Seance

Fly

[rev. Aug. 19, 2013]

Baby smiled like a tiny child
She talks her head off, and the land lies wild
Tossed and turned on a teardrop sea
And all those dark clowns who are following me

And they fly
She pointed up into the sky
And you can't touch them if you try
And they fly

Baby left as she lost her breath
Hastens off to some unknown death
Trapped inside her painted eyes
Takes herself into a new sunrise

And they fly
She pointed up into the sky
And you can't touch them if you try
And they fly

 

One Day

[rev. Aug. 19, 2013]

Tell me, is everything unplanned
Is all so unexpected that I just can't understand
We run so hard and always end up in the same place
Glad that went so smoothly, well that never is the case

One day, doubtless, cloudless, bright
We'll shake away the shadows of eternal night
It's just the storm before the calm
Like the life held in your palm, it's clay, one day

And you stand there, with ashes blowing past
Dipping into gilt-edged love that will be made at last
And the gold you spend and the hastening end that you throw into the sea
Coming back a hundredfold, there's no guarantee

One day, doubtless, cloudless, bright
We'll shake away the shadows of eternal night
It's just the storm before the calm
Like the life held in your palm, it's clay, one day

One day, doubtless, cloudless, bright
We'll shake away the shadows of eternal night
It's just the storm before the calm
Like the life held in your palm, it's clay, one day

We'll walk and be like giants, we'll all be honest men
I go back to my blindness so that I may see again
A woman standing on a hill is gazing out to sea
Dreaming of a new age waiting there for me

I call her from a distance and she smiles into the sun
And men and gods begin their dance for their time has begun
And holy wars extended and battlefields of pain
Are washed away, forgotten, in the perfect rain

Princes, kings and humble things are well-worn and content
Messengers come everywhere, envoys have been sent
Na na-na na, na-na na na na
A palm tree nodded at me last night
He said, "Hey you look so pale"

 

Electric

[rev. Aug. 19, 2013]

Alone, at the end of the day
As I stand before the relics of what used to be you and me
You turn with the tears in your eyes
Not understanding that you are free, free of me
Like songs, our warmth fades away
Turns into coldness, like the words that we say, today

And as the city glows
Electric people nobody knows
Electric dreams nobody shows
When you touch my skin the feeling is electric
Electric
Electric

Electric
Electric
Electric

I hoped that our destiny sloped
Ever upwards, now it curves away, and falls
Like rain, and the windows of children
I see the future, just sliding away, and false

And as the city glows
Electric people nobody knows
Electric dreams nobody shows
When you touch my skin the feeling is electric
Electric
Electric

Electric
Electric
Electric

Electric
So electric
Electric

Electric
So electric
Electric

Electric
So electric
Electric

 

It's No Reason

Crocodile skin water, city shadows wait
Put your head into your hands, the ending is so great
Take a ride to sundown, buy a ticket home
Take all the things I've bought you, leave all the rest alone

Marble skins turn human, people fade to gray
Put your head into my hands, we'll make them go away
As you're crying softly, you won't ever be disturbed
Red on pink, the sun will sink, have you even heard?

And the colours take me down
It's no reason to be sad
And you leave without a sound
It's no reason to be glad

Salty tears are wasted, children lie awake
Put your head into your hands, don't let your spirit break
Black smoke from the chimneys, white smoke from the hills
Everything is moving, but we're standing still

And the colours take me down
It's no reason to be sad
And you leave without a sound
It's no reason to be glad

Celebrations fading, boats upon the waves
Put your head into my hands, trying to be brave
The carnival has packed up, the storm has left us peace
Poppies sleep undamaged, we drive into the east

And the colours take me down
It's no reason to be sad
And you leave without a sound
It's no reason to be glad

 

Travel By Thought

[rev. Apr. 18, 2018]

I know
I know
I know
I know it was the wind that kept your door closed
The echo of another time, an age of beauty
She lived in the future, she lived in the past
She gave it all to me, she gave it all to me
I travel by thought
I travel by thought
I travel by thought
Anywhere I want

Aw, don't think I've forgotten
Don't think I've forgotten
Don't think I've forgotten
Don't think I've forgotten the thoughts of your room
It told unlikely tales, an age of beauty
Some nights I walk through the heat to your street
I lose my bearings, but then I can see clearly
Travel by thought
Travel by thought
Travel by thought

Where do you want to go? (Anywhere that you want)
Imagine the feeling
Imagine the feeling
Imagine the feeling
Imagine the feeling before that last jump
Come back to Mother Earth, an age of beauty
Oh you just can't define the sad things in your mind
Just give them all to me
Just give them to me
Just give them all to me
Travel by thought
Travel by thought

Where do you want me?
Where do you want it?
What do you want to bring?
Where?
Where do you want it?
Who do you want?
Who do you want?
Where do you want it?
Where do you want it?
How you want it?
What do you want?
What do you want?
Who do you want?
Who do you want?
Who you want?
Who you want?
Why do you want to go anywhere that ignorant?
Travel by thought

Who do you want?
Where do you want to go?
Don't think I've forgotten
The stranger's arms
That scares the bird that carries home dinner
The echelons of the eggshell earth
Don't think I've forgotten

As birds in the air do what they please
Don't think I'll keep that promise
I can feel the breeze coming on us

Don't think I've forgotten
Travel by thought
Travel by thought [repeated several times]

Intercontinental intelligence

 

Disappear?

[rev. Aug. 19, 2013]

Like a womb, the night was all around
Someone, somewhere must have talked some sense
I could feel it moving underground
So many things I still don't understand
The dream I was having took on an ugly face
I don't know if I was walking through heaven
It could have been any place
Skipping 'cross the water, wading through the sand
Awake to find you gone, emptiness is where you lay
Well I just had to smile for all the things you'll never hear me say
Oh, I know, I could never get that near
Now what do you expect me to do, disappear?

You and me (and me)
We're as free as we can be
Can't you see (can't you see)
Like the trees so obviously

The message disturbs me so I throw it to the wind
And after all those hellos, goodbyes, etc., etc.
We can't start this thing again
It's like the fog you walk towards, but never seem to reach
Every morning now I hear that same old song
And though the singer is long dead, his voice goes on and on
Ugliness you have to learn, beauty you can't teach
Awake to find you gone, a note pinned to my sleeve
Well It wasn't just the things you took
It was the things you had to leave
Now it seems you were never here
Now what do you expect me to do, disappear?

You and me (and me)
We're as free as we can be
Can't you see (can't you see)
Like the trees so obviously

 

Electric Lash

[rev. Aug. 30, 2015]

Electric lash of trees in the studio
Fills my head with light
Only the voice of the girl on a radio
Falling from a height
And I turn to leave as if in a cameo
It doesn't feel quite right
Only one thing you ever really know
If it's day or night

Our eyes meet and I love her
I suspect she already knows
How those eyes see me so very, very clearly
Even when they're closed

Electric lash of trees in the studio
A bite then a caress
Only the voice of the girl on a radio
Drifting from the west
And I turn to leave as if in a cameo
A moon, a knot, a guess
Only one thing you ever really know
You might curse before you bless

Our eyes meet and I love her
I suspect she already knows
How those eyes see me so very, very clearly
Even when they're closed

Electric lash of trees in the studio
Fills my head with light
Only the voice of the girl on a radio
Falling from a height
And I turn to leave as if in a cameo
It doesn't feel quite right
Only one thing you ever really know
If it's day or night

[They start singing a round, with Marty providing background vocals.]

Electric lash of trees in the studio (And I turn to leave as if in a cameo)
Fills my head with light (It doesn't feel quite right)
Only the voice of the girl on a radio (Only one thing you ever really know)
Falling from a height (If it's day or night)
And I turn to leave as if in a cameo (Electric lash of trees in the studio)
It doesn't feel quite right (Fills my head with light)
Only one thing you ever really know (Only the voice of the girl on a radio)
If it's day or night (Falling from a height)

Electric lash of trees in the studio (And I turn to leave as if in a cameo)
Fills my head with light (It doesn't feel quite right)
Only the voice of the girl on a radio (Only one thing you ever really know)
Falling from a height (If it's day or night)

 

Now I Wonder Why

[rev. Aug. 19, 2013]

In a moment of triumph I find defeat uncontrolled
In the second of honor, a despair sharp and old
She gives me a taste, please show me some etiquette
I wasn't looking for you and I don't want to find you yet

At an uncurtained window in a street full of rooms
Watching the gardens and pursuing the blooms
This world is so white, they never see me anymore
But I trusted you then and I'm trusting you still
It's just that I'm not quite sure

Now I wonder why
I thought I could ever lose
But the gain is hardly what I'd choose
Now I wonder why

It was somebody, a woman, it was a delicate crime
And I've been waiting for ages, yes I've been here all the time
There was this greed in my blood, she let me take the easy way
She helps me hide the vagabond that was myself yesterday

And after the acting I found that I couldn't sleep
And during my drifting I found that I was too deep
By the virtue of faith I knew that I could be lost
Beyond this dark place, unprepared to pay the cost

Now I wonder why
I thought I could ever lose
But the gain is hardly what I'd choose
Now I wonder why

[Overlapping bits of above lyrics repeated to end.]

 

Dropping Names

[rev. Aug. 20, 2013]

I want the break to be beautiful
Seven long nights to think
A handful of words, a sleeveful of birds
Casually left on the sink
Crimson beads, cut out your needs
Leave you feeling more in the pink
Seven long nights at a pre-announced site
A head on my shoulders and I feel all right

Alter the courses
Stand near my flames
Questionable sources
Only dropping names, dropping names

I taught her how to be hard or soft
She never really needed to learn
A trip into town, defenses are down
I never, ever need to return
She holds me by the stars, says look at these scars
Feel my longing burn
Seven long days but I can't change my ways
Look over my shoulder and I say hey hey

Alter the courses
Stand near my flames
Questionable sources
Only dropping names, dropping names

 

It Doesn't Change

[rev. Aug. 20, 2013]

Sinking silk and burning gold
Touch you as the air is turning cold
(It doesn't change, it doesn't change)

Another place I look for you
The heights above an almost perfect view
(It doesn't change, it doesn't change)

Seeing things just rest a while
As the tide sweeps out another mile
(It doesn't change, it doesn't change)

Inside the man, the pleasure dome
This is the world that I once called home
(It doesn't change, it doesn't change)

Strangers in their naked skin
Waiting for their sweet oblivion
(It doesn't change, it doesn't change)

Close to you, hear all you say
Even though you're continents away
(It doesn't change, it doesn't change)

The perfumed air, the taste of fear
Shrug your shoulders and they disappear
(It doesn't change, it doesn't change)

Take this gift and let it grow
Let it be all the hope you know
(It doesn't change, it doesn't change)




Someone Special

[B-side on the It's No Reason single]

[rev. Aug. 20, 2013]

I said I've had visions of weeping
She said I've had the same about you
They come to me sometimes when I'm sleeping
I said that's the way for me too
Now it's been a long time and I don't have the mind
To justify what we've been through
Logic is fine and science can be kind
But it can't define me and you

And yet I had something special to say
But this nightmarish world makes you throw your thoughts away
As though I was someone special today

We say why are the innocent bleeding
Is there not a thing we can do
They say please swallow this trust we are feeding
And don't worry, it's bad for you
Now it's been a long show and I thought you should know
It's time for us to play our hands
But words are much too slow they lost meaning years ago
And isn't that how this began

And yet I had something special to say
But this nightmarish world makes you throw your thoughts away
As though I was someone special today

Some say now the truth is before you
Others say oh no this is not real
Some say be cruel then they'll adore you
Others say you can't touch till you feel
Now its been a long trip and its only the tip
Of the iceberg I'm trying to melt
Our tickets have been ripped and you've got to bite your lip
When you think about the way that felt

And yet I had something special to say
But this nightmarish world makes you throw your thoughts away
As though I was someone special today

 

Autumn Soon

[B-side on the Electric Lash single]

[rev. Aug. 20, 2013]

The puppet master understands the need
The jury needs to feel the greed
And seeds revolve and grow and bleed
Daytime sees a newer breed
The underlife tick tocks
Pushing through my safe ideas
Goodbye Heroica, you overdosed on years
And I ask you for a midnight
And you give me a high noon
When winter puts her hands on you
It must be autumn soon

Whatever happened to the leaves that used to fall
And where's the candle I left spluttering in the hall
And what's the meaning of the siren's call
I blame it on you all
The underlife tick tocks
And chimes away between
Goodbye Heroica, you're not needed for this scene
And the flaming dying sunset
Has collapsed like a balloon
When winter puts her hands on you
It must be autumn soon

I thought I heard her voice upon the tide
It was only the shells and the stones that sighed
Old Neptune tosses in the deep and scalds his mermaid bride
And you know, I really tried
The underlife tick tocks
And changes into ash
Goodbye Heroica, we only accept cash
And I'm here to give you everything
Do I have to stoop or croon
When winter puts her hands on you
It must be autumn soon
It must be autumn soon
It must be autumn soon