MADAME GUILLOTINE

She washed her hands 300 times
But still they're dripping red.
We caught her in the pauper's pit,
She stole the prince's head...
Cursing 'blasphemy'...
O mercy me...
He staggered like a chicken.

They lynched him;
They left him flinching.
Running scared...
Took their seats...they kept on knitting.

God bless the noble savage
As he swaggers
As he sweats
He's making bets on who is next-
He don't care about the colour...

So many here to choose from...

(First they rounded up the reds
But I'm not red so...

Then they rounded up the blacks
But I'm not black so...

Then they rounded up the gypsies
And the junkies and donkeys.

Now I'm scared to whistle 'swanee'
'Cause they'll ask me for my spit...)

It's the garden that we walk in
And it's dying...so we cut it down.
We're drowning now.
There's no way out.
We all fall down.
We all fall down
We all fall down
We all fall down
We all fall down
We all fall down
All fall down...
All fall down...
All fall down...

It's the garden that we walk in
And it's dying...so we cut it down.
We're drowning now.
There's no way out.
We all fall down.
We all fall down
We all fall down
We all fall down
We all fall down
We all fall down
All fall down...
All fall down...
All fall down...

It's the garden that we walk in
And it's dying...so we cut it down.
We're drowning now.
There's no way out.
We all fall down.
We all fall down
We all fall down
We all fall down
We all fall down
We all fall down
All fall down...
All fall down...
All fall down...

ON ANOTHER SHORE

All these years I waited
'Cause I knew that you'd return.
No stranger's hand has touched this temple.
One candle slowly burned...
For you.

(Were you waiting too?)

For you...just for you.

I swear I heard you crying
On the cruel uncanny breeze.
I saw you crawling down there
On your bleeding hands and knees.

Now crawl right up to me,
My captain.
The good ship sails away forever..
Leave us be.
The good ship sails away forever.
The way it's meant to be.

The good ship sails away forever..
Leave us be.
The good ship sails away forever.
The way it's meant to be.

These were the gentle words she said,
I could not find her in my head.
I searched for little clues
But all the lights were glowing red.

And in the end I smiled politely,
Snatched my coat and fled.

From you.

Just from you.
Just from you.

But still I hear her crying
On the cruel uncanny breeze.
I see her crawling down there
On her bleeding hands and knees.

Come to me!

Come to me!

The good ship sails away forever.
Was never meant to be.

The good ship sails away forever.
Never meant to be.

Never meant to be...

SOFTLY SOFTLY

Sink in the quicksand.
Linked to the branch of a tree...
Can't see.
'Cause it's darker than death
And you guys up and left me out here to freeze.

And this forest plays its tricks
So I treat it with respect.
Threw my garbage in a skip,
I buttoned up my anorak.
Shuffled soft shoe.
I washed...
You can look me in the teeth

Comb your hair.
Comb your hair.

Choked by the quicksand,
Kicked from the branch of this tree

I'm free!

CRUMBS ON THE CARPET (Transcribed by cowell@cs.utk.edu)

Dinner whispers, "Come and get it"
Poses on the plate
We shot it twice with anesthetic,
Still it bites the waiters
Till they're bleeding in the loo
So goddamn hot it burns their shoes
We lick them clean, we eat 'em too

Still there's room enough for more masala,
Enchilada, monkey brains and donkey doos
More masala, enchilada, monkey brains and donkey doos
More masala, enchilada, monkey brains, donkey doos
More masala, enchilada, monkey brains, donkey doos
More masala, enchilada, monkey brains, donkey doos

We'd eat the wall if it could walk
And we could sink our forks in

We are what we eat
We are many-sided
Just you name it, sure we've tried it

We are what we eat
We are many-sided
Just you name it, sure we've tried it

We are what we eat
We are many-sided
Just you name it, sure we've tried it

Why hide it?

More masala, enchilada, monkey brains, donkey doos...


HOTEL Z

Overdose...
Comatosed...
I feel you close,
But you're so very far away.

Surrogate...
There's no escape.

I found a gate,
But it's locked...
So I'm here to stay...

Every wish I have is granted.
Every hand is mine to hold
All the trees that I have planted
Touch the sky, turn gold.

Could buy the planet if I wanted.
Make it mine...
Yes, I'd unfold a tapestry that I'd recline in,
Somewhere we could both grow old together.

Our dream...

Dying eyes...
You sympathize.

I clutch my prize;
But it so slowly fades away...

Dying eyes...
You sympathize.

I clutch my prize;
But it so slowly fades away...

Dying eyes.
You sympathize.

I clutch my prize;
But it so slowly fades away...

Dying eyes.
You sympathize.

I clutch my prize;
But it so slowly fades away...

OASIS MALADE (Transcribed by cowell@cs.utk.edu)

Tanith dropped by today.
Like, I hadn't seen her in years,
But there she was at my front door
In her colonial helmet.

Custom made Burmese fan
Poised in one hand...
Ready to swipe at any passing disease-ridden mosquito.

She'd been in Belgium, she told me...
Studying the pyramids.
It took her years to find out
That there were no pyramids in Belgium.

I asked her why she left me so suddenly...
Why she'd been silent for so long.

Didn't I exist for her?
Didn't we have something, well, special?

She asked me for tea in a plastic cup
With a well-fitting lid...

Then she left.

A CRACK IN MELANCHOLY TIME

I lean on the fence
And you squat in the middle
And we wait 'til the stream runs dry.
Though you don't see the sense
And we can't solve the riddle,
It's amazing how time flies.

And we hear the children calling.
We agree that it's appalling...
But it's best to keep on stalling.

Count me out
Count me out
Count me out
Count me out...

Now there's blood on my hands
And I'm wearing a muzzle
So I'll look the other way.
Place my head in the sand
Let the rest solve the puzzle,
Think about just who's to blame.

'Cause I hear the children weeping...
And I see the virus creeping...
History is repeating.

Count me out
Count me out
Count me out
Count me out...

Now there's chains 'round my neck
And my head's in the oven
And the crowd kicks at my door.

And you're leading the pack
Under wraps, undercover...
'Cause you need to win this war.

You put up your flag and kissed it
With your black volcanic lipstick.

And I'm simply your statistic...

Count me out
Count me out
Count me out
Count me out...

Count me out
Count me out
Count me out
Count me out
Count me out
Count me out
Count me out...

SIREN

Sheba had nine lives that I could sleep in.
Sheba had the cutest little nose.
Sheba's lips by Interflora.
Rollercoaster.
Lizard Lick.
She stings you like the 13th summer rose.

Sheba offers blind inviting alleys.
Sheba flutters two discerning eyes.
Twice unfocused.
Hocus pocus...

Witchy whispers on the wind...
"Come sail to me, it's been so long.
Come sail to me, it's been so long.
Come sail to me, it's been so long.
Come sail to me its been so long...
So lonesome...so lonesome I could die."

Like butterflies, we rode the breeze.
We read the stars and swam...
As Sheba coo-coo-cooed us from afar.

One single shining beacon on our limited horizon,
We asked no bitter questions
Lest she told us sugar lies.

And of course, we died there
On that stormy, stormy night...
As Sheba whimpered...
Whimpered...
Whimpered...
Whimpered...
Whimpered...
Whimpered...
Whimpered...

"Come sail to me, it's been so long.
Come sail to me, it's been so long.
Come sail to me, it's been so long.
Come sail to me, it's been so long.
Come sail to me, it's been so long.
Come sail to me, it's been so long.
Come sail to me, it's been so long.
Come sail to me, it's been so long.
Sail to me, it's been so long.
Sail to me...been so long.
Sail to me...been so long.

I could die..."

THE ANGEL TRAIL

Close your eyes and count to nine.
Everything will turn out fine.
There's nothing on this planet that can touch you.

This cloud belongs to you and me.
There's nothing that we can't achieve...
Hang on to my hand, I'll protect you.
I never, never will neglect you.

Safe inside our tapestry...
The only place for you and me.
Hang on to my hand, I'll protect you.

Close your eyes and count to nine.
Everything will turn out fine.
There's nothing on this planet that can touch you.

This cloud belongs to you and me.
There's nothing that we can't achieve...
Hang on to my hand, I'll protect you.


NINE SHADES TO THE CIRCLE

Like any other day,
I heard the bell and grabbed my coat.
Snatched a coffee and nearly choked
And semi-cartwheeled headfirst in the rain.

I knew I had to make that train.
My life depended on that train.

A laughing bag sang 'Giant Panda'...
Evil Santa punishes the bad boys,
And once I told myself a lie.

I never quite figured out the reason why...
But everybody's pointing at me.
Laughing at me.
Pointing and me and laughing at me...
Pushing...

Pushing...

They're pushing...

Pushing...

Pushing...

Stop pushing!
Don't push me!

Like any other day,
I heard the bell and grabbed my coat.
I snatched a coffee, nearly choked
And semi-cartwheeled...
Cartwheeled headfirst in the rain.

I knew I had to make the train.
My life depended on the train.

A junkie stopped me for some change.
Pulled a knife...

CUT!

Like any other day,
I heard the bell and grabbed my coat.
Snatched a coffee, nearly choked
And semi-cartwheeled headfirst in the rain.

I knew I had to make that train.
My life depended on that train.

And we met there on the platform...
So you took me to your room.
And though you reached out for me; I couldn't touch you.

I watched you melt in tears.
50,000 tears.

The radio exploded...

I found your ear wrapped in a tissue.
Tried to lose you...
Lose you...

Like any other day,
I heard the bell and grabbed my coat.
I snatched a coffee, nearly choked
And semi-cartwheeled headfirst in the rain...

I knew I had to make that train.
My life depended on that train...

(Did you get it?)

A TERRA FIRMA WELCOME

E-minus on its ancestry.
It stuttered on the phone.
Tried extensive hypnotherapy
Sat there like a stone.

They checked its pockets,
They pumped the pentathol...
Stole marrow from its bones...
Left it naked in the guest room,
Quite alone.

Debated for a year.
The casebook, it stretched from here to here...
Quoted precedents and dissidents.
And Johnny joined the space police
And searched the stars for refugees-
His finger on the stunner
In the name of earthly peace.

And when it seemed that space was empty
And the moon was made of cheese,
They decided on a terra firma 'welcome'.

But, guess...
Our guest was now deceased...
Rest in peace...

They cut it into pieces.
They sterilized them,
They placed them in a case and charged admission.

Now I'm watching television
I see laughter in his eyes.
I hear a rumble in the sky,
They're coming...
Yes, they're coming for their boy!

They're coming...
Yes, they're coming for their boy...