Modest Mouse

From the top of the ocean, yeah
From the bottom of the sky, goddamn
Well I get claustrophobic, I can, you know that I can, well
From the top of the ocean, yeah
From the bottom of the sky, goddamn
Well I get claustrophobic, I can, you know that I can

And he said, I am not allowed much danger
Well, keep in line you're an old friend, stranger
You'll burn me in effigy and I'll burn you in effigy
Well, a rattlesnake up in Buffalo, Montana
He bit the leg of the old sheriff
Ha, that boy fell down on his harelip, ah-ow, ah-ow
well I, I might be wrong
But you, you tag along
And we, we all been wronged
And I feel dizzier by the mile
I said hell yeah the money's spent
Went to the county line and paid the rent
I said uh-oh, I said uh-oh

Oh, if you could compact your conscience
Oh, and you might
Oh, if you could bottle and sell it you might've done
Oh, and you might
Oh, if you could compact your conscience and sell it
Save it for another time, you know you might have to use it

And the television's on
Go to the grocery store, buy some new friends
And find out the beginning, the end and the best of it
Well, do you need a lot of what you got to survive?
Here's the man with teeth like God's shoeshine, he sparkles, shimmers, shines
Let's all have another "Orange Julius" thick syrup standing in lines
The malls are the soon to be ghost towns well, so long, farewell, goodbye

Take'em all for the long ride and you'll go around town
No one will be uptight anymore
You could be ashamed or be so proud of what you've done
But not no one, not now, not ever, anyone
Take'em all for that sad, sad happiness
That comes from deep down inside
Or you could add it up and give a shit, give a shit
Go to the family doctor, it's all worth it, all worth it
And it's all, all wrong and it's all, all gone
Or you could add it up and give a shit, give a shit
I'm on the corner of this and this and this and this
All, all wrong and it's all, all gone

Here's the man with teeth like God's shoeshine he sparkles, shimmers, shines
Let's all have another "Orange Julius" thick syrup standing in lines
The malls are the soon to be ghost towns well, so long, farewell, goodbye

And the telephone goes off pick the receiver up, try to meet ends
And find out the beginning the end and the best of it

OH MY GODDAMN
Take them all for the long ride and you'll go around town
No one wants to be uptight anymore
You could be ashamed or be so proud of what you've done
But not no one, not now, not ever anyone

Slow walk
It's a land mine
It's a coal mine
It's a bad thought

I'm on my way to god don't know
My brain's the burger and my heart's the coal
I'm trying to get my head clear
I push things out through my mouth, I get refilled through my ears

I get refilled through my ears
I get refilled through my ears

I'm on my way to god don't know or don't care
My brain's the weak heart and my heart's the long stairs
My heart's the long stairs
My heart's the long stairs

Inland from Vancouver shores
The ravens and the seagulls push each other inward and outward
Inward and outward

In this place that I call home
My brain's the cliff, and my heart's the bitter buffalo
My heart's the bitter buffalo

We tore one down, and erected another there
The match of the century, absence versus thin air
I'm on my way to god don't know
My brain's the burger and my heart's the coal

In this life that we call home
The years go fast and the days go so slow
The days go so slow
The days go slow

I'm on my way to god don't know
My brain's the burger and my heart's the coal
I'm just trying to get things clear
I push things out through my mouth, I get refilled through my ears

I get refilled through my ears
I get refilled

I'm on my way to god don't know or even care
My brain's the weak heart and my heart's the long stairs
My heart's the long stairs
My heart's the long stairs

Inland from Vancouver Shore
The ravens and the seagulls push each other inward and outward
Inward and outward

In this place that I call home
My brain's the cliff and my heart's the bitter buffalo
My heart's the bitter buffalo

They tore one down and erected another there
The match of the century, absence versus thin air
Absence versus thin air

In this life that we call home
The years go fast and the days go slow
The days go so slow

Soon the chain reaction started in the parking lot
Waiting to bleed onto the big streets that bleed out onto the highways
And off to other cities, built to store and sell these rocks

Well aren't you feeling real dirty, sitting in the parking lot?
Waiting to bleed onto the big streets that bleed out onto the highways
And off to other cities, built to store and sell these rocks

Well aren't you feeling real dirty, sitting in the parking lot?
Waiting to bleed onto the big streets that bleed out ontp the highways
And off to other cities, built to make and store these rocks

Well aren't you feeling real dirty, sitting in your car with nothing?
Waiting to bleed onto the big streets that bleed out onto the highways
And off to other cities, built to store and sell
There's nothing

Convenient parking is way back, way back
Convenient parking is way back, way back
Convenient parking is way back, way back

Soon the chain reaction started in the parking lot
Waiting to bleed onto the big streets that bleed out onto the highways
And off to other cities, built to store and sell these rocks

Well aren't you feeling real dirty, sitting in the parking lot?
Waiting to bleed onto the big streets that bleed out onto the highways
And off to other cities, built to store these plastic rocks

Well aren't you feeling real dirty, sitting in your car with nothing?
Waiting to bleed onto the big streets that bleed out onto the highways
And off to other cities, built to store and sell these rocks

Well aren't you feeling real dirty, sitting in your car with nothing?
Waiting to bleed onto the big streets that bleed out onto the highways
And off to other cities, built to store and sell
This nothing rocks you

Convenient parking is way back, way back
Convenient parking is way back, way back
Convenient parking is way back, way back

Soon the chain reaction started in the parking lot
Waiting to bleed onto the big streets that bleed out onto the highways
And off to others cities, built to store and sell these rocks

Well aren't you feeling real dirty, sitting in the parking lot?
Waiting to bleed onto the big streets that bleed out onto the highways
And off to other cities, built to store and sell these rocks

Well aren't you feeling real dirty, sitting in the parking lot?
Waiting to bleed onto the big streets that bleed out on the highways
And off to other cities

He don't remember how it got there he had a number written on his forearm it spelled disaster

He entered the club scene
All hoping, all hoping for dancing
He was looking, a looking so stunning
His clothes reflecting light, all right she
She sat, she sat in the backseat
The car was plush but had no heat
And no, not no one was blushing
Their technique was so damn right, all right and
He read the note in the black light
He thought he read minds and was not right
That line still made him seem charming
His clothes were shining, shining

Well, Jesus Christ was an only child
He went down to the river and he drank and smiled
And his dad was oh, so mad
Should have insured that planet before it crashed

Working real hard to make internet cash
Work your fingers to the bone sitting on your ass
I know now what I knew then
But I didn't know then what I know now

Penny found out as her hair was styled
You should hide your kids while the dogs run wild

Jesus Christ was an only child
He went down to the river and he drank and smiled
And his dad was oh, so mad
Should have killed that little fucker before he even had

Well, Jesus Christ was an only child
He went down to the river and he drank and smiled
And his dad was oh, so mad
Should have insured that planet before it crashed

Working real hard to make internet cash
Work your fingers to the bone sitting on your ass
Penny found out as her hair was styled
You should hide your kids while the dogs run wild

I know now what I knew then
But I didn't know then what I know now

Well, I know what what I knew then
Yeah, I know now what I knew then
Yeah, I know now what I knew then
But I didn't know then what I know now

I was in heaven, I was in hell, believe in neither but fear them as well
This one's a doctor, this one's a lawyer, this one's a cash fiend taking your money
Back of the Metro, ride on the Greyhound, drunk on the Amtrak, please shut up
Another rider, he was a talker talking about TV, please shut up
This one's a crazer, daydreaming disaster the origin of junk food, rutting through garbage
Tasty but worthless, dogs eat their own shit we're doing the cockroach, yeah

Doin' the cockroach yeah, doin' the cockroach yeah, yeah alright not bad
Doin' the cockroach yeah, doin' the cockroach yeah, yeah alright not bad
Doin' the cockroach yeah, doin' the cockroach yeah, yeah alright not bad, not bad at all

One year, twenty years, forty years, fifty years down the road in your life
You'll look in the mirror and say My parents are still alive

You move your mouth, you shake your tongue you vibrate my eardrums
You're saying words But you know I ain't listening

You're walking down the street your face, your lips, your hips, your eyes, they meet
You're not hungry though

Well late last winter down below the equator they had a summer that would make you blister
Oh, my mind is all made up so I'll have to sleep in it
Well late last winter down below the equator they had a summer that would make you blister
Oh, my mind is all made up so I'll have to sleep in it
Well late last winter down below the equator they had a summer that would make you blister
And oh, my mind is all, oh, my mind is all oh, my mind is all made up so I'll have to sleep in it

Well, Cowboy Dan's a major player in the cowboy scene
He goes to the reservation, drinks and gets mean
And he's gonna start a war
He's gonna start a war

And he hops in his pickup
Puts his pedal to the floor
And says, "I got mine
But I want more"

Because Cowboy Dan's a major player in the cowboy scene
He goes to the reservation, drinks and gets mean
He drove to the desert, fired his rifle in the sky
And said, "God, if I have to die, you will have to die"

Because Cowboy Dan's a major player in the cowboy scene
He didn't move to the city
The city moved to me
And I want out desperately

Can't do it, not even if sober
Can't get that engine turned over
Can't do it, not even if sober
Can't get that engine turned over
Don't know, not even if sober
Can't get that engine turned over

Standing in the tall grass
Thinking nothing
You know we need oxygen to breathe
Oxygen to breathe

Standing in the tall grass
Thinking nothing
You know we need oxygen to breathe
Oxygen to breathe

Every time you think you're walking, you're just moving the ground
Every time you think you're talking, you're just moving your mouth
Every time you think you're looking, you're just looking down

Well, Cowboy Dan's a major player in the cowboy scene
He goes to the reservation, drinks and gets mean
He hops in his pickup, puts the pedal to the floor
And says, "I got mine, but I want more"

'Cause Cowboy Dan's a major player in the cowboy scene
He goes to the reservation, drinks and gets mean
He drove the desert, fired his rifle in the sky
And said, "God, if I have to die, you will have to die"

Cowboy Dan's a major player in the cowboy scene
He goes to the reservation, drinks and gets mean
He didn't move to the city, the city moved to me
And I want out desperately

Can't do it, not even if sober
Can't get that engine turned over
Can't do it, not even if sober
Can't get that engine turned over
No, no, not even if sober
Can't get that engine turned over
Yeah, not even if sober
Can't get that engine turned over

Eating snow flakes with plastic forks
And a paper plate of course
You think of everything
Short love with a long divorce
And a couple of kids of course
They don't mean anything
Live in trailers with no class
God damn, I hope I can pass
High school means nothing
Taking heartache with hard work
God damn, I am such a jerk
I can't do anything

And I shout that you're all fakes
And you should have seen the look on your face
And I guess that's what it takes
When comparing your belly aches
And it's been a long time
Which agrees with this watch of mine
And I know that I miss you
and I'm sorry if I dissed you

Eating snow flakes with plastic forks
And a paper plate of course
You think of everything
Short love with a long divorce
And a couple of kids of course
They don't mean anything
Live in trailers with no class
God damn, I hope I can pass
High school means nothing
Taking heartache with hard work
God damn, I am such a jerk
I can't do anything

And I shout that you're all fakes
And you should have seen the look on your face
And I guess that's what it takes
When comparing your belly aches
And it's been a long time
Which agrees with this watch of mine
And I guess that I miss you
And I'm sorry if I dissed you

Out of gas, out of road
Out of car, I don't know how I'm going to go
And I had a drink the other day
Opinions were like kittens, I was giving them away

I had a drink the other day
I had a lot to say
And I said...

You will come down soon too
You will come down too soon
You will come down soon too
You will come down, you'll come down, come down

You will come down soon too
You will come down too soon
You will come down soon too
Soon enough you will come down, come down

Out of gas, out of road
Out of car, I don't know how I'm going to go
And I had a drink the other day
Opinions were like kittens, I was giving them away

I had a drink the other day
I had a lot to say
And I said...

You will come down soon too
You will come down too soon
You will come down soon too
Soon enough you will come down, come down

You will come down soon too
You will come down too soon
You'll come down, come down
You'll come down, come down

Hang it up now or never
Hang it up again
Hang it up now or never
Hang it up again

Hang it up now or never
Hang it up again
Doesn't seem like anything you're saying or doing or doing
Is making any sense

Long distance drunk
Long distance drunk
Long distance drunk
Oh yeah, oh yeah

Hang it up now or never
Hang it up again
Hang it up now or never
Hang it up again

Hang it up now or never
Hang it up again
Doesn't seem like anything you're saying or doing or doing
Is making any sense

Long distance drunk
Long distance drunk
Long distance drunk
Oh yeah, oh yeah

8 AM and someone calls you on the telephone
You want to be by yourself and all alone

Hang it up now or never
Hang it up again
Hang it up now or never
Hang it up again

Hang it up now or never
Hang it up again
Doesn't seem like anything you're saying or doing or doing
Is making any sense

Long distance drunk
Long distance drunk
Long distance drunk
Oh yeah, oh yeah

This plane is definitely crashing

This boat is obviously sinking

This building's totally burning down

And my, and my, and my, and my, and my
And my heart has slowly dried up

I'm going to Colorado
To unload my head
I'm going to New York City
And that's in New York, friends

I'm going to Arizona
Sex on the rocks all warm and red
And we bled

And the writing in stall said
We write our maps in the stalls
I'm going up to Alaska
I'm going to get off scott-fucking-free and we all did

This trucker's atlas roads the ways
The freeways and highways don't know
The buzz from the bird on my dash
Road, locomotive, phone

This trucker's atlas roads the ways
The freeways and highways don't know
The buzz from the bird on my dash
Road, locomotive, phone

I don't feel and it feels great
I sold my atlas by the freight stairs
I do lines and I crossed roads
I crossed the lines of all the great state roads

I'm going up, going over to Montana
You got yourself a trucker's atlas
You knew you were all hot, well
Maybe you'll go and blow a gasket

Start at the northwest corner
Go down through California
Beeline, you might drive three days
And three nights to the tip of Florida

Do you speak the lingo?
Oh, oh no
Do you speak the lingo?
No, no
How far does your road go?
Oh no, you don't know?

I'm going to Colorado to unload my head
I'm going to New York City and that's in New York, friends
I'm going up to Alaska
I'm going to get off scott-fucking-free, and we all did

And the writing in the salt says
We ride on out to the stars
I'm going to Arizona
Sex on the rocks all warm and red and we all bled

This trucker's atlas roads the ways
The freeways and highways don't know
The buzz from the bird on my dash
Road, locomotive, phone

This trucker's atlas roads the ways
The freeways and highways don't know
The buzz from the bird on my dash
Road, locomotive, phone

I don't feel and it feels great
I sold my atlas by the freight stairs
I do lines and I crossed roads
I crossed the lines of all the great state roads

I'm going up, going over to Montana
You got yourself a trucker's atlas
You knew you were all hot, well
Maybe you'll go and blow a gasket

Start at the northwest corner
Go down through California
Beeline, you might drive three days
And three nights to the tip of Florida

Polar opposites don't push away
It's the same on the weekends as the rest of the days
And I know I should go but I will probably stay
And that's all you can do about some things

I'm trying, I'm trying to drink away the part of the day that I cannot sleep away
I'm trying, I'm trying to drink away the part of the day that I cannot sleep away

Two one-eyed dogs, they're looking at stereos
Hi-fi gods try so hard to make their cars low to the ground
These vibrations oil it's teeth
Primer gray is the color when you're done dying

I'm trying, I'm trying to drink away the part of the day that I cannot sleep away
I'm trying, I'm trying to drink away the part of the day that I cannot sleep away

Well all the apostles, they're sitting in swings
Saying I'd sell off my savior for a set of new rings
And some sandals
With the style of straps that cling best to the era

So all of the businessers in their unlimited hell
Where they buy and they sell
And they sell all their trash to each other
But they're sick of it all and they're bankrupt on selling

And all of the angels, they'd sell off your soul
For a set of new wings and anything gold
They remember the people they loved, their old friends
And I've seen through 'em all, seen through 'em all, seen through most everything

All the people you knew were the actors
All the people you knew were the actors

Well, I'll go to college and I'll learn some big words
And I'll talk real loud, goddamn right I'll be heard
You'll remember the guy
Who said all those big words he must've learned in college

And it took a long time 'till I came clean with myself
I come clean out of love with my lover
I still love her
Loved her more when she used to be sober and I was kinder

Well all's not well but I'm told that it'll all be quite nice
You'll be drowned in boots like mafia but your feet'll still float like Christ's
Well I'll be damned, they were right I'm drowning upside down, my feet afloat like Christ's

I'm in heaven trying to figure out which stack
They're going to stuff us atheists into, when Peter and his monkey laugh
And I laugh with them, I'm not sure what at, they point and say we'll keep you in the back
Polishing halos, baking manna and gas

Well some guy comes in looking a bit like everyone I ever seen
He moves just like crisco disco, breath a hundred percent Listerine
He says looking at something else but directing everything to me
Anytime anyone gets on their knees to pray, well it makes my telephone ring
And I'll be damned, he said you were right, no one's running this whole thing,he had a theory too
He said that God takes care of himself, God takes care of himself, and you of you
He said that God takes care of himself, God takes care of himself, and you of you
He said that God takes care of himself, God takes care of himself, and you of you

It's all nice, it's all nice, it's all nice on ice, alright
It's all nice, it's all nice, it's all nice on ice, alright (On ice, on ice!)
It's all nice, it's all nice, it's all nice on ice, alright
I said it's all nice, it's all nice, it's all nice on ice, alright!
I said it's not day and it ain't night, it's all nice on ice, alright (Alright, right!)
It's all nice, it's all nice, it's all nice on ice, alright
It's all nice, it's all nice, it's all nice on ice, alright
It's all nice, it's all nice, it's all nice, it's all nice, it's all nice, it's all nice it's all nice on ice
It's all nice on ice, alright (it's all nice!)
It's all nice on ice, alright, it's all nice on ice, alright!
It's all nice, it's all nice, it's all nice on ice, alright
Well it's all nice, it's all nice, it's all nice on ice, alright
Oh yeah well it's all nice, it's all nice, it's all nice on ice, alright!
It's all nice, it's all nice, it's all nice on ice, alright
It's all nice, it's all nice

One Two Three...Four

Ice-age heat wave, can't complain.
If the world's at large, why should I remain?
Walked away to another plan.
Gonna find another place, maybe one I can stand.
I move on to another day,
to a whole new town with a whole new way.
Went to the porch to have a thought.
Got to the door and again, I couldn't stop.
You don't know where and you don't know when.
But you still got your words and you got your friends.
Walk along to another day.
Work a little harder, work another way.

Well uh-uh baby I ain't got no plan.
We'll float on maybe would you understand?
Gonna float on maybe would you understand?
Well float on maybe would you understand?

The days get shorter and the nights get cold.
I like the autumn but this place is getting old.
I pack up my belongings and I head for the coast.
It might not be a lot but I feel like I'm making the most.
The days get longer and the nights smell green.
I guess it's not surprising but it's spring and I should leave.

I like songs about drifters - books about the same.
They both seem to make me feel a little less insane.
Walked on off to another spot.
I still haven't gotten anywhere that I want.
Did I want love? Did I need to know?
Why does it always feel like I'm caught in an undertow?

The moths beat themselves to death against the lights.
Adding their breeze to the summer nights.
Outside, water like air was great.
I didn't know what I had that day.
Walk a little farther to another plan.
You said that you did, but you didn't understand.

I know that starting over is not what life's abo

I backed my car into a cop car the other day
Well he just drove off sometimes life's ok
I ran my mouth off a bit too much oh what can i say
Well you just laughed it off it was all ok

And we'll all float on ok
And we'll all float on ok
And we'll all float on ok
And we'll all float on any way well

Well, a fake Jamaican took every last dime with a scam
It was worth it just to learn from sleight-of-hand
Bad news comes don't you worry even when it lands
Good news will work its way to all them plans
We both got fired on the exactly the same day
Well we'll float on good news is on the way

And we'll all float on ok
And we'll all float on ok
And we'll all float on ok
And we'll all float on alright
Already we'll all float on
Now don't worry we'll all float on
Alright already we'll all float on
Alright don't worry we'll all float on

And we'll all float on alright
Already we'll all float on
Aliright don't worry even if things end up a bit to heavy
we'll all float on alright
Already we'll all float on
Alright already we'll all float on
Ok don't worry we'll all float on
Even if things get heavy we'll all float on
Alright already we'll all float on
Don't you worry we'll all float on
All float on

Your body may be gone, I'm gonna carry you in. In my head, in my heart, in my soul. And maybe we'll get lucky and we'll both live again. Well I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. Don't think so.

Well that is that and this is this. You tell me what you want and I'll tell you what you get. You get away from me. You get away from me. Collected my belongings and I left the jail. Well thanks for the time. I needed to think a spell. I had to think awhile. I had to think awhile.

The ocean breathes salty, won't you carry it in? In your head, in your mouth, in your soul. And maybe we'll get lucky and we'll both grow old. Well I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I hope so.

Well that is that and this is this. You tell me what you want and I'll tell you what you get. You get away from me. You get away from me. Collected my belongings and I left the jail. Well thanks for the time. I needed to think a spell. I had to think awhile. I had to think awhile.

Well that is that and this is this. Will you tell me what you saw and I'll tell you what you missed, when the ocean met the sky. You missed when time and life shook hands and said goodbye. When the earth folded in on itself. And said "Good luck, for your sake I hope heaven and hell are really there, but I wouldn't hold my breath." You wasted life, why wouldn't you waste death? You wasted life, why wouldn't you waste death?

The ocean breathes salty, won't you carry it in? In your head, in your mouth, in your soul. The more we move ahead the more we're stuck in rewind. Well I don't mind. I don't mind. How the hell could I mind?

Well that is that and this is this. Well that is that and this is this. You tell me what you want and I'll tell you what you get. You get away from me. You get away from me. Will you tell me what you saw and I'll tell you what you missed, when the ocean met the sky. You wasted life, why wouldn't you waste the afterlife?

I'm really digging
I hope you're dead
I'm really digging
I hope you aren't dead