1. |
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I never let it die, I keep it on replay
It always ends up the same way
Gotta bite that tooth again
And I wonder where the time has gone
But the writing’s on the wall
Now I’ve heard it and seen it all
So I've wandered ‘round through town on foot
I guess I look at little worse for wear
Just like that old dog always on the postman’s route that one day just isn’t there
And my, oh my, that short-shorts girl may just have caught me peeking
When The Kid from Public Speaking
Snaps me back to my old rage
Yea, The Kid from Public Speaking
Just jogged past me, middle-aged
Just let the baby cry, the check is on the way
It always ends up on replay
Watch ‘em bite that tooth again
They never wonder where the time has gone
Or read the writing on the wall
I done heard it and seen it all
So, the malfunctioning man grunts “Happy Birthday” again
A trick he learned back in The War
Well, he got a lotta questions since his people are gone
Niece just-a-shruggin’ back behind the door
So, does the poor soul that’s lost inside know all we both are seeking?
Like The Kid from Public Speaking
Who shone bright upon the stage
Yea, The Kid from Public Speaking
Just jogged past me, middle-aged
Well now, wound down, I’m feeling mortal again
But there’s no other ‘where’ to go but ‘up’
So I'm chuggin’ cold Columbian with zipper in hand
Itchin’ to empty myself back in the cup
There’s a Deadbeat Dad in a Barbie car
Wheezing past and inching up the hill
I kinda know just what put me here
But I’ve just about had my fill
They say the “dour, white hacks” and the “cacklin’ blacks”
Bitch-smack their girlfriends just for sport
Rooster gonna loot somebody IRA
His vay-cay piggy coming up too short
And the force fed to all involved has folks at home critiquing
Including The Kid from Public Speaking
In his armchair, faux-enraged
The Kid from Public Speaking
In his big house, disengaged
(Look, Ma!) Yea, The Kid from Public Speaking
Who shone bright upon the stage
Yea, The Kid from Public Speaking
Just jogged past me, middle-aged
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2. |
Grand Design
04:02
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I see the future as clearly as the past
I see myself looking back
And there’s no stretch of time without grief in every season
And there’s so much rhyme
So much rhyme without reason
Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah, Yeah...
Boys making faces at the girl across the way
Would they even know her face today?
And there’s so little time, so little peace in every season
And there’s so much rhyme
So much rhyme without reason
Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah, Yeah...
Without reason
Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah, Yeah...
There’s a poetry to it all
There’s a poetry to it all
But I can’t read between the lines
To reason out a Grand Design
So I'm left to wander through the ‘verse
Wondering what’s worse?
Stars are born and stars explode…
Whoa, whoa...
I see the future as clearly as the past
I see myself looking back
And there’s no stretch of time without grief in every season
And there’s so much rhyme
All of the time
So much rhyme without reason
Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah, Yeah...
Without reason
Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah, Yeah...
There’s a poetry to it all
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3. |
Inchworm
02:39
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Inchworm, Inchworm-
Writhing in despair
I watch in horror as you lay there, oh
Inchworm, Inchworm-
Writhing at my feet
I’m looking down
Feeling big, feeling small
Wonder who’s looking down upon me?
Wonder who’s looking down upon me? Oh...
Inchworm, Inchworm-
Going ‘bout your day
When two angry ants got up in your way, oh
Inchworm, Inchworm-
They bite at you with glee
I’m looking down
Feeling big, feeling small
Wonder who’s looking down upon me?
Wonder who’s looking down upon me? Oh...
Inchworm, Inchworm-
Light upon the leaf
That I offer you to attempt relief, oh
Inchworm, Inchworm-
I’ve made your matter worse
I’m looking down
Feeling big, feeling small
Wondering if that’s why the one who looks down on me
Never seems to intervene at all?
Inchworm…
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4. |
Star
04:52
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I keep my eyes down in hopes I’ll never fall
My long shadow shortens then grows long again
The evening breaks, the sky darkening
Turn their telescopes toward...
We marvel at the lights at night
When all day there’s a star in our backyard
We marvel at the distant lights at night
When all day there’s a star in our backyard
This grassy expanse, the vastness of space
A dandelion nebula sighs by my face
The light of life above breathes all before me
But wherein do I fall?
Why do I fall so hard?
We marvel at the lights at night
When all day there’s a star in our backyard
We marvel at the distant lights at night
When all day there’s a star in our backyard
Is The Truth we’ve all be searching for
Blinding at our back door-
Winding ‘round us day by day?
In the sunshine, falling upon my face?
Thousands of suns, yet still I’m feeling cold
The moon smiles to comfort me, or so I’m told
It’s evidence enough my star’s still burning
Though night has fallen hard
It falls so hard
We marvel at the lights at night
When all day there’s a star in our backyard
We marvel at the distant lights at night
When all day there’s a star in our backyard
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5. |
Quiet By Compare
04:09
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When the road’s a rumble
And you’ve locked your stare
That’s when the madness of the factory is quiet by compare
When your words are humble
But taken as a dare
That’s when the madness of the factory is quiet by compare
Quiet by compare
Your vaudeville hook in hand
So, you pull the pills across the belt
And you try to understand
But no sense is there there
That’s when the madness of the factory...
Is quiet by compare
Is quiet by compare
When the hands keep spinning
Much faster than seems fair
That’s when the madness of the factory is quiet by compare
When you scratch for freedom
But no match is there
That’s when the madness of the factory is quiet by compare
Quiet by compare
Your vaudeville hook in hand
So, you pull the pills across the belt
And you try to understand
But no sense is there there
Just emptiness, despair
That’s when the madness of the factory
The madness of the factory
Madness of the factory
Is quiet by compare
Is quiet by compare
Is quiet by compare
Is quiet by compare
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6. |
Heal The Dogs
05:29
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Even given forgiveness, something still ain’t right
Even asking your blessing haunts me every night
I cry into a dream
And I walk those country roads, so lost and on all-fours
And I know now, without a doubt, you suffered
Two One-Bee, can you mend my friend for me?
Then the three of us can hunt for others
Robot, man, canine- blood brothers
Yea, the three of us can hunt for others
And we’ll travel sea to sea, by sun and by the moon
Guided by our hearts in hopes of finding them all soon
And we’ll get them to their feet
To loving arms and warm abodes
We’ll heal the dogs that die alone along those country roads
We’ll heal the dogs that die alone along those country roads
Distant wimpers- our mission, something’s touched her nose
Robot cradles the injured to his chest that glows
It all must be a dream
To see the fallen sigh, then rise up and on all-fours
And to know now that I’ll no longer suffer
Two One-Bee, can you mend my friend for me?
Then the three of us can hunt for others
Robot, man, canine- blood brothers
Yea, the three of us can hunt for others
I know, I know, I know, I know
I know it’s just a dream
I know, I know, I know, I know
I know it’s just a dream
So I pray myself to sleep
As sun bows out to moon
Hoping with my heart that their suffering ends soon
Or that angels, by their grace, vacate their heavenly abodes
To comfort dogs that die alone along those country roads...
To comfort dogs that die alone along those country roads...
To comfort dogs that die alone along those country roads...
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7. |
Aisle 43
03:18
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‘He’s a Bossman Undercover’ - all the Lifers used to say
As they pooled their slim resources
Betting on when he’d reveal the truth and make everyone’s day
But if they could read his mind...
If they could read his mind...
As he wrestles metal cattle from the customer corral
They marvel his resources
Wrangling the herd across the lot, not dusting once his brow
But if they could read his mind...
I’m afraid that all you’d find is
Aisle 43
That’s where he wanders ‘round
What he’s looking for can’t be found there
On shelf or on the ground
On Aisle 43
You couldn’t be more lost now, boy
But you’ll be fine
Just follow that blue light
Just follow that blue light
Just follow that blue light to aisles 11, 10 or 9
11, 10 or 9
That’s where he dropped the ball
That’s where he lost it all
A fat man on a forklift, a skeleton on guitar
Make for such unlikely angels
But only in losing all among them can he find his star
But if they could read his mind...
I’m afraid that all you’d find is
Aisle 43
That’s where he wanders ‘round
What he’s looking for can’t be found there
On shelf or on the ground
On Aisle 43
You couldn’t be more lost now, boy
But you’ll be fine
Just follow that blue light
Just follow that blue light
Just follow that blue light to aisles 11, 10 or 9
11, 10 or 9
That’s where he dropped the ball
That’s where he lost it all
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8. |
Newton's Apple
06:45
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Vladamir met the President
They were all smiles and handshakes on the net
Who’d have hoped our day was done?
I guess I’m the only one
They set their terms upon the table
So impressed, the press were with the feast
But just a nudge and it fell apart
Oh, be filled my empty heart
'Cos there’s nothing like the sound of a treaty run aground
And the sirens trump- a joy and my relief
Now the dread of losing you will vanish like the dew
From the sear of twenty suns that rise this fateful day
So comforted in knowing the bombs are on their way
That shooting star, like Newton’s apple
It obeys the law, blind to regret
How could it know that it was named?
No, the poor stone shouldn’t be blamed
'Cos there’s nothing like the sound as when the heavens hit the ground
Let my broken wishes tumble back to me
Now the dread of losing you will vanish like the dew
From the sear of twenty suns that rise this fateful day
So comforted in knowing the bombs are on their way
Why can’t they last as long as we do?
I can't bear to think what little’s left...
So while people pray their psalms of peace
I’ll be right here, not holding my breath
It’s better that the world should end than let go my only friend
'Cos there’s nothing like the sound as when the heavens hit the ground
Let my broken wishes tumble back to me
Now the dread of losing you will vanish like the dew
From the sear of twenty suns that rise this fateful day
So comforted in knowing
So comforted in knowing
So comforted in knowing that the bombs are on their way
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9. |
Up, Alive!
05:01
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I just woke up, alive!
Guess I’ll face another wretched day
Seems I’m doomed to carry on, no matter what I pray
I just woke up, alive!
When last I hit my pillow, I so needed more than rest
That silver cord should part as Abe received me to his breast
But no such luck, the sun is up with two more scoops of pain
Mocking from the boxtop as I start this shit again
I can't believe that I woke up, alive!
Guess I’ll face another wretched day
Seems I’m doomed to carry on, no matter what I pray
I just woke up, alive!
It’s not, "I miss my mama" or the dogs I used to curb
Survey says: "They Lived Enough!" and that "Afterlife’s Superb!"
It’s just I’m out of options
And my hopes are right behind
Losing’s been my life, now Body- catch up with my Mind!
I woke up, alive!
Can’t believe I lived to see the day!
I just woke up, alive- no, I can’t get away-
I woke up, alive!
Can’t believe I lived to see the day!
I just woke up, alive- no, I can’t get away-
Sure, I could pull the trigger
I could take a flyin’ leap
But, pussy that I am, I shake and cry myself to sleep
It takes a special brand of sickness, man
To keep these panties wet-
That’s hanging on simply to see how fucked up things can get
I can't believe that I woke up, alive!
Guess I’ll face another wretched day
Seems I’m doomed to carry on, no matter what I pray
I just woke up, alive!
I woke up, alive!
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D.M. Franklin Kane Chapel Hill, North Carolina
"Up, Alive!" is the latest collection of songs from North Carolina's D.M. Franklin Kane.
This is Kane's first full-length release since 2014's "The Hard Truth."
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