fill you with an abject horror
can you taste the misery of those crustaceans?

oh and the sweetest sweetbread of them all
within the kingdom of afar should've caused some silent machinations
they call them

sweetbreads, I could taste what you were thinking
sweetbreads, that's the taste of neurons thinking
aw, I could taste what you were thinking
oh, give me your thoughts about sweetbread

In a line at a cafe
I overheard a waitress say
'These cats is broke, I knows 'em
Through 'em out the doors and close 'em'

Still look saggy, for so low
This occupation's got to go
Up pulls the limo, up goes the thrill
The suits are picking up the bill

It's alright for them to tag along
It's just one bill their tagging on
I'll find some way to get along
The business suits to the rescue
So nice doing business with you
Do we really hate the clock
When we realize that 'Oh, their selling down for the deal'
The suits are picking up, the suits are picking up the bill

I cannot say from where I'm standing
My friends have passed out on the landing
Yes, one too many has left us high and dry
I've been feeling down, since the suits got back in town

The finches and sparrows build nests in my chimney
With remains of the small flightless birds that you failed to protect
But the yolk isn't easy in fact it's a drag
As they're blowin' through cornfields and mountains of rags
All over the suburbs across the great lawns
And they're cropdusting gardens all over this town

But nobody cares when it gets in their hair
It gets in their lungs as it floats through the air
It gets in the food that they buy and prepare
But nobody cares when it gets in their hair

Across the great chasms and schisms
And the sudden aneurysms
Where the black ink will drip across the cuspis of your eyes
And your teeth, they're worth more than you can spare
Oh, don't tell me that it just isn't fair
Don't speak about the cycles of life
'Cause your thoughts are so soft I can cut 'em with a spork, or a bride's knife

And the wine made our mouths too loose
Such a reckless choice of words
When you told me that I'm too abstruse
I just thought it was a kind of bird
I swear, I just stood there
Not saying a word

All alone now, guess I'm satisfied
All alone now, guess I'm satisfied

Lil' bit older now, guess I'm satisfied

What a dream life would seem
If only they'd let you keep your etch-a-sketch

What a dream life would seem
If only they'd let you keep your etch-a-sketch

Though bells will ring
Church steeples were catchin fire
If you promise spring
Then I'll know you are a liar

Cause in the spring
Tender grasses won't burn easily
Tough thrushes sing
Still my lover won't return to me
Wild parsnips they still scald my lungs
While thistles will burn my feet

And if you join our chorus
You will never fear anymore
So here it comes the chorus
We will meet on a fatal shore

Souverian Souverian the elder
Souverian Souverian was free
Souverian Souverian we feld her
So very young so very young were we

Birds will sing
Still my lover won't return to me
You promise spring
Still my lover won't return to me
Wild parsnips scald my lungs
And thistles are burning my feet

So here it comes the chorus
You'll never fear anymore
If you join a chorus
We will meet on a fatal shore

Under the elders
The older get younger
The younger get over
Over their elders
Under the elders
Pretend that you're older now

Under the elders
The older get younger
The younger get over
Over the elders
Under the elders
Bending your branches down

We who are so very young
Still my lover won't return to me
Thrushes sing
Still my lover won't return to me
Wild parsnips they still scald my lungs
While thistles still burn my feet

I was walking down the street
A stranger said to me
Be careful what you do
Then when waiting for a train
I heard a strange refrain
Id watch out if I were you, boy
Is something going to happen soon
Somethings going to happen soon
I have a phone that dosent ring
A line that dosent sting
I have a dream where snowflakes fall inside a painted hall
But that dont pay the rent
If you draw a bow draw the strongest
Yes, and if you use an arrow use the longest
Altough I dont spook easily
It has occured to me
Transformation is in the air
Are the heavens conspiring to show me this new thing
Or has it always been there

my skin is
white as parchment
drier than a downtown office building
where the air is tight
there's time spent
resting on her bones
waiting for the telephone to ring
ba-ring ba-ring ba-ring . . .
bo-ring bo-ring bo-ring . . .

my skin is
cold as her toes on the bathroom floor
run back to bed and slam the door
oh what a lovely sound
oh how it shakes the ground
oh what a lovely sound
oh what a lovely sound
oh what a lovely...

skin is my
it's the only thing
that doesn't really fly in my land
and love, oh love
is my love is
it's the only thing that
butterfly in Thailand

let it be printed on every t-shirt in this land
on the finest of cottons and the hippest of brands
in bolder letters than the capital I
it's the only thing, it's the only thing
it's the only lonely, whoa

my skin is
white as parchment
drier than a downtown office building
where the air is tight
there's time spent
waiting for that
macrame bird of prey
to come down and sing
la-ling la-ling la-ling...
oh what a lovely sound
oh how it shakes the ground
oh what a lovely sound
oh how it shakes the ground
oh what a lovely sound

oh what a lovely sound
oh how it shakes the ground
oh what a lovely sound
oh how it shakes the ground
oh what a lovely sound
oh, oh what a lovely sound

my skin is
white as parchment
drier than a downtown office building
where the air is tight
there's time spent
resting on her bones
waiting for the telephone to ring
ba-ring ba-ring ba-ring . . .
bo-ring bo-ring bo-ring . . .

my skin is
cold as her toes on the bathroom floor
run back to bed and slam the door
oh what a lovely sound
oh how it shakes the ground
oh what a lovely sound
oh what a lovely sound
oh what a lovely...

skin is my
it's the only thing
that doesn't really fly in my land
and love, oh love
is my love is
it's the only thing that
butterfly in Thailand

let it be printed on every t-shirt in this land
on the finest of cottons and the hippest of brands
in bolder letters than the capital I
it's the only thing, it's the only thing
it's the only lonely, whoa

my skin is
white as parchment
drier than a downtown office building
where the air is tight
there's time spent
waiting for that
macrame bird of prey
to come down and sing
la-ling la-ling la-ling...
oh what a lovely sound
oh how it shakes the ground
oh what a lovely sound
oh how it shakes the ground
oh what a lovely sound

oh what a lovely sound
oh how it shakes the ground
oh what a lovely sound
oh how it shakes the ground
oh what a lovely sound
oh, oh what a lovely sound

some people wake up on Monday mornings
barring maelstroms and red flare warnings
with no explosions and no surprises
perform a series of exercises

hold your fire
take your place around an open fire

before your neurons declare a crisis
before your trace Serotonin rises
before you're reading your coffee grounds
and before a pundit can make a sound
and before you're reading your list of vices
perform the simplest exercises

so here at the end
the war is over
there's nothing left to defend
no cliffs of Dover
so let us put down our pens
and this concludes our test
our minds are scattered about
from hell to breakfast

hold your fire
take your place around an open fire
don't open fire

You were right
There was never reason to worry
Money made your eyesight all blurry
Making lists of pacifists
Recalcitrant poses
Can't you see how dangerous
The one you chose is
Which brings us back to
Might makes right
So we learn from Wars of the Roses
Pain was only fear kneading your toeses

Making haste to spite your face to cut off your noses
Convince yourself and others that these
Fish smell like roses

Can't you see how dangerous
When you're too content to make a fuss
Can't you see how dangerous

Squint your eyes and see
Elephants, sycophants, elephants

Squint your ears and hear red-faced rants
Pleated pants
Sycophants
That's what you are

Can't you see how dangerous
When you're too content to make a fuss

Five day forecast bring black tar rains and hellfire
while handpicked handler's kid gloves tear at the inseams
their Halliburton attache cases are useless
while scotch guard Macintoshes shall be carbonized
now they're offering views of exiting empires
such breathtaking views of Scythian empires

Scythian empires, horsemen of the Russian steppe
Scythian empires, archers of an afterthought
Routed by Sarmatians, thwarted by the Thracians
Scythian empire

Scythian empires, exiting empires
Scythian empires, exiting empires
Routed by Sarmatians, thwarted by the Thracians
Scythian empire
Kings of Macedonia, Scythian empire

Give her a red lipstick and a bright pair of shoes
A new bob haircut and a shot of good booze
her/(hurry?) down-sweet daddy, I’m blowing your horn
oh if you come too late
no no, your mama' will be gone

come along young man, everything's sitting right here
my husband's gone away till next Saturday night
her/(hurry?) down-sweet daddy, I’m blowing your horn
oh if you come too late
no no, your mama' will be gone

I’m round-a-go, red shoes on my feet
got my mind set right for ten years at sea
her/(hurry?) down-sweet daddy, I’m blowing your horn
if you come too late
no no, your mama' will be gone

yeah cause the red rooster says "cock-a-doodle do do"
the wishing woman says "and a doodle do"
her/(hurry?) down-sweet daddy, I’m blowing your horn
if you come too late
no no, your mama' will be gone
one more time

red rooster says "cock-a-doodle do do"
the wishing woman says "and a doodle do"
her/(hurry?) down-sweet daddy, I’m blowing your horn
if you come too late
no no, your mama' will be gone

if you come too late
your mama' will be gone

Put a lid on it
What's that you say?
Put a lid on it
Oh man, no way
Put a lid down on it, and everything will be all right.
Put a lid on it
Don't hand me that
Put a lid on it
I'm all right, Jack
Put a lid down on it, before somebody starts a fight.

Say, every time I turn it loose you cats Come down and cook my goose
When I start I just can't stop
But if you keep this up you're gonna blow your top!
Put a lid on it
Too late this time
Put a lid on it
I've got to get what's mine
Put a lid down on it, and everything will be all right.

Well, grab your drink and clear a space I think it's time to torch this place
Now the girl's in overdrive
But some of your pals want to stay alive!
I'll put a lid on it
I'll put a lid down on it
Save it for another night

Put a lid on it
What's that you say?
Put a lid on it
Oh man, no way
Put a lid down on it, and everything will be all right.
Put a lid on it
Don't hand me that
Put a lid on it
I'm all right, Jack
Put a lid down on it, before somebody starts a fight.

Say, every time I turn it loose you cats Come down and cook my goose
When I start I just can't stop
But if you keep this up you're gonna blow your top!
Put a lid on it
Too late this time
Put a lid on it
I've got to get what's mine
Put a lid down on it, and everything will be all right.

Well, grab your drink and clear a space I think it's time to torch this place
Now the girl's in overdrive
But some of your pals want to stay alive!
I'll put a lid on it
I'll put a lid down on it
Save it for another night

She:
Anywhere old Prince Nez goes
That's where I go too
He clears up a stormy sky,
Whenever he's by my side.
Everything's nearer, everything's clearer
Everything's so divine.
I don't care what momma sez
Prince Nez I'm gonna make you mine.

He:
Anywhere old Prince Nez goes
That's where she goes too!
Always so debonair.
Flirting with such a flair.
(Oh you dog!)
Everything's hazy, everything's crazy
Everything's up in the air.
My gal sez she loves Prince Nez
But I really don't care.

to moonnn6pence from papayeverte



This isn't your song
This isn't your music
How can they be wrong
When by committee they choose it all?
They choose it all

Chin chin
Chin chin

You're gonna grow old
You're gonna grow cold
Bearing signs on the avenue
For your own personal Waterloo
You're bearing signs on the avenue
For your own personal Waterloo now

We'll fight we'll fight
We'll fight for your music halls
And dying cities

They'll fight they'll fight
They'll fight for your neural walls
And plasticities
And precious territory

This isn't our song
This isn't even a musical
I think life is too long
To be a whale in a cubicle
Nails under your cuticle

Chin chin

You're gonna grow old
You're gonna grow so cold
Before this song can deliver you
You're bearing signs on the avenue
You're bearing signs
For your own personal Waterloo now

We'll fight we'll fight
We'll fight for your music halls
And dying cities

They'll fight they'll fight
They'll fight for your neural walls
And plasticities
And precious territory