lyrics
1989
Batty told me from the rooftop said I was gonna have to get it straight
don’t know how much time we’ve got but you know when it’s too late
and as my time expires as my eyes see their last
remember what you’ve seen here remember what I’ve asked
no one gets to live forever
we all know we can’t
does no one want to make the effort?
the moment is all we have
heroes in a movie the past on strips of celluloid
memories made immediate to fill some hidden void
dream dreams of future wonders one wonders in dreams out loud
but sometimes here in the real world lives pass without a soun
are you ready for the nineties
well somebody’s got to be
I’ve been watching from afar
I’ve been listening real hard
so it might as well be me
so you want to live forever
well I don’t think I do
but if you want to save the world
change begins with you
COLD HARD TRUTH
well I’ve got a lot of questions
and I’ve got a lot of doubts
what I haven’t got is time
won’t you help me figure it out?
and I’ve got a lot of problems
and I’m hoping you’ll help solve them
wash away my worries with your hands
what does it take
to turn a steel heart to gold?
how long must I wait
cause it’s really, really cold
and I don’t care if it’s not painless
I haven’t felt a thing for ages
I am only human and impatient
so I read a book on Hitler
and I read a book by Marx
through One Hundred Years of Solitude,
Revelations and DesCartes
will we ever learn will
we ever grow up?
the truth often hurts
it’s made of bitter stuff
and the cold hard truth is…
I WOULD BRING YOU WATER
you’d give your heart away
to those who’d do you harm
I won’t promise you a pedestal
but I can keep you warm
whenever you’re afraid
your skies no longer blue
I’ll shelter you from the rain
until the sun breaks through
I will always love you
I would never leave you
no matter what
I would bring you water
my hands the cup
so give yourself a break
you can heal the pain inside
my arms are warm and safe
if you need someplace to hide
so you’ve lived a lifetime
never knowing about trust
my heart is always open
to you with all my love
I hope that it’s enough
if you need someone to cry to, if you need someone to hold
I’ll be here for you always through the years as we grow old
and the sun will come pouring in everyday is spring
and we can begin to live again…
I’ll see you again when the rain comes my friend
and washes away all our sins…
Heart of the sun
Some can’t see the forest
Or the sun for the shine
Some have never seen the stars
Having never looked up at night
But at the heart of the sun all things are one
Turn your face toward the light
Heart of the sun all the angels come
Solve the mystery of your life
Some folks speak of god’s will
As if they’ve got a clue
Some think they know everything
Who knows, maybe some do
But at the heart of the sun all things are one
Turn your face toward the light
Heart of the sun all the angels come
Solve the mystery of your life
And I believe that heaven’s here
And when you’re dead your gone
And I’m sure that when my time comes
I’ll be happy to be wrong
But at the heart of the sun all hearts are one
Turn your face toward the light
Heart of the sun all the angels come
Solve the mystery of your life
And all the angels come
NOTHING’S FUNNY ANYMORE
an old friend died last night
how he made us laugh,
how he made us cry
don’t you wonder why?
why do people have to fight
we’re all we’ve got
you and I
it’s cold and lonely outside
and nothing’s funny anymore
on the eve of world war
we shake our heads and try to ignore
that nothing’s funny anymore
there must be more than black and white
or do we just enjoy these lies
we tell ourselves
God help us all tonight
don’t you ever wonder why?
it’s the world,
and I can’t hide
if it’s all a joke
then this is some punchline
and nothing’s funny anymore
on the eve of world war
we shake our heads and try to ignore
but don’t you feel it getting warm?
Time is running short
And nothing’s funny anymore
The comedian died last night
How he made us laugh
NO CAUSE FOR ALARM
in the shade of the watershed
a mistake that I made and haven’t paid for yet
so I set sail you know I meant what I said
I can’t forget sweet the taste of innocence
as I make my way across the ocean
just so I can hold you in my arms
oh hell and I thought I told you
but it’s No Cause For Alarm
in the wake of the exodus
I hear her name I hope that I’m the one she loves
and now the walls are falling and life looks bright today
but I know it isn’t real until you give it away
maybe it was a minor chord that she touched in me
and I swore I’d cause her no harm
oh helen I thought I told you
but it’s No Cause For Alarm
you know you can find me you know I’ll be there
where we can speak in silence
you know where
as I make my way through this commotion
just so I can talk to you at the bar
oh well I just want to hold you
but it’s no cause for alarm
BETA RAY BILL
they’re gathering in the orbit of Mars
so many ships that they eclipse the stars
zero hour’s not that far
fear settles on every human heart
from a land several lightyears away
falls a man from out of space
the sole survivor of his race
he’ll put the badguys back in their place
you’re the only hope we’ve got so please
Beta Ray Bill
can you keep us free?
Beta Ray Bill you’re the last chance for our world
and there’s a place for you here on earth
if there’s a world to come back to
Beta Ray Bill you know that we love you
THE GIRL FROM NEW ZEALAND
like ivory on a granite stone
a statue she stands her vigil alone
on a lush green hillside so far from home
she stares down from her pedestal
from where she watches the harbor below
where tramps steam in and wild icebergs roam
and someday if the sea is kind enough
then the girl from New Zealand will come
on the back of a Blue whale
from the depths to the sun
in Christchurch she kneels in the cold
to absolve all the lies that her father told
that in her heart salvation might be sown
her tears melt through the ice and the snow
I would give my life if it would save her soul
safe from the cold I need her love to save my own
and when I kiss her I can taste the sea
that brought the girl from New Zealand to me
on the back of a Blue whale
while the world above sleeps
and one day…
SHANGRI LA
we met a man in a Tibetan abbey
said he knew a way to make us happy
and if we’re not too far gone
he’ll show us where we went wrong
and the way to Shangri la
we come from a distant country
we laugh ‘though our hearts are heavy
we search for the road to Shangri la
he said ‘make your own choice and then you’ll be free,
but for now have faith and listen to me
travel towards the setting sun
you’ll find the land of Lost Horizons
there’s a place called Shangri la
I know how hard it is
but nothing I know could be greater than this
for I’ve seen Shangri la
such a long long way…but I know I’ll get there someday
so we sailed across the widest ocean
traveled the world and far beyond
we walked along the Razor’s Edge
looks like the sun is going to come out again
but still no trace of Shangri la
we searched for another decade
‘til we found we were there already
Shangri la is where you are
15 seconds
I saw you on your pod cast on the web last night
Then visited you on your myspace page
you are so outtasite
You’re groovy, keen, and you’re beautiful
so tell me you don’t mind
That I found out your mother’s maiden name
and I googled you online
That picture’s clearly been photoshopped
so there’s nothing to deny
And you’re so fit and cute in your black jack boots
you’re the fun jedi
Andy Warhol got it right I guess
the price of fame is being famous
Now you’ve got fifteen seconds or less
Until we find your replacement
Now you’re famous for fifteen seconds
While the universe is teaching you a lesson
Beware of what you beg for baby
Cause you might get it
Time to find a new mantra
now that you’ve got what you’re after
Just one question baby
are you happy?
Now that you’re famous for fifteen seconds…