1. |
Good Ol' Days
03:49
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When things were like they used to be
things weren't like they used to be
things were like they used to be back before some day
In the good ol' days we had World War I
a shortage of cash, stock market crash
World War II, a maniacal fool and a dust storm
My grand daddy told me 'bout a letter he got
from his great grand daddy
Everybody talks about the good ol' days
but my grand daddy Hayes clued me in
he said don't even listen to them
2.
When things were like they used to be
things weren't like they used to be
things were like they used to be back before some day
In the good ol' days we had Katherine the Great
we got drafted unexpected we had pestilence for breakfast
Horace the Lame or whatever was his name
heretics in the flames
when things were like they used to be
things weren't like they used to be
things were like they used to be back before some day
My grand daddy told me 'bout a letter he got
from his great grand daddy
Everybody talks about the good ol' days
but my grand daddy Hayes clued me in
he said don't even listen to them
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2. |
Purpose
04:56
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What's the point to affluence does anyone here care?
there are people sleepin in the street garbage everywhere
there's wanton waste the air defaced
the ocean dressed for death
I'm searchin for some purpose in this meaningless ness
2.
they plan a baby shower they're baptizing their cat
moving to a bigger place to demonstrate the fact
that he advanced on merit beyond the other rats
that she can set a better plate than others of her class
I'm searchin for some purpose in this meaningless ness
3.
she won a beauty contest and so a wealthy man
artfully exterior executing plans
plotting every detail she decorates the den
drops into a cushioned chair to telephone a friend
I'm searchin for some purpose in this meaningless ness
4.
I read that Raphael died young at 37 years
and Aubrey Beardsley too cut down a lesson for me here
intimidated I won't be distracted nor deceived
misspent mis-allocated told what to believe
I'm searchin for some purpose in this meaningless ness
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3. |
Those Who Rule
04:14
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This arbitrary set of borders
requires that I take my orders
from those who rule
so purer over here than over there
our flag will always flap the air
of those who rule
2.
I lay my hat where I am warm
citizen of where I'm born
loyal to those who rule
such Christians over here heathen there
our cross will always flap the air
of those who rule
3.
a misanthropic impulse forms
against a lesser rising storm
from those who rule
a just and beneficient share from over there
said share will always flap the air
of those who rule
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4. |
Kallio
02:13
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Kallio that silly goose she went down to the store
to find her self a pair of boots for ridin on her horse
she rode off into the sky that marvelous horse had wings
and every time I see her now she stands on the saddle and sings
chorus:
I've been around the sun this year and I'm goin around again
that pesty ol' moon keeps circlin me it makes my poor head spin
2.
Kallio that silly moose she strode into the war
to cast a spell of gentleness on warriors of the corps
they sprang up out of the trenches cast their weapons down
danced in circles hand in hand their voices made this sound - chorus
3.
Kallio that heavenly host she serves stardust with tea
mixes whole earth with mercury to jog the memory
of days to come and days before and planet without end
Kallio she tips her hat and sings to the people again - chorus
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5. |
Make a Map
04:11
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Livin on the edge don't help when you go all stiff forever
livin straight and narrow don't help your goodby forever
1.
when you go unconscious do we celebrate or do we weep
or do those of us with riches keep our minds on other things
we could do a eulogy wouldn't that be nice
just like on your birthday we could hold your name on ice
chorus:
and since you're out ahead of us you might
you might sort of smooth the way you might sort of smooth the way
through the deep grass make a path
throught the deep black make a map - chorus
2.
if you find the graveyard is cluttered with old bones
take heart that though you're worm's meat
your molecuels may roam
we will visit sundays picnic on the site
carry wreaths of flowers but never come at night - chorus
3.
you will find us shortly residing where you are
will that be unearthly embedded in a star
will there be some punishment are there sadistic gods
or is there simply nothing dissipation in a fog - chorus & repeat opening
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6. |
Stanley Syria
04:23
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Stanley put his faith in something that failed him
like a siren treacherous strait
Stanley took to takin heroine
born in Leo he must have been born without luck
I said Stanley when he called me on the telephone
companion of my youth take care of your self
Syria we embraced in Marquette in farewell
I stumbled but we touched once through the fog
god damn what fools live sometime where we are
murdered my friend I won't see you again
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7. |
Baton Rouge Brokers
03:28
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The sky is dispensable the earth is worth a lot
according to Baton Rouge brokers who think they're hot
their advertisement their prophesizement time will pass
in which our forces turn our resources into cash
2.
The president don't hanker to hear the seer at all
he's busily representing a street called Wall
he stands at the curb explaining in words tellin us why
without question we must follow directions he'd never lie
3.
I didn't vote 'till I heard that man
Agnew said that summer the greatest honor for an American
is to fight hard for the right guard politician
even if he's a maniac Caesar oh oh
even if he's a maniac Caesar oh oh
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8. |
Paradise
05:06
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This is paradise September skies
we are one family celebrating life
what greater goal to see the whole
there is enough for all
we hold the spear at our own hearts
will it take catastrophe to learn
this is paradise such summer skies
we are one family celebrating life
2.
will we use our wealth to simply serve ourselves
there is enough for all
we stand to gain infamy or fame
will we choose to blind ourselves or see
this is paradise September skies
we are one family celebrating life
3.
across the great terrain no boundaries no frames
there is enough for all
we face the last turning of the path
will we fail or will we find a way
this is paradise ice winter skies
we are one family celebrating life
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9. |
Back to One
03:15
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By the rocks where I used to dive sits a sprawling fenced in house
right where sweet Katie Ref drowned she was just eleven
we're not just changin my town we're razin the earth
stressin out the vital signs and it's gettin worse
chorus:
come on everybody sing the tune we can bring it back
ain't ya longin for that mastery bring it back to one
2.
I lost my youth a lustin after what I couldn't have
didn't have the information I needed to act
the population of the planet cannot keep on spiraling up
the ocean rivers and the atmosphere our life blood not our dump
chorus
3.
the winners of the tournament got nothin to do with me
the borders of the nation state artificial identity
the bayonet the F-16 the random market bomb
the color of the blood is red the length of death is long - chorus
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10. |
Take Courage
03:55
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I wake up in the night afraid for my life
submarines of nuclear off every shore
chorus
Take courage take courage it's always at your hand
this life is framed by deep and peaceful sleep
2.
the torture masters in our pay should never work another day
whose children shall we subject to their knives - chorus
3.
while I'm awake on this planet I'll make a statement nothing grander
than we are one biosphere family - chorus
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Thinkspeak Atlanta, Georgia
Tom Ferguson has been writing songs since 1969, all of which are collected in Songs, 1969-2018. It's coil-bound to nicely fit a music stand, available at lulu.com just search tom ferguson there.
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