nothing happens lyrics
.the way back.
his eyes shifting watery winding down the trail
it’s a long way back to meet the ones he failed
where ugliness and greed and sloth prevailed
he couldn’t help but feel his dream had been derailed
upon his final realization that
from the top there’s one place left to go—
head back home
his aspirations crashing down,
asphyxiating, crushing him below
he should have known
that sometimes escape is the only good reason to live
and once we do break out, we find that we have nothing left
“so take me home,” but he didn’t mean it
so he stumbled down the mountainside
feeling like his life had been resigned
he lacked the pride
to think he could’ve made it back
to think he could make himself be a man
he couldn’t stand
and sometimes we find that in life there is no choice no make
no regret in the actions when we find there’s no course to take
“so take me home, ‘cause i don’t need them”
and he flies off the mountainside in his final act
there was no choice in death or going back
he closes his eyes, waits for the final crash
into the earth he finds his own way back.
.letter.
write another song about a sister
reminisce about the time that she was far from gone
yeah i think i’m really gonna miss her
pessimism never let it carry on for too long
she’s gone…
i can’t stand the separation that’s been running in my head
i can’t stand the lack of contact, i’ve been feeling it
letter another one letter another one
take and put this message in a song and then deliver it, take my letter!
what about a brother left without one
what about another lonely feeling song, gone all wrong
cite a paragraph about destruction
quote a passage from a book i’m working on…so long
he’s gone—
read and learn a lesson or become another worthless piece of shit
turn and walk away cold shoulder can you feel it yet
letter another one letter another one
taking all the torture, it’s a priceless piece of membership
ink it in your chest until you can’t remember to take my letter!
we’ll consider it, we’ll give it more one more try
one more turn – my lifeline, think i’ll miss them, oh please don’t cry
guess i’ll leave them with a dedicated song
guess i’ll get it wrong – it remains the last longest goodbye
so long—
goodbye to all the divey bars we’re used to hanging in
goodbye to you, this message, hope you’re reading it
letter another one letter another one
goodbye to all the shows, i hope it’s worth remembering
goodbye to you and all the songs i haven’t written until you
take my letter.
.annihilation (made in the usa).
it started back in 1952, progenitor to the use
of war tactics of napalm in the korean state
then Vietnam 1963 depressurized dioxin
the blistered faces gazing up, the planes unleash again
it happened again 1989, chemical blasts for war crimes
when noriega’s government failed to comply
it happened again gulf war 91, depleted uranium
whose half-life ensures that we’re outlived by our destruction
so kick right through these doors, can’t take these lies no more
does anybody see what’s going on?
we trade complacence for excuse to wage new war
does anybody see what’s going on?
are lessons learned only so we forget, or have we failed to hear the message?
violence breeds vindication, they’re gonna give it back
and in our hands lies another decade when we can proudly claim
that your annihilation was made in the usa!
.remind.
we left our homes with only our clothes
the crack and the screams and the lives left without,
it was awful. and we followed.
the worst, they feared, the smoke slowly cleared
and in that portrayal lay remnants of life
it was awful. and we followed.
from Exposure by Wilfred Owen
“The poignant misery of dawn begins to grow ...
We only know war lasts, rain soaks, and clouds sag stormy.
Dawn massing in the east her melancholy army
Attacks once more in ranks on shivering ranks of gray,
But nothing happens.”
lie and you lie, confuse it all, you deny
watch as we fall, pause for resolve, informal stall, i’ll carry on
remind me.
Exposure
To-night, His frost will fasten on this mud and us,
Shriveling many hands and puckering foreheads crisp.
The burying-party, picks and shovels in their shaking grasp,
Pause over half-known faces. All their eyes are ice,
But nothing happens.
combine and combine, promise it all, then you cry
see what i saw, remember it all, vivid recall, we had it all
remind me.
die and you die
remind you…
pause for resolve, informal law, carry it on, remind me.
.pink slip.
man sits alone at his desk in a dusty gray room,
his shelves are a mess, hourglass sin white sand
no longer a man, got a gun in the drawer
and a pink slip in his hand
a daydream of old days, he startles, he’s awake
a voice just outside the door
he sits back in his chair, holds his breath one more year
should he bleed for one month more?
runs his hand through silver hair, no respect after 20 long years
just one moment of peace for this old man to prepare
quiet rap on the door, his replacement chimes in, ‘are you still there?’
not for long… it’s his only conversation today so far
replacing an old part, remove an old man’s heart
i think it’s time that they should know
all about motivation, lifelong dedication
now his position’s sold
gentle beckon, ‘come on in,’ some relief in a simple grin
repercussions, his actions see none, a lonely sin
he’ll retire with all of his friends gone long before him, he’s the last
getting by because he’s living in the past
no one will notice he’s dead, with his pension run dry
his father had said, ‘you can try as you can, bleed red for the man,
but you’ll always end up with a pink slip in you hand.’
our last sad bitter day
light overtakes night, and then so subtly the conversations die
i breathe, you’re next to me still smiling and all our friendspassed out haplesslyin time, the morning comes and we will sleep the day waiting for the sunto die back down so we can buy a round and laugh like teenagersjust one more timeour lives seamlessly pass, each day when light dies downwe never seem to ask ourselves, ‘are we moving too fast?’there’s never one more chance, we know nothing lastsso just smile back at me and sing along, raising up your glassstay with me. wait. we can’t relive this day.and yet you’re here. i find you close. year after year.we fight for most our lives to maintain some dignityamidst the pain and bitterness, in love we find the pridethere exist no words there’s nothing you’ve heardthat will make you understand how you’ve made this world a place worth living inlight overtakes night and then so subtly the conversations diestay i’ll keep this framed deep in my memory where I can keep you safestay with me. wait. we can’t relive this day. and yet you’re here.my friends you’ve stayed. until our last sad bitter day.until the time runs out, i’ll hold my glass up high for you and on and on again…
