[from the Questions Without Answers single (1989)]
[rev. Apr. 21, 2015]
Your sudden influence has shaken me
It's taken me completely by surprise
In black and strange, I hope you never change
Although I'm sorry to put that pressure upon you
It's not that I would ever steal your thing
I just think it's good, it's very good
It's beautifully done
I hope that you'll become
The first in a long line of others
New York Buddha I'm glad you discovered
New York Buddha I'm glad you discovered
New York Buddha I'm glad
I hope that you might just agree with me
On something that I see importantly
Make sure you can stay in your wild way
In the wintertime of your expression
New York Buddha I'm glad you discovered
New York Buddha I'm glad you discovered
New York Buddha I'm glad
The strength in your frailty
The balance in your agony
Your words are electric
And your voice is the wind (is the wind)
New York Buddha I'm glad you discovered
New York Buddha I'm glad you discovered
New York Buddha I'm glad
New York Buddha I'm glad you discovered
New York Buddha I'm glad you discovered
New York Buddha I'm glad
[from the Luscious Ghost EP (1992)]
[rev. June 11, 2019]
Never had a chance
I shook inside I tried
I knew about the tears
I cried until I disappeared
Into the blockade of your broken heart
And stop beating
Love to love again
Push me harder, follow me round and round
(In circles)
Join this circle drawn upon the ground
(In circles)
I fall over, I am balancing
(In circles)
Break this blackness, my heart is scattering
(In circles)
Tried to look away
In May you were behind me
Didn't sleep for days
How'd I incur a crying
All night long you'd hold onto your broken heart
And stop beating
Love to love again
Push me harder, follow me round and round
(In circles)
Join this circle drawn upon the ground
(In circles)
I fall over, I am balancing
(In circles)
Break this blackness, my heart is scattering
(In circles)
Whoa-whoa!
All night long you'd hold onto your broken heart
Onto your broken heart
And stop beating
Love to love again
Push me harder, follow me round and round
(In circles)
Join this circle drawn upon the ground
(In circles)
I fall over, I am balancing
(In circles)
Break this blackness, my heart is scattering
(In circles)
(In circles)
(In circles)
[from the Luscious Ghost EP (1992) - USA version only]
[rev. June 11, 2019]
First I drew a breath
Fell into sleep
I was laughing at death
When I fell too deep
I awoke in a room
That I'd never seen
With velvet drapes
And ancient beams
And the night, she was whispering
And the portrait seemed to be real
I see your luscious ghost
Sharing you with the host
I see your luscious ghost
In a tear
Lies a force
You can't fathom the fear
Or drink from the source
But you do
Running at you like light
Suffocated by darkness
And the widow in white
And the sky, she comes pressing down
Takes you, drowns you in blue
I see your luscious ghost
Sharing you with the host
I see your luscious ghost
And the sky, she comes pressing down
Takes you and drowns you in blue
I see your luscious ghost
Sharing you with the host
I see your luscious ghost
I see your luscious ghost
Sharing you with the host
I see your luscious ghost
Sharing you with the host
[from the Pegasus EP CD-R (2008)]
[rev. Apr. 21, 2015]
I was thinking as I stared into a stream
And dusk fell into darkness through the trees
And time just disappeared with the light
My thoughts had spanned from daytime into night
Well there's a valley full of tears which I must swim
And sometimes I am drowning from within
But you cast a light out to my heart
Have tied together that which fell apart
Can I tell you I love you one more time
As the day leaves your impression on my mind
Is a dream still a dream when it's come true
And strides into the room dressed up as you
Can I pour you another glass of wine
It's lain here unopened for some time
Well I've been keeping it for birthdays or New Year's
To celebrate a lifetime of my fears
When all was lost and faith had passed me by
And the thought of love was reason just to cry
And descending like an angel from above
Was the stream of light that's you my love
Can I tell you I love you one more time
As the day leaves your impression on my mind
Is a dream still a dream when it's come true
And strides into the room dressed up as you
Can I tell you I love you one more time
As the day leaves your impression on my mind
Is a dream still a dream when it's come true
And strides into the room dressed up as you
[rev. June 13, 2019]
President rides on a big black motorbike
All his aides on the plane sipping glasses of champagne
And it seems to be fair with a wind in his hair
And it's all he can do to turn lies into truth
Kings in the wings painting all the scenery
And the cheap seats are the best
And the rich well they're badly dressed
With their clothes full of holes
All the world is switching roles
With the priests in their cloisters
Eating caviar and oysters
When the queen's in her jeans
Shopping for the groceries
And the prince hardly frowns
As the beggar wears his crown
Makes you wonder in this dream
If these opposites of things could ever be
Dances out of time
In a stumbling chorus line
And the police steal the jewels
As the thieves goes by the rules
And the fireman lights a match
He's a pyromaniac
Then the ambulance is late
And when it comes it won't wait
So if the sun didn't burn and the butter wouldn't churn
And if the birds they couldn't fly and the children didn't cry
So then where would we be in a life of certainty
When you take what is truth, it's only up to me and you
And the queen's in her jeans
Shopping for the groceries
And the prince hardly frowns
As the beggar wears his crown
Makes you wonder in this dream
If these opposites of things could ever be
[Marte Heggelund & Marty Willson-Piper cover of the House of Love song]
Look at him shouting out
Loud as thunder out at sea
He wants a bomb
So do we
A bomb from the sky
Is the perfect crime
Shoulder on shoulder and heat
The Beatles and the Stones
Sucked the marrow out of bone
Put the V in Vietnam
The Beatles and the Stones
Made it good to be alone
To be alone
Look at me, proud of being
Proud of being seventeen
Locking in the pocket a smile
Soft from the school
Cut by the rule
Oh I'm dazed and I'm dazed and I'm dazed
The Beatles and the Stones
Sucked the marrow out of bone
Put the V in Vietnam
The Beatles and the Stones
Made it good to be alone
To be alone
To be alone
(To be alone)
The Beatles and the Stones
Sucked the marrow out of bone
Put the V in Vietnam
The Beatles and the Stones
Made it good to be alone
To be alone
To be alone
To be alone
To be alone
(To be alone)
To be alone
(To be alone)
[Marty Willson-Piper with Linda Pitmon and Dave DeCastro - from A Tribute To Big Star (2001)]
[rev. Apr. 21, 2015]
Won't you let me walk you home from school
Won't you let me meet you at the pool
Maybe Friday I can
Get tickets for the dance
And I'll take you
Won't you tell your dad, "Get off my back"
Tell him what we said 'bout "Paint It Black"
Rock and Roll is here to stay
Come inside where it's okay
And I'll shake you
Won't you tell me what you're thinking of
Would you be an outlaw for my love
If it's so, well let me know
If it's no, then I can go
I won't make you
[from Remote Memory: A Tribute To Elliott Smith (2006)]
[rev. Apr. 21, 2015]
Someone found the future as a statue in a fountain
At attention looking backward in a bowl of water
Wishes with a blue songbird on his shoulder
Who keeps singing over everything
Everything means nothing to me
Everything means nothing to me
Everything means nothing to me
I picked up the song and found the picture in the paper
The reflection in the water shouted are you men
Still trying to salute people from a time
When he was everything he's supposed to be
Everything means nothing to me
Everything means nothing to me
Everything means nothing to me
Everything means nothing to me
[from Jeremy Flies Vol 2: A Tribute To Nick Drake (2005)]
Please give me [a] second grace
Please give me [a] second face
I've fallen far down
The first time around
I just sit on the ground in your way
Now if it's time for recompense for what's done
Come, come sit down on the fence in the sun
And the clouds will roll by
And we'll never deny
It's really too hard for the fly
Please tell me your second name
Please play me your second game
I've fallen so far
For the people you are
I just need your star for a day
So come, come ride in my my street-car by the bay
For now I must know how fine you are in your way
And the sea sure will sigh
Then she won't need to cry
For it's really too hard for the fly
[Noctorum song from Five Way Street: A Tribute To The Buffalo Springfield (2006) - a cover of The Buffalo Springfield's debut single from 1966]
[added June 11, 2019]
Who's that stomping all over my face?
Where's that silhouette I'm trying to trace?
Who's putting sponge in the bells I once rung?
Taking my gypsy before she's begun?
Just singing the meaning of what's in my mind
Before I can take home what's rightfully mine
Joinin' and listenin' and talkin' in rhymes
Stoppin' the feeling to wait for the times
Who said baby that don't mean a thing
'Cause nowadays Clancy can't even sing
Who's all hung-up on that happiness thing?
Who's trying to tune all the bells that he rings?
Who's in the corner and down on the floor?
With pencil and paper just counting the score?
Who's trying to act like he's just in-between?
The night isn't black, if you know that it's green
Don't bother looking, you're too blind to see
Who's coming on like he wanted to be
Who's saying baby that don't mean a thing
'Cause nowadays Clancy can't even sing
And who's coming home on old 95
Who's got the feeling here to keep him alive
Though havin' it, sharin' it, ain't quite the same
It ain't a gold nugget, you can't lay a claim
Who's seeing eyes through the crack in the floor
There it is baby, don't you worry no more
Who should be sleepin' but is writing this song
Wishin' and a-hopin' he weren't so damned wrong
Who's saying baby that don't mean a thing
'Cause nowadays Clancy can't even sing
Who's saying baby that don't mean a thing
'Cause nowadays Clancy can't even sing