lyrics for DIAMON' MINE by Patrick K. -------------------------------------------------------- SONGS ABOUT THE FUTURE / The Capricornicoppolas They started out at daybreak with their guitars painted black ten thousand broken hearted lovers singing love come back . . . songs of lost happiness, songs of found pain, but not one so perfect that love came again . . . I heard songs about a future day when he'd change his mind But songs of the future will only reach the left behind. My prayers were never answered until I got off my knees and realized that lovers come and go just how they please. I'm sorry, hurt lovers-- find another way a song won't bring her back, it couldn't make her stay . . . But sing it if you want to, just keep this in mind: that songs about the future only reach the left behind. Don't tell them you'll die if they go away cause if you've made them a murderor already then why would they stay? We're all happy for you, you perfected the poem but he can't stay inside it if it's not his home. But you can chose to stay there, though you'll prob'ly have to spend the night alone It would be too easy to say someday you'll love me because it's even easier for you to disagreee. You felt trapped in my future but you struggled free, now the songs in my birdcage I sing just for me . . . I could tell you of the future of the life you left behind, but no song I could sing you could ever really change your mind . . . because songs about the future will only reach the left behind. -------------------------------------------------------- THE BOY STANDING NEXT IN LINE / Dirk Hammet and the College Sophomorics While studying across the sea, your boyfriend met a girl She convinced him there were better things than coming to our class. She taught him about dancing and she taught him About acting, she showed that there are parts of moral character he's lacking I'm sure that everything is fine But I can't imagine you were on his mind While studying across the sea, your boyfriend made a friend. They would smile over coffee and then not say nothing for hours. I've only seen your picture, but I thought that you should know he might have something bad to tell you when he gets home. Okay, I guess I'll see you around because you and me and him share one home town. I'm in his class, not that he would tell you and we're not friends and that's just fine! But I bet he'll regret all the cruel things that he said behind my back when he learns you're now mine. While studying across the sea, your boyfriend . . . caught a bug I'd be careful about kissing him, he might give it to you! And now I think he's suff-er-ing, I don't want to be mean, but you want fire in his heart and not down in between-- That's it, I'll say no more except that I'm concerned that your boyfriend is a whore. It's not your fault he seems quite attractive until he opens up his mouth to speak. I think that you'll find that the boy standing next in line knows far more about making your knees weak. While studying across the sea, your boyfriend got the news. He told it to me drunkenly and I nearly dropped my glass. You must have read my letters beCause it seems that you found another guy to love you living in our home town. He was crying, I was dumb . . . let's talk again in August when it comes. -------------------------------------------------------- SIX LINES / The Clever Hands I was readIn some guy's storY till my eyes were drawn . . . to a Leaf falling Out my window --it took it's time as it descended upon the collection of leaves that had fallen before to the deMands of a random plan It nudged a thought that I had last night that a kid like this wouldn't understand chorus: I wrote it in the margin six short lines all saying the same thing on the shapes your body makes as you lay across our bed I wanted to see your response right now but it's 3:15 the traffic won't allow I guess that I can wait till we're both home . . . unless I leave another message on your phone I Wrote it for you but instantly I knew that I'd given myself in to a dangerous whim I left my trace where I knew wasn't my place but since he'll never have a girl like 'you' it won't occur to him Unless someone gonna give him a hint . . . it ain't a pattern that comes with a squint; It takes open eyes and it takes time . . . Should I tear off the corner or the black lines out? neither was good but it Made me think about how similar we are matching partners in crime BREAK: cause When we first met I sug-gested a book and I was thrilled that you took me up on it I careful-ly chose my shirt that day when we met in the park so I could lend it to you you gave it back at the end of the week and when I opened it, I couldn't speak you'd written a letter to me on the greatest page I was aghast but also impressed I'd lent to plenty of girls but the rest . . . would never think to stake their claim this way I knew right then I'd have to decide, either throw out the book or make you mine cause there was no way I could lend it again to anyone and whether time tears the page out I'll still be explaining it my son CHORUS I made a Copy of the page with the lines covered up left it on my desk because I said that I've worked enough took a Cab to our place and went straight to the bed, opened up your book, skipped a few chpaters ahead . . . When you get there you're gonna have a fit it's just my way of saying "I get it" I just never saw it any time we've talked Two years ago last night you got it in your head that you and I should make patterns on the bed I love the shapes we make when we interlock. -------------------------------------------------------- ATTACK OF THE PAPER TIGERS / The Dutch Missionary Records I Went down to the library the books were on all sides of me and one of them growled like I would be grub . . . Well I picked it up and broke its spine, replaced the author's name with mine, and from the torn out pages I made little tiger cubs chorus: So watch out! (watch out!, watch out!, watch out!,) My army's on the hunt! If you're a pompous pig or a sacred cow your name will soon be lunch! And now I take them as they come and send their heads back where they're from . . . I got a hundred and fifty paper tigers dancin' to my drum My tigers like to eat all types and they've got words instead of stripes and I'm the only one they like around . . . We're headed for the palace now and if they can't read we'll show them how so they can read the writing on the walls as they come down CHORUS break: This guy came in started runnin' his mouth But he didn't seem to know what he was talking about. He took a book from a kid said it wasn't fit to read but what he didn't know was that we all have a time to bleed . . . I put that book back in his hand and said, "Mister, what you don't understand could fill a lie-brear-ee CHORUS And now I own the library and I lend out the books for free and all the patrons show me nothing but love Because they know if they act rude or if they get an attitude they know they'll have to answer to my little tiger cubs CHORUS x 2 -------------------------------------------------------- DEAD MAN / The Lotsen Otts voice 1: You can't tell me anything, I'm a dead man just stick around, you'll be a dead man soon. We don't have to dance around like we're living now we just do what we want to do we got No stories left to tell ourselves about how we should be We used to shape our masks to please now time shapes us _ _ nat-ral-lee And we don't cry . . . And we look before we speak now that we don't see through sarcophogus eyes. Every night we walk till day The only pain in dying is feeling loves of the past fall away. ENTER VOICE 2 You can't tell me anything, I'm a dead man [Don't be dramatic!] just stick around you'll be a dead man soon [Some things are worth remembering!] We don't have to dance around like we're living [Don't give in to rigor mortis!] now we just do what we want to do [But do you want to waste away?!] we got No stories left to tell ourselves [are you] about how we should be [telling stories] We used to shape our masks [just to] to please [be brave?] now time shapes us _ _ nat-ral-lee And we don't cry . . . [That's decay!] And we look before we speak [Through rotten sockets!] now that we don't see through sarcophogus eyes. [But what do you see?] Every night [Every night] we walk till day [But it must be pretty tiring] The only pain in dying [to pretend] is feeling loves of the past [not to feel loves of the past] fall away. [still today] VOICE 3: new love brings new life, it may dead or alive it's hard to stay the real end is standing still when there is still time to play there was a man who wrote a story to cover his life he wore his story as a jacket* till his heart matched his outsides he used to tortured himself he didn't need anybody else to do it I told him show me the ghost that haunts you everynight! he pointed to an empty place then tears ran down his face because the ghost had gone away -------------------------------------------------------- LOVE TRAPPED IN A BOTTLE / The Iffy Fifty I went down to the seashore to see something as blue as me then I saw something ungainly crawling out along the beach I scared it in and closed the lid, now someone gonna be glad I did! chorus: I got love . . . trapped in a bottle! I got love . . . trapped in a bottle! I got love . . . trapped in a bottle! and I'm saving it, for a special occasion! Now if anybody wants to fall in love they'll have to see me! I'll let them take A hit from my bottle, ohhhh, but not for cheap! I'm startin' to rethink the path I chose no longer want to take a swim in my clothes! CHORUS break: Oh makin' money is just dandy, money's been better to me than love . . . but I can't sample my own candy because if I start to drink there wouldn't be enough . . . ! Left for the girl that I'll meet some day she'll scare all of my bad memories away Oh I could take some shots, for sure, but I wanna save the whole bottle for her! CHORUS . . . like you, like you, like you, like you I'm tryin' to see it as half full, but I'm learnin' love is hard to control! CHORUS -------------------------------------------------------- NOT CRYIN' / The Shrapnelles You may think that I look happy but you know it's just a show cause I've been listenin' to your sister on my machine when I get home. So I try to appear cheerful, but inside I'm really blue I feel sad that she's a liar oh, I'm not cryin' over you. Oh she wants me too wants to steal me from you and so she'd say anything to me I just feel bad for your mom and dad to have a rotten apple on the family tree . . . She says you go out at night and you walk right down the street and you go down to the pier and you walk down underneith And in the darkness she says you're lost from sight but she hears your cries of passion riding on the waves at night Oh I can't believe that it could be true That's why I'm not cryin' over you -------------------------------------------------------- YOUR MUSIC BOX / The Twiches I gave To you when we were fifteen, it had little wheels and ran like a clock then you threw it at me at sixteen, and so you broke your music box. It's been years but I saved the pieces, and even though we haven't talked I fixed it up to play your favorite song . . . so turn off your radio, and listen to your music box. listen to your music box come on now, listen to your music box I know I wasn't _ the perfect boyfriend I realize I like to control I like to pick your dress and turn your key to start you dancing on your pedestal I hope you're still my ballerina even though your steps Are your own . . . so let me tell you now how I how it will go: we'll watch the light play on the ceiling, while dancing to your music box break: You say, "Oh why not let it be?" and I say, "Oh why not even try?" I'd rather fix something that's broken than open up my eyes to catch clouds in an empty sky. We used to fit together and we often worked so well There were problems but the good times showed what we could be . . . We've both seen the world now, we could make it work with some adjustment. If you trust me I will show you that the dark is just the cape light puts on everything we see. I'll fix your heart, you do the same for me. -------------------------------------------------------- SCREWOFF / Alternabride Magazine Saw you on the sidewalk selling wicks for candles lookin' oh so fine your hair was tangled from the sweat and toil but you could have any one that you chose But then you asked me would I join you and I said, "What's the point?" You said we could make some money, and I said, "Girl you've got a screw loose!" chorus: Do you want to waste my time (well screw off!) do you want to play with me? well that's all right because I know that change is comin' soon and someday . . . I know the world will see they could use a screw off like me . . . you're a screw off! but you know that's alright with me because I know that we could waste some time together and someday . . . I know that you will see that you want to screw off with me. So you took me home to meet your father but I don't really know why because I knew that he wouldn't like me cause he works hard, and i don't chose to He asked me why I wanna look so shabby and why don't I have a job? I said, "it really don't bug your daughter so with all due respect . . . screw you!" CHORUS CHORUS -------------------------------------------------------- THE MAN YOU'RE LOOKING FOR / The Weeping Swords Sophisticated, been around, but only in good parts of town . . . that's the kind of man that we seek. Smooth, clean shaven, and short hair, cold blue eyes, penetrating stare oh I didn't realize that you were talkin' about me! yes I'm the man you're looking for, I'm the man you need. Urbane, witty, debonaire but doesn't act like a millionaire . . . that's the kind of man that you seek. Knows when to hold back a joke, pets a kitty with a firm stroke . . . oh I didn't realize that you were talkin' about me! yes I'm the man you're looking for, I'm the man you need. Inoffensive, follows laws, never points out petty flaws . . . that's the kind of man that you seek. Table manners when you dine, not afraid to speak his mind . . . oh that's the kind of man that I am! actually (very modest) yes I'm the man you're looking for, I'm the man you need. Bedroom punk band, rock and roll, twist and jerk like an animal . . . that's the kind of band that you seek. Lots of kick drums and high hats, got no time for bloody twats . . . we didn't realize that you were talkin' about us! we're the band you need! oh, we're the band you're looking for, please buy our CD. -------------------------------------------------------- THE SIMPLEST FIGURES / The R & R Dream The simplest figures are hardest to do . . . who can explain one and one makes two? The simplest figures are hardest for me . . . always avoided one and one makes three. But two can be divided and that's no fun so shouldn't we restate it: one and one makes one? (if that could be true) The simplest figures are hardest to do when one is me and one is anyone but you. The simplest figures are hardest to do cause I still believe that we're ahead of you. -------------------------------------------------------- HANDSHAKES / The Scream of Breaks I wanted you to love me and I forgot about the past but then I saw you shakin' your hand with him in the coatroom after class. My fingers formed a fist but I had to go work, oh great, but every form that I typed out was his death certifi-cate. chorus: we are the fake kids we like special effects we wanna see the love child of marilyn monroe and a t-rex I wanted you to love me and I forgot about the past but then I saw you shakin' your hand with him in the coatroom after class. My fingers were so angry they formed a fist but I had to go to work and I couldn't forget about this. -------------------------------------------------------- THE METAL ROD IN MY NECK / The Rabbit Wolvesbite I wish there was a metal rod in my neck it would give the lightning something to . . . strike I wish there was a metal rod, that you could see, maybe then there'd be something special about me. oh . . . we both know that I ain't gonna win the best in show (no no no no) god don't give a shit (no he don't) about me but neither do you so that makes three of us (that makes three of us, makes three of us, if only two of them could _ be in love) but I don't know if we should keep this partnership together -------------------------------------------------------- ABERDEEN / GO PROSE! BEAT POETRY! I pictured my fingers and the shapes they could make upon the neck of a guitar, now, even though I cannot play one yet! You promised you'd teach me if I'd support the team --I'll do my best! to only wave my pendant when the ball gets kicked in the right net we were cheering and we all had such fun . . . chorus: I lost my girlfriend the day Aberdeen won . . . It was a pretty good day, now, when it was done . . . oh, I lost my girlfriend the day Aberdeen won. I don't really like football, what I like is my hands on your neck! after a practice of the swim team --no, that's too direct! they talk about me but we all have our fun CHORUS My girl likes the striker and I have to say that I agree! such definition, she could be a gift to him from me We talked about it and he said she looks fun, CHORUS While they were cheering I Told you it was time to tell the twist to your old boyfriend, you said he was imagined they we kissed! . . . it wsa the first time! I felt like this! . . . oh how I wished . . . ! they'd done their drills, and practiced their ball-handlings skills so our love could begin I hate markin' time but I can't really make you mine until the day that Aberdeen wins. -------------------------------------------------------- MOLAR / The Broken Dials We're at the restaurant that I picked and things are getting late . . . And I'm starting to regret coming back to the scene of our first date! I remember the vigorous way that you talked you weren't afraid of being rude I could tell from the look in your eye your lust for life went beyond food chorus: And I don't care that we don't talk, that's all that we used to do . . . But now you don't even swallow! All you ever do is chew! All you ever do is chew! I said, "Let's sell off half our CD's, at least the duplicates . . ." But giving no response is starting to become one of your greatest hits! Your favorite song was "Any Time At All", now mine is now "Tell Me Why" I wonder how we went from "All You Need Is Love" to "No Reply" CHORUS break: Sometimes I wonder if you're thinking . . . Is there just static in your head? Telling me lies would be an improvement but you just save the lying for our bed. There was a time when we would dance every night but now you act like you might break . . . Oh I don't care if you're saving your heart for someone better, just don't hold back for my sake! CHORUS And so I sit here sulking and talkin' to myself and while you sit there chewin' I could take a walk just to find myself anybody else! Oh why you wanna grind me down it's such a waste When you could just spit me out if you don't like my taste! CHORUS CHORUS (inarticulate) -------------------------------------------------------- DELAYED REACTION / The Febriles I was a volcano and somehow I knew that your name was 'baking soda' cause then I blew chorus: Didn't happen the first time, it's true lookin' for a delayed reaction from you I kissed you by the bridge but you walked away and then you called me back on the very next day saying: "You don't need to be such a gentleman . . . The first time didn't thrill me, let's do it again" And we did! And we did! cause there was something about me you started to see . . . you just had a delayed reaction to me CHORUS break #1: when we kiss, I lose track of time but I'm not gonna die inside a diamon' mine but you can wear my jacket if you get cold CHORUS break #2: I guess I'm simple cause I think of the past but your love is like second grade chemistry class Don't know why things happen but I like it when they do I think I need a ruler to measure your stride but I'd gladly drop a step just to walk by your side there are things about you I don't understan' but I think I could figure it out if I could keep holdin' your hand. -------------------------------------------------------- LOST PICTURES / The Battersea Hearts The flames they flickered as they leapt from the tip of a discarded cigarette and bit into my boxes with hungry teeth. They ate through precious photographs, our time in venice, your old cat, they even ate the sandwich that you tried in vain to eat You saw I was in desolation so you didn't wait You took my hand and told me softly what I failed to see: (you said) you lost those pictures but you still have me. We went back to Aspen to restage the scene by the window from the page with your back to the mountain before we made love and you hurt your arm on the fire place You smiled more than your pictures had and Greece I told you that to remind you of something awful I said just to recreate that face. I saw you were in desolation so I took the shot You glared at me and told me coldly what I failed to see: (you said) you've got that picture but you just lost me. break: Oh no, please don't go I've got nothing to show from that time so long ago but an inc-om-plete set Oh what can I do? with all these shots of you when I'm haunted by thoughts of all the shots I didn't get . . . At least not yet. I saw you once more by the park the snow was falling With the dark and I thought about walking over to you but I came up With another plan . . . I stood in place and used my lens, foCused on your face, tried to pretend that the present you sought was intended for me and not bound to go to some other man. On your face was gentle sadness like you remembered too I put the cam'ra in my pocket did what I should do. since I got that picture, I walked by you, i found a girl who'll never leave me if I avoided you Never changing, always young, and easy to Talk to I've got her picture here, looks just like you. -------------------------------------------------------- THE APPLE AND THE SEA / Ohswell There's an apple tree by my house and it overlooks the sea years ago, we shared an apple and in her kiss she gave to me the seed chorus: Now I wanna know where the tide will go when an apple falls into the sea Gonna sleep in distant arbors next to one who's yet unknown to me not gonna stop to plant a garden because the world's all spreading out for me Gonna wait to make my exit until the moon is bright enough to see I'll tell her, "Even though I'm leaving, you'll never be replaced in memory" chorus: But I have to know where the _ tide will go when an apple falls into the sea . . . So I'm gonna go where the tide will flow like an apple fallen to the sea. break: On and on, the clouds wash over me and their shape is always changing, I just follow what I see. And I told myself I'd practice ever day and the only thing that worries me is the water practices the rock away I'm not looking for a teacher though there is still much for me to learn someday I'll chose a place to settle down by crossing out where I cannot return And if they find me as an old man and try me as a libertine I'll look them in the eyes and say "I'm guilty of trying to live my life honestly . . ." CHORUS Would you like to share an apple with me? Would you like to share an apple with me? Would you like to share an apple with me . . . We can count each other's scars underneith the burning stars and go swimming in me eyes they are empty as the sea (repeat) So come let's share an apple and then we'll share a nap . . . an afternoon's a lifetime when we're drifting together in the sea. -------------------------------------------------------- THE MAN WHO WROTE HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY IN REVERSE / The Act Naturally chorus: I'm the man who wrote his story in reverse everything that I go through, I must have written first I used to think that I made up my heroes, but now I see . . . That all of their adventures were making up me! I started out with happy songs couldn't give them out for free but then I turned myself around, dropped my heroes fortunes down and then my profits did increase until the bad things started happening to me . . . I wrote a song about breaking up and now she said she'd had enough! CHORUS I wore the mask of fools and jerks, found a formula that works, and hey! none of them were me . . . I didn't mind making them blind but now I find that all the time that I'm the one who couldn't see! that all of their confusion started to confuse me . . . I wonder if I have the knack to write a song to bring her back cause I'm the man who wrote his story in reverse everything that I go through I must have written first! chorus: I'm the man who wrote his story in reverse everything that I go through always seems rehersed I used to think that I made up my heroes, but now I see . . . That all of their adventures were making up me! and Now we reach the final turn where the lesson isn't learned but hey, wasn't for me any way! Living fiction's what I was but I'm quitting now because I realized you can't prewrite the day! I'm taking off the jacket and I put that pen away . . . of course this is another mask, I'm surprised that you'd have to ask! I'm not the man who wrote his story in reverse I'm the only one who can inforce my curse! -------------------------------------------------------- NEVER QUITE THE TIME / The Loams You told me you loved me without hestitation and I didn't mind at the time I had some complaints about my situation but you seemed to be dong fine I didn't want to tell you a lie but what can you say when you can't decide? I wanted to tell you that I wasn't sure but it wasn't . . . quite the time We moved to the city and got an apartment and that didn't seem like the time To tell you I'm leaving would disrupt your studies and that would have been such a crime waiting a bit seemed like the thing I'll just strum my guitar unTil it's spring And then I will tell you I would have said sooner, it wasn't . . . quite the time break: I know that this makes me a lout but I didn't want to just shout it out I didn't want the poisonous glances from all of your friends . . . And in truth, I was afraid to desert the life we had made and part of me wanted to stay to keep . . . tucking you in Then we were fifty, and we took a sea cruise and I thought this might be the time I'd tell you the bad news then leave at the next port and then I would resume my prime. Then the ship started to sink and as our legs vanished into the drink I told you I loved you, and I don't regret it was never . . . quite the time