1. |
Dual
04:27
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(inspired by Vladimir Nabokov)
call the doctor or the wrecking ball man
go to hell or the thorn crown man
torn and tattered taped together
this hell, this hell of mirrors
challenged myself to a duel
shot out my own heart
send up the red flags and then the white
now it's just a maze, a maze of states and tribes
see the roadside signs, souvenirs of this life
translation's lost and everything is fine
and as long as they preserve that state of fear
they'll tell you these things at the same time
i came from the old world, that twisted old world
the ship sank behind me, that war rose behind me
come across the ocean to get away
but this, this new world
nothing, nothing could prepare me for this
hold my heart in your hands
it'll keep them warm for a little while
the crowds have gone got what they wanted
someone's watching me now followed and haunted
see the roadside signs and try to deny
there's nothing at the end of this road
just motels and loneliness
across a whole continent
this hell, this hell of mirrors
challenged myself to a duel
and shot out my own heart
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2. |
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(adapted from a story by Italo Calvino)
I wanted that man to die for what he did to me
I had my heart set on killing Luigi
my country started a war, they told me to take a stand
I said what did you go and do that for, I only want to kill one man
But I up and joined their ranks to see if I could see
from the planes and from the tanks that bastard Luigi
I killed ten men and maybe more and that was just the first day
more batallions topped the hill and I blew them all away
I walked amongst the corpses wandering how it could be
that I'd killed so many men and not shot Luigi
yes, I killed so many men that honors they bestowed
then they said we won the war and to me that they owed
I said wait a minute, what about Luigi
I have not won a war if still that man goes free
something still wasn't right a voice spoke in my head
so I hunted Luigi down and shot the bastard dead
they people they were outraged, they cursed my bloody name
they said that I had broken the rules of their game
I showed them my medals but they just shook their heads
they dragged me to the guillotine, they say they want me dead
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3. |
The Laughing Song
03:12
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written by Hunter Brumfield III
He's sorry that things turned out as they did,
it's a god-forsaken shame
small was the box in which that he hid
to temper his poisonous brain
he reached for the stars, came back with stumps
in a downpour, yearning for rain
happiness got him once he hit bottom
gonna laugh his way through all the pain
Believe him it's easy to drink and be sleazy
as your conscience just limps along
mistaking freedom for license,
he screamed in the silence
and his echo said boy you're all wrong
well, life is absurd, haven't you heard?
keep laughing boy, that's your best bet
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4. |
Bugs
05:14
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(adapted from a true story told by Ross Lessor)
the old man worked for the chemical company
when he retired moved out to the country
that old house on the river was infested
called on the phone and said he had to move
all those years in a blue jump suit, working for the chemical company
mixing, fixing to kill, mixing pheromones with the poison
that's how you kill them, attract them to the poison
one last phone call from that old man
the bugs are killing me
old man worked for the chemical company
mixing, fixing to kill
all those years making DDT until he himself radiates it
built a new house every step by hand
new wood, new ground, up on a hill
but these things are futile if you've been mixing to kill
that's how you kill them, attract them to the poison
one last phone call from that new house
the bugs are killing me, he said
and the heart attack was from the shock of how well it worked
and how they'd come for him in the end
at the end of that dirt road
the bugs are killing me he said
and the neighbors found him dead
shine a light on this infestation
exterminator down
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5. |
Debt
05:14
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you've been hurrying, don't you see that light ahead
you've been hurrying, don't you see that light is red
you've been hurrying, don't you see you'll drop down dead
slaves to that gold chain, wrapped around your neck
dragged down in debt
crime doesn't pay but neither does your job
crime doesn't pay but neither did your job
you get carried away, now you'll never repay
this debt, this debt that you owe
you settle down, you settle for this devil
this devil you know
fallen behind, barely started...
fallen behind, dragged down in debt
crime doesn't pay but neither does your job
crime doesn't pay but neither did your job
it's what keeps you down, it's what keeps you up
this struggle is a very old war
Bonnot is outside waiting with the getaway car
maybe we'll make it out alive, maybe life will just pass you by
slaves to that gold chain, wrapped around your neck
dragged down in debt
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6. |
Bucket Of Blood
03:21
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(adapted from the story told by Henry Townsend)
Henry he hopped that north-bound train
jumped off in the yard in East Saint Louis
Henry was a shoeshine boy
fronting for that bootlegging man downtown
Henry learned to play that mean guitar
Henry learned to play that sweet guitar
had some folks jealous with the way that he played
JD Short got him in the back
that coward with a knife got him in the back
Henry was a bleeding he nearly died
when that coward snake got him in the back
henry wanted to take his revenge
went hunting JD Short through all the joints
cornered him at the bucket of blood
Henry stepped up and short pulled his knife
Henry drew his gun and he took a shot
Short jumped up yelled and fell down
Henry left the yard same way he'd come in
Short lay bleeding hurting on the ground
Henry he's an old man now
Stack-a-Lee's been long dead now
with many a song to sing and many a tale to tell
the city Henry knew it ain't there no more
the booker washington theatre been torn down
the city Henry knew it ain't here no more
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7. |
Dead Trees
05:32
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(for Pat Dunaway)
sit there keeping score, keeping track of everything
remember it all, always learning
watch the changes from behind the door
walk content in the way you weathered it
block the punches, dodge the blows
and counter with your stance alone
spend my days in a room, in a room full of dead trees
left a flashlight on your grave
because it's dark and you'll need it to read
hundreds of people moving in front of me
this progress it takes no care
hundreds of people
and all i can see is you who are no longer there
spend my days in a room, in a room full of dead trees
left a flashlight on your grave
because it's dark and you'll need it to read
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8. |
Mechanical Lions
03:13
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(inspired in part by the works of Danilo Kis and Fyodor Dostoevsky)
father was murdered, they poured vodka down his throat
poured it down his throat until he gagged and choked
you get into this frenzy with that stern look on your face
line up the firing squad, send me to a better place
two old men were walking across the ancient bridge
two old men were walking along the river's edge
they said go on shout your non-sense, that's fine with us
keep on shouting non-sense but make sure it's your own
there are dragons breathing fire outside the castle walls
there are dogs wearing muzzles in the park below
the gargoyles they look down from the holy church
and if that carpenter came back he'd get murdered again
and the homeless look like they're not from around here
like angels, one moment they just appear
and the prophets get met with mechanical lions
and old men are left wandering the streets
they'll tell you everything you wish to know
you just have to notice them there
it's a damn shame hearts are hidden never to be found
while material goods continue to abound
they say thugs do the bidding, commit murder and do time
the state says that thinking is the most dangerous crime
so go on shout your non-sense, that's fine with us
keep on shouting non-sense but make sure it's your own
two old men were walking across the ancient bridge
two old men were walking along the river's edge
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9. |
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(for George Orwell)
what gives you the right to laughter and slaughter
drank up the well, poisoned the water
and it seems like it will be a thousand years
for some people to be free
as apathy settles back in with the debris
will it take the bombs to wake us and open up our eyes
or will we finally see the truth of how the other half dies
the rest of the world doesn't eat
from silver spoons or paper plates
and death is not some side effect
in the search for the cheapest rates
what gives you the right to laughter and slaughter
drank up the well and poisoned the water
and it seems like it will be a thousand years
for some people to be free
as apathy settles back in with the debris
cut off the heads of state, use their corpses to fill the hole
in this lousy culture that they traded for your soul
if they don't own you, you get called the enemy
you get called the enemy of ignorance and apathy
and the rest of the world doesn't eat
from silver spoons or paper plates
and death is not some side effect
in the search for the cheapest rates
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10. |
Wounded Knees
11:14
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out on the plains
the ghosts of buffalo
echo like thunderstorms
storms that no one hears
Black Hills cleared to make way
for the thunder of the white man's train
and out on the plains
the ghosts of buffalo echo like thunderstorms
a nation and all it's people are left with bloody hands
a nation of people are left with two wounded knees
out on the plains the storms still echo
from cold Chicago and through the Dakota fields
when they lose control, all they see is red
the immigrants every time
and the ones who were always here
and out on the haunted plains
and through the martial fields
the innocent flee north
stumbling with two wounded knees
a nation and all it's people are left with Parsons' blood
the nation of Peltier are left with two wounded knees
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Bad Folk St. Louis, Missouri
Bad Folk was formed in 2002 by Tim Rakehell and was active until 2008. An early line-up included Joey Gavin, Troy Howard and Anne Tkach. Howard was replaced on bass by Bruk Longbottom and the band was also joined by Adam Hesed and Lindy Woracheck in 2005. ... more
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