Robert Sledge

September '75 I was 47
Inches high
My mom said by Christmas I would have
A badass mother G.I. Joe
For your little minds to blow
I still got beat up after class


*-Now I'm big and important
One angry dwarf
And two hundred solemn faces
Are you
If you really want to see me
Check the papers and the T.V.
Look who's telling who what to do
Kiss my ass goodbye

Don't give me that bullshit
You know who I am
I'm your nightmare little man
Vic you stole my lunch money
Made me cry.
Jane remember second grade
Said you couldn't stand my face
Rather than kiss me you said
You'd rather die

*REPEAT

You'll be sorry one day
Yes you will, yes you will
You shouldn't push me around
Cause I will, yes I will
You will be sorry when I'm big
Yes you will, yes you will
You will be sorry

*REPEAT

Kiss my ass kiss my ass goodbye now
Kiss my ass kiss my ass goodbye now
(??? something about payback ???)
Kiss my ass kiss my ass goodbye now
Kiss my ass kiss my ass goodbye now
(You should be paying me, Vic!)
September 75, I was 47 inches high. . .
September 75, September 75. . .

He shouted out his last word
And he stumbled through
The yard
And she shattered her last china plate
And spun off in the car
When he lunged onto the hood
She stopped to tell him she'd
Been wrong
He was thrown head over heels
Into the traffic coming on

*-But then
All is fair, all is fair
In love
Ba ba ba

Did you get my other letters
Sometimes I think I oughta call
'Cause you know I often
Wonder if you open them at all
Every couple nights or so
You know you pop into my dreams
I just can't get rid of you
like you got rid of me
Ohh but I send my best
Cause God knows you've seen
My worst

*REPEAT

All this breathing in never
Breathing out
Well I guess she made her way
Through the mob too late to
Hear him say
That he'd gotten all he
Wanted
A crowd to watch him bear
The pain
He'd been keeping in
So what

*REPEAT

Am I right?
Am I right?
Now I'm lonely and I'm right
I'm lonely and I'm right
Yeah [live:Goddamn]

6 am day after Christmas
I throw some clothes on in
The dark
The smell of cold
Car seat is freezing
The world is sleeping and
I am numb
Up the stairs to her apartment
She is balled up on the couch
Her mom and dad went down
To Charlotte
They're not home to find us
Out
And we drive
Now that I have founds someone
I'm feeling more alone
Than I ever have before

*-She's a brick and I'm drowning
Slowly
Off the coast and I'm headed
Nowhere
She's a brick and I'm drowning
Slowly

They call her name at 7:30
I pace around the parking lot
Then I walk down to buy her
Flowers
And sell some gifts that I got
Can't you see
It's not me you're dying for
Now she's feeling more alone
Than she ever has before

*REPEAT

As weeks went by
It showed that she was not fine
They told me son it's time
To tell the truth
And she broke down and I broke
Down
'Cause I was tired of lying
Driving back to her apartment
For the moment we're alone
She's alone
And I'm alone
Now I know it

*REPEAT

*-So you wanted to take a break slow it down some and
have some space well fuck you too

**-Give me my money back give me my money back
you bitch I want my money back
And don't forget to give me back my black T-shirt

I wish I hadn't bought you dinner
Right before you dumped me on your front porch

**REPEAT

*REPEAT

**REPEAT

I said what you wanted to hear
And what I wanted to say
So I will take it back
Are all the dishes intact?
Let them be broken, broken

*-It's easy to be
Easy and free
When it doesn't mean anything
You remain selfless, cold and
Composed

You've done me no favor
To call and be nice
Telling me I
Can take anything I like
You don't owe me to be so
Polite
You've done no wrong
You've done no wrong
Get out of my sight

*REPEAT

Come on baby now throw me
A right to the chin
Don't just stare like
You never cared
I know you did
But you just smile
Like a bank teller
Blankly telling me
Have a nice life
Come on baby now
Throw me a right
To the chin
Just one sign that could
Show me that you give a
Shit
But you just smile politely
And I grow weaker and I
Said what you wanted to hear
And what I wanted to say
So I will take it back

*REPEAT

She plays wipeout on the drums
The squirrels and the birds come
Gather round and sing the guitar
Oh I. . .have you got nothing to say
When all words fail she
Speaks
Her mix tape's a masterpiece
Walks through the garden
So the roses can see
Oh I. . .have you got nothing
To say
And you can see daisies
In her footsteps
Dandelions, butterflies
I wanna be Kate

Everyday she wears the same
Thing
I think she smokes pot
She's everything I want
She's everything I'm not
Oh I. . .
Have you got nothing to say
She never gets wet
She smiles and it's a rainbow
And she speaks and she
Breathes
I wanna be Kate

Down by Rosemary and Cameron
She hands out the
Bhagavad Gita
I see her around every couple
Days
I wanna see her so that
I can say. . .hey Kate

Leaf by leaf and page by page
Throw this book away
All the sadness all the rage
Throw this book away
Rip out the binding and tear the
Glue
All of the grief we never even
Knew
We had it all along
Now it's Smoke
The things we've written in it
Never really happened
All the things we've written in it
Never really happened
All the people come and
Gone
Never really lived
All the people come have gone
No one to forgive
Smoke

CHORUS
We will not write a new one
There will not be a new one
Another one another one

Here's and evening dark with
Shame
Throw it on the fire
Here's the time I took the
Blame
Throw it on the fire
Here's the time we didn't speak
It seemed for years and years and
Here's a secret
No one will ever know the
Reasons for the tears
They are smoke

CHORUS

Where do all the secrets live
They travel in the air
You can smell them when
They burn
They travel
Those who say the past is
Not dead
Can stop and smell the smoke
You keep saying the past is
Not dead
Well stop and smell the smoke
You keep on saying the past is
Not even past and
You keep on saying
We are, Smoke

Fred Jones was worn out
From caring for his often
Screaming and crying wife
During the day
But
He couldn't sleep at night for
Fear that she
In a stupor from the drugs
That didn't ease the pain
Would set the house ablaze
With a cigarette

Everyone gather round now
Sing us a song
Just in case by tomorrow
It happens he's gone
For two weeks and seven days
Our fair foreign friend
I have this feeling
We might never see Steven again



We thought he was gone
But he's come back again
Last week it was funny
But now the joke's wearing thin
Everyone knows now
That every night now
Will be Steven's last night
In town

He's charmed [live:fucked] everyone here
Except Tamara Easter
Who later revealed to him
Her innermost secrets
Won us over with stories
About Linda McCartney
Lost points with the ladies
For saying he couldn't love a
Woman with cellulite


[on Demo: I'm wondering how
Your decorations are standing up.
In fact, the lawn's looking a little
Shabby, but we can discuss that later.
How's the chimney stack doing?
And the door arches, they're OK?]
We were talking 'bout something
Seems like was funny
Then Steven got quiet
I think Steven was mad [live: pissed]
Maybe he wasn't mad
But we felt very strange in
The moment
But the moment was passed
And forgotten about

Do you not hear me anymore
I know it's not your thing
To care
I know it's cool to be so bored
But it sucks me in when you're aloof
It sucks me in, it sucks it works
I guess it's cool to be alone

Will you never rest
Fighting the battle of who
Could care less
Every day you wake up late
Sometimes I wish I was
That way

And you think Rockford Files
Is cool
But there are some things
That you would change
If it were up to you
So think about your masterpiece
Watch the Rockford Files and
Call to see if Paul can score
Some weed
Will you never rest
Fighting the battle
Of who could care less
Unearned unhappiness
That's alright I guess

I've got this great idea
Why don't we pitch into the
Franklin fucking Mint
Fine pewter portraits of
General apathy and major boredom singing. . .
Whatever and ever amen.
Oh well maybe not try
Again
This should cheer you up
For sure
See I've got your old I.D.
And you're all dressed up like
The Cure

Will you never rest
Fighting the battle
Of who could care less
Unearned unhappiness
You're my hero I confess

All is quiet his tired eyes
See figures jotted down
And clothes all strewn around
The bedroom floor
Now nothing's adding up
And nothing's making sense
She's sleeping like a baby
She doesn't know he wasn't
Meant for this

I'm missing the war
I'm missing the war all night
Missing the war

He drove home again
Pissed and beaten
It's really no big deal
It happens all the time
It's no big deal

I'm missing the war
I'm missing the war all night
Missing the war
I'm missing the war
Till beads of sunlight hit
Me in the morning (and I forget)

So much time so little to say

Time may fly
And dreams may die
The shaking voice that tells
Him go
Still thinks he might
He knows he won't
I'm missing the war
Missing the war all night
Missing the war

What I've kept with me
And what I've thrown away
Don't know where the hell I've ended up
On this glary, random day
Were the things I really cared about
Just left along the way
For being to pent up and proud

Woke up way too late
Feeling hung over and old
And the sun was shining bright
And I walked barefoot
Down the road
Started thinking about
My old man
It seems that all men
Wanna get into a car and go
Anywhere

Here I stand - sad and free
I can't cry and I can't see
What I've done
God. . .what have I done

Don't you know I'm numb, man
No I can't feel a thing at all
'Cause it's all smiles and business
These days
And I'm indifferent to the loss
I've faith that there's a soul somewhere
Who's leading me around
I wonder if she knows
Which way is down. . .
[on demo:which way is up and which is down. . .]



I poured my heart out
I poured my heart out
It evaporated. . .see?

Blind man on a canyon's edge
Of a panoramic scene
Or maybe I'm a kite
That's flying high and random
Dangling a string
Or slumped over in a vacant room
Head on a stranger's knee
I'm sure back home
They think I've lost my mind.

i thought about sitting on the floor
in second grade i couldn't keep
the pace i thought i was the only
one moving in slow motion while
the other kids knew something i did
not but if i acted like a clown i
thought it'd get me through, it did but
that don't work no more you're not
a kid no more i thought i'd do some
travelling never did regrets,
regrets i thought about the hours
wasted watching t.v., drinking beer i
thought about the things i thought
about until immobilized with fear and
all the great ideas i had and how
we just made fun of those who had
the guts to try and fail and then
i ended up in jail regrets, regrets ...
but just for a day seems the police
had made a computer mistake said
there must be thousands like me with
the same name anyway, i thought
about the things i settled for or
never tried i never visited my grandma
even once when she was sick before
she died so i don't blame you if
you never come to see me here again regrets,
regrets...

I'm not one to look behind I know that times must change
But over there in Barrytown they do things very strange
And though you're not my enemy
I like things like they used to be
And though you'd like some company
I'm standing by myself
Go play with someone else
I can see by what you carry that you come from Barrytown

Don't believe I'm taken in by stories I have heard
I just read the Daily News and swear by every word
And don't think that I'm out of line
For speaking out for what is mine
I'd like to see you do just fine
But look at what you wear
And the way you cut your hair

I can see by what you carry that you come from Barrytown

In the beginning we recall that the word was hurled
Barrytown people got to be from another world

Leave me or I'll be just like the others you will meet
They won't act as kindly if they see you on the street
And don't you scream or make a shout
It's nothing you can do about
It was there where you came out
It's a special lack of grace
I can see it in your face

I can see by what you carry that you come from Barrytown

Saw a silhouette across a fluorescent
Floating overhead, undoing his helmet
Through the murky beams and blue-green sea life
I saw him spinnin' towards the moonlight

I pull him in, he wasn't breathing
His eyes were wide and he saw two of me there
There's an ugly buzz that hovers just above the quiet
Found a way to make it silent

I'm comin' up for air
I'm comin' up for air
Air
Air

They hold my hand and ask me to pull through
A voice I know says "dear, he probably can't hear you"

Comin' up for air
I'm comin' up for air
I'm comin' up for air

2-3-4. . .
pull over the car
pull over the car
I think I see some sweet squirrel rim
pull over the car (really)
pull over the car
I think I feel like gettin' down on ya
[note: this is a mystery lyric.
I doubt that I'm right about it]

CHORUS
I don't wanna
I don't wanna
I don't wanna
I don't wanna
you make me feel
make me feel
meke me feel retarded

I can't leave it alone
jerk off on the phone (yeah!)
I want you to come on over
pretty pretty bad idea
really bad idea
really really bad idea

CHORUS

retarded, you make me feel so

(oh, yeah ok!)
na na na na na

when I stood you up
I thought that you'd give up
now I realize you're just like a dog

CHORUS

Stop the bus
I wanna be lonely
When seconds pass slowly
And years go flying by
You gotta stop the bus
We get off here

Enough's enough
And I'm leaving this factory
All she wants is food on the table
And I won't be able to bring it home

And all I want, come on,
Is all I need, yeh is free
'Cos I'm a factory

Did Mother Nature tell you
Boy you come and go as you please
That's what she said to me
But big brother got the keys
And I got Jackson Cannery

Millionaires and mill rats live side by side here
Messed up my brother's mind
He's far from earth
Tell me what's he worth

The same as you
The same as me
In this factory

Did Mother Nature tell you
Boy you come and go as you please?
That's what she said to me
But big brother got the keys
And I got Jackson Cannery

It's four in the morning
Mother don't know
That I'm going far away
She's whispering to the moon
I hope he don't join you soon

Baby boss
Climbs up from his soapbox
Great Caesar's ghost
Knows what's best for me
He says stop the bus

Did Mother Nature tell you
Boy you come and go as you please
That's what she said to me
Big brother got the keys
And I got Jackson Cannery
Big brother got the keys
And I got Jackson Cannery
Big brother got the keys
And I got Jackson Cannery

to moonn6pence from shootingstar




Some summers in the evening after six or so
I walk on down the hill and maybe buy a beer
I think about my friends
Sometimes I wish they lived out here
But they wouldn't dig this town
No they wouldn't dig this town
Try not to think about it, Alice Childress
Try not to think about it anymore
Try not to think about it, Alice Childress
Anymore, no not anymore

Alice, the world is full of ugly things, that you can't change
Pretend it's not that way, it's my idea of faith
You can blow it off and say there's good in nearly everyone
Just give them all a chance
Alice, give them all a chance
Try not to think about it, Alice Childress
Try not to think about it anymore
Try not to think about it, Alice Childress
Anymore, no not anymore

No, it didn't work out
No, it didn't work out the way we thought it would
No, it didn't work out
An arranged marriage is not so good

Thank God it's you
You know your timing is impeccable
I'm not fooling you
I don't know what to do
Some dude just knocked me cold
And left me on the sidewalk
Took everything I had, everything I had

Try not to think about it, Alice Childress
Try not to think about it anymore
It's getting late where you are, Alice Childress
Anymore, no not anymore
Anymore, no not anymore

Step on your finger.
Damn! See if I can play with one hand...
See? Sounds good.

Oh, goddamn, I saw a goddamn fucking goddamn.

Goddamn. Woah!

Oh, goddamn.
Fucking goddamn.

Oh, goddamn.
Oh, goddamn.

Shit, yeah it's cool.
Oh, goddamn.
Shit, yeah it's cool.
Oh, goddamn.
Shit, yeah it's cool.
Oh, goddamn.
Shit, yeah it's cool.
Oh, goddamn.
Shit, yeah it's cool.
Oh, goddamn.

Play it on the radio.

Shit, yeah it's cool.
Shit, yeah it's cool.
Shit, yeah it's cool.
Oh, goddamn.

Come here one time, what's up y'all.
I got this fucking rim going on out here.
I'm gonna give a shout out
To my home boy out there in LA:
Wussup boy? Wussup yo? Come on.

Oh, goddamn.

Yo this goes out to my home boy Tre,
Going on in Chapel Hill.
Yeah shouts out as aka known as "Roadie Killer".

They all said it.
Mmm-hmm.
They all said it.
Ugh!
They all said it.
Mmm.
They all said it.

Yo shouts out to my main manager-man, Al Wolmark,
Known as aka, "Ill Pride of Motherfucker".

CEC
CEC
CEC

Bring in the bass, ya'll!

Yeah! And I thought that's how you felt
About the motherfucker!
Yeah! I thought that's how you felt.
Yeah Sledge, bring in the bass. Yeah.

For those of ya'll that wear fannie packs,
Yah come on.
For those of ya'll that wear fannie packs,
Come on!
For those of y'all that wear fannie packs!
And ponytails!
Come on!
For those of ya'll that wear fannie packs
And ponytails,
I've got the fucking on!

Yeah! My boy Sledge on the bass in your face!
My boy Ben on the piano, comin' in.
Let him in! Let him in!
Yeah!
Let my boy Ben in. Alright.
Yeah.

Hey D! Hey D!
Yo, wassup?
Oh, goddamn.
You gonna let me in D?
Wassup?
You gonna let me in?
Yo, let that piano solo in.
Let me in!
Let me in!
Goddamn!

Yeah,
Yeah,
Yeah,
Yeah!
Yeah, ah.

I been around the world,
I've seen things happen.
I don't my singing and I don't mind rapping.
I could find another hundred ways to get my shit.

Goddamn, that's so fucking shit!

Yeah, I said for those of y'all with fannie packs:
Your song's coming up, it's coming at ya!

I wanna borrow an Alan wrench,
I wanna borrow some duct tape,
I wanna borrow a mic cable.
Bass in your face!

Bass in your face,
Ugh!
Bass in your face,
Ugh!
Bass in your face,
Ugh!
Ugh!
Yo G, see in.

Alright, let's break it, break it, break it down.
We're gonna break this shit on down.
Gimme some bass.

Aaaaaah
Ah that pretty good.
Bring this shit in!

Oh goddamn!
Oh goddamn!
Oh goddamn!
Oh goddamn!

Shit, yeah it's cool
Shit, yeah it's cool
Shit, yeah it's cool
Yeah!
Shit, yeah it's cool
Shit, motherfuckers.

Play that cymbal, man,
Play that tasty, tasty high-hat work.
Yo, I'm gonna bring that tasty high work,
I'm gonna bring that shit in.
I wanna taste it, man.
Right now!

Ha ha ha!
A ha ha ha!
Yeah
Ha ha ha!
Goddamn
A ha ha ha!

Yah, this song goes out to
My main-man at The Point in Atlanta
Wussup, G? Gimme more fucking monitor man!
Bernie!

I'm sorry, I can't give you any more monitor than that.
It won't go any higher than that because the transistors,
The resistors, they won't go any higher!
Yo, yo eh!

Alright, yo, take this motherfucker out
With a piano solo.
Goddamn, ugh!

Ugh, goddamn.
Uh.

Alright.
Turn that shit out.
1! 2! 3! 4!
Ugh!

Ha ha ha! I hoped you taped that!
That's our next single.
Oh, they left.
They gave up.
"These guys are fucking idiots."
Ha ha ha!
That sucked!

I was never cool in school
I'm sure you don't remember me

And now it's been ten years
I'm still wonderin' who to be
And I'd love to mix in circles
Cliques, and social coteries - that's me
Hand me my nose ring
Can we be happy
Show me the mosh pit
Can we be happy

We can be happy underground

Who's got the looks, who's got the brains
Who's got everything
Now I got this pain in my heart, that's all
Hey you with the long and lonely face
There's got to be something else
Let me tell ya something else
There was a girl who passed me by
She gave a smile but I was shy
And I looked down, so down
Don't look down no no, go go underground

And now there's a place to go
It's the morning now, it's the evening
It's everything
I click my heels and I'm there

Underground, underground
Everything's happy underground
You been kicked around
Did life bring you down here

Everything's heavy underground

And we'll be decked in all black and
Slamming the pit fantastic
Officer Friendly's little boy's got a mohawk
And he knows just where we're coming from
It's industrial, work it underground
Get down, get down, get down

Underground, underground
Everything's happy underground
You been kicked around
Did life bring you down here

Everything's heavy underground

We can be happy, we can be happy
We can be happy underground

We can, we can, we can be

Everythings happy

You been kicked around
Did life bring you down here
Everything's happy underground

We can, we can, we can be
Everything
We can, we can, we can be
Everything is
We can, we can, we can be
Underground
We can, we can, we can be

now are you ready to rock?
now brace yourself
brace your fat asses!
for some gut wrenching
metal!

it's time
for the ultimate sacrifice!

evil
beelzebub
the final hour is approaching
no!
the ultimate sacrifice
the ultimate sacrifice

oh God...

here I sit
broken-hearted
came to shit
but only farted!

the ultimate sacrifice!

metal, heavy metal
it's too late to cry
I said it's too late to...
aaahhh!
it's too late
no supper for you
the final hour approacheth

the ultimate sacrifice!

Satan is my master
He has always been
He tells me what to do
He buys my Metallica records for me
And sometimes I think

Satan is my master

to moonn6pence from shootingstar(papayeverte)



I met this girl, she looked like Axl Rose
Got drunk and took her home and we slept in our clothes
And in the morning put my feet on the floor and I thought
Being awake never felt like this before

And Julianne y'know she wouldn't approve
Talked only on the phone 'cause I had nothing to do
Got rid of Axl by the afternoon
Being awake never felt so clear and

Blue, that's all I knew
Guess that I was innocent too
I sing a song, yeah, and it won't be the blues

Cos I don't miss Julianne

My friend she told me she felt sorry for me
She said the truth would come crashing down on me
That I'd be sorry but the truth of it is
That I feel guilty for not giving a shit

Yahoo, that's all I knew
Guess that I was innocent too
I sing a song, yeh, and it won't be the blues
I don't miss Julianne

I got my bag of trash, I got my bag of trash
I drag it up and down, I drag it up and down the road

How could she miss a man
Who drags a bag of trash down the road

This week I feel like I been born again
I know that Julianne, she would have a fit
She'd find a reason for the things that I did
She gave me credit for the things that I've never been

Ohhh, that's what I do, guess I'm inoccent too
I can try hard as I can, but I don't miss Julianne
I can try hard as I can, but I don't miss Julianne

So you wanted to take a break
Slow it down some and have some space
Slow it down some and have some space
Well fuck you too
Give me my money back
Give me my money back
you bitch
I want my money back
(And don't forget to give
me back my black T-Shirt)
Wish I hadn't bought you dinner
Right before you dumped me on your front porch
Give me my money back
Give me my money back
You bitch
I want my money back
and don't forget
And don't forget to give
me back my black T-Shirt
And don't forget.

Philosophy
by Ben Folds Five




Won't you look up at the skyline
At the mortar, block, and glass
And check out the reflections in my eyes
See they always used to be there
Even when this all was grass
And I sang and danced about a high-rise
And you were laughing at my helmet hat
Laughing at my torch

Go ahead you can laugh all you want
I got my philosophy
(Keeps my feet on the ground)
And I trust it like the ground
That's why my philosophy
Keeps me walking when I'm falling down

I see that there is evil
And I know that there is good
And the in-betweens I never understood
Won't you look at me I'm crazy
But I get the job done
I'm crazy but I get the job done

I say go ahead and laugh all you want
But I got my philosophy
(Keeps my feet on the ground)
And I trust like the ground
That's why my philosophy
Keeps me walking when I'm falling down

I pushed you cause I loved you guys
I didn't realize you weren't having fun
And I dragged you up the stairs
And I told you to fly
You were flapping your arms
Then you started to cry, you were too high
Too high....

Now you take this all for granted
You take the mortar, block, and glass
And you forget the speech that moved the stone
But it's really not that you can't see
The forest from the trees

You've never been out in the woods alone
So you can laugh all you want to
I've got my philosophy
(It keeps my feet on the ground)
And I love you you're my friend
But you got no philosophy
Now it's time for this song to end

Christmas, Twin Falls, Idaho's
Her oldest memory
She was only two
It's the first time she felt blue

Cafeteria, Harrison Elementary
Beneath the parachute
Saw her without shoes
7-up I touched her thumb

And she knew it was me
Although she couldn't see
Unless of course she peeked

My mom's good
She got me out of
Twin Falls, Idaho
Before I got too old
You know how that goes

That's where she still was
The summer she turned 17
1983, three weeks after me

So last I heard, she had twins
Or maybe it was three
And though I'll never see
That don't bother me

Boxing
by Ben Folds Five




Howard, the strangest things
Have happened lately
When I take a good swing
And all my dreams
They pivot and slip
I drop my fists and they're back
Laughing, Howard
My intention's become not to lose what I've won
Ambition has given way to desperation and I
Lost the fight from my eyes

★
Boxing's been good to me, Howard
Now I'm told, you're growing old
The whole time we knew
In a couple of years I'd be through
Has boxing been good to you?★


Howard, I confess I'm scared and lonely and tired
They seem to think I'm made of clay
Another day, I'm not cut out for this
I just know what to say, I say

Well sometimes I punch myself as hard as I can
Yelling nobody cares hoping someone will tell me how
Wrong I am

Has boxing been good
Has boxing been good to you?