LIFES RICH PAGEANT


BEGIN THE BEGIN

Birdie in the hand for life's rich demand.
The insurgency began and you missed it.
I looked for it. And I found it.
Miles Standish proud, congratulate me.

A philanderer's tie, a murderer's shoe.
Life's rich demand creates supply in the hand
Of the powers, the only vote that matters.

Silence means security. Silence means approval.
While we Zenith on the TV, tiger run around the tree.
Follow the leader. Run to turn into butter.

Let's begin again, begin the begin.
Let's begin again like Martin Luther Zen.
The mythology begins the begin.

Answer me a question I can't itemize.
I can't think clear. You look to me for reason,
It's not there, I can't even rhyme
"In the begin"...

A philanderer's tie, a murderer's shoe.
Example: the finest example
Is you.

Birdie in the hand for life's rich demand.
The insurgency began and you missed it.
I looked for it. And I found it.
Miles Standish proud, congratulate me.

A philanderer's tie, a murderer's shoe.
Let's begin again, begin the begin.
Let's begin again.


THESE DAYS

Now I'm not feeding off you.
I will rearrange your scales
If I can. And I can.

March into the ocean, march into the sea.
I had a hat: I put it down and it sunk, reached down,
yanked it up, slapped it on my head.
All the people gather.

Fly to carry each his burden.
We are young despite the years.
We are concern. We are hope despite the times.
All of the sudden, these days
Happy throngs take this joy
wherever, wherever....

I wish to meet each one of you
And you, me, you,
if I can and I can.

We have many things in common, name three.
(Three, three, three...)

I had a hat and it sunk, reached down,
yanked it up, slapped it on my head.
All the people gather.

Fly to carry each his burden.
We are young despite the years.
We are concern. We are hope despite the times.
All of the sudden, these days
Happy throngs, take this joy
Wherever, wherever you go.

Now I'm not feeding off you.
I will rearrange your scales
If I can. And I can.
I wish to meet each one of you
and you, me, you...

I had a hat and it sunk, reached down,
yanked it up, slapped it on my head.
All the people gather.

Fly to carry each his burden
We are young despite the years.
We are concern. We are hope despite the times.
All of the sudden, these days
Happy throngs, take this joy
Wherever, wherever you go.
("Take away the scattered bones of my meal.")



FALL ON ME

There's a problem. Feathers iron.
Bargain buildings. Weights and pulleys.
Feathers hit the ground
before the weight can leave the air.

Buy the sky and sell the sky and tell the sky and tell the sky

Don't fall on me (What is it up in the air for) (It's gonna fall)
Fall on me (If it's there for long) (It's gonna fall)
Fall on me (It's over it's over me) (It's gonna fall)

There's the progress. We have found (When the rain)
A way to talk around the problem. (When the children reign)
Building towered foresight (Keep your conscience in the dark)
isn't anything at all. (Melt the statues in the park)

Buy the sky and sell the sky and bleed the sky and tell the sky.

Well I could keep it above
But then it wouldn't be sky anymore.
So if I send it to you
You've got to promise to keep it whole .

Buy the sky and sell the sky
and lift your arms up to the sky
And ask the sky and ask the sky

Don't fall on me (What is it up in the air for) (It's gonna fall)
Fall on me (If it's there for long) (It's gonna fall)
Fall on me (It's over it's over me) (It's gonna fall)



CUYAHOGA

Let's put our heads together and start a new country up.
The father's father's father tried, erased the parts he didn't like.
Let's try to fill it in. Bank the quarry, river, swim.
We knee-skinned it you and me, we knee-skinned that river red.

This is where we walked, this is where we swam.
Take a picture here, take a souvenir.

This land is the land of ours, this river runs red over it.
We knee-skinned it you and me, we knee-skinned that river red.
And we gathered up our friends. Bank the quarry, river, swim.
We knee-skinned it you and me, underneath the river bed.

This is where we walked, this is where we swam.
Take a picture here, take a souvenir.

Cuyahoga.
Cuyahoga, gone.

Let's put our heads together, start a new country up.
Underneath the river bed, we burned the river down.

This is where they walked, swam, hunted, danced and sang.
Take a picture here, take a souvenir.

Cuyahoga.
Cuyahoga, gone.

Rewrite the book. Remove the pages.
Saving face. Secured in faith.
Bury, burn the waste behind you.

This land is the land of ours, this river runs red over it.
We are not your allies, we cannot defend.

This is where they walked, this is where they swam.
Take a picture here, take a souvenir.

Cuyahoga.
Cuyahoga, gone.



HYENA

Nighttime fell like the opening
In the final act of the beginning of time.
Hyena take your role, your stage is set.
The town is safe again tonight.

Hyena (I see the changes man)
Hyena (Goin' on 'cross the room)
Hyena (God knows you're doin' that, don't you?)

Hyena's sister, look to your hand.
Many serve communal interest.
She'll tell you when and where and how and why you'd hurt
A beautiful young lady.

Hyena (I see the changes man)
Hyena (Goin' on 'cross the room)
Hyena (God knows you're doin' that, don't you?)

The only thing to fear is fearlessness.
The bigger the weapon the greater the fear.
Hyena is ambassador to -- here.

Night time fell like the closing --
Meager pay, but recognition.
Hyena crawls on his belly out.
The town is safe again tonight.

Hyena (I see the changes, man)
Hyena (Goin' on 'cross the room)
Hyena (I see my road ahead)
Hyena (Don't know if I should stay)
Hyena (I see you holding him,)
Hyena (and all that I've cried through)
Hyena (And I know she's doin' that, don't you?)



UNDERNEATH THE BUNKER

I will hide and you will hide
And we shall hide together dear
Underneath the bunkers in the zoo.

I have water I have rum
Wait for dawn and dawn shall come
Underneath the bunkers in the zoo.



THE FLOWERS OF GUATEMALA

I took a picture that I'll have to send.
People here are friendly and content.
People here are colorful and bright.
The flowers often bloom at night.

Amanita is the name:
The flowers cover everything.
The flowers cover everything.

There's something here I find hard to ignore.
There's something that I've never seen before.
Amanita is the name: they cover over everything.

The flowers cover everything
They cover over everything (Amanita is the name.)
The flowers cover everything

Don't look into the sun...
Don't look into the sun...

There's something that I've never seen before.
The flowers often bloom at night.
Amanita is the name: they cover over everything.



I BELIEVE

When I was young and full of grace
I spirited a rattlesnake.
When I was young and fever fell
My spirit -- I will not tell.
You're on your honor not to tell.

I believe in coyotes and time as an abstract.
Explain the change, the difference between
What you want and what you need: there's the key.
Your adventure for today, what do you do
Between the horns of the day?

I believe
my shirt is wearing thin.
And change is what I believe in.

When I was young and give and take
And foolish, said, my fool awake
When I was young and fever fell
My spirit -- I will not tell.
You're on your honor, on your honor --

Trust in your calling, make sure your calling's true.
Think of others, the others will think of you.
Silly rule, golden words make practice,
practice makes perfect, perfect is a fault,
and fault lines change.

I believe
my humor's wearing thin.
And change is what I believe in.

I believe
my shirt is wearing thin.
And change is what I believe in.

When I was young and full of grace
and spirited a rattlesnake.
When I was young and fever fell
My spirit -- I will not tell.
You're on your honor, on your honor....
I believe in example.
I believe my throat hurts.
Example is the checker to the key.

I believe
my humor's wearing thin.
And I believe the poles are shifting.

I believe
my shirt is wearing thin.
And change is what I believe in.


WHAT IF WE GIVE IT AWAY?

On the outside, underneath the wall
All the money couldn't buy.
You're mistaken. No one's standing there.
For the record, no one tried.

Oh, I tried to...
What if we give it away?

Overlooking with a hollow eye.
What's pretended isn't right.
Eye for order, a hand for what's in line.
Couldn't follow, couldn't write.

Oh, I tried to...
What if we give it away?

And our life is fine here.
Stitch it on your tie here.

Here's the trailer, Tom.
A year has come and gone.
We're not moving. Was it right?
Take the order. Sew it on your tie.
We couldn't follow, couldn't try.



JUST A TOUCH

Well what in the world? Women in black.
Don't you remember? Send us back.
A day in the life. Well nobody laughed.
Look to the days, how long can this last?

Kevin heard it on the radio.
Hugh informed word of mouth.
Carla read it in the news.
Caught it all -- "Just a touch."

You set the pace of what's to come.
I have to carry on, now that you're gone.
A day in the life. Well nobody laughed.
Look to the days, how long can this last.

There's someone in our dreams,
In our preassembled dream.
Lord! Dave! William! Ahhh...

Well what in the world? Women in black.
Don't you remember, send us towering past, back.
A day in the life. Well nobody laughed.
Look to the days, how long can this last?

I can't see where to worship Popeye, love Al Green...
I can't see...
I'm so young, I'm so goddamn young!



SWAN SWAN H

Swan, swan, hummingbird.
Hurrah, we are all free now.
What noisy cats are we.
Girl and dog he bore his cross.
Swan swan hummingbird
Hurrah, we are all free now.
A long, low time ago. People talk to me.

Johnny Reb what's the price of fans?
Forty apiece or three for one dollar?
Hey Captain don't you want to buy
Some bone chains and toothpicks?

Night wings, her hair chains.
Here's your wooden greenback, sing.
Wooden beams and dovetail, sweep.
I struck that picture ninety times.
I walked that path a hundred nine --
A long, low time ago. People talk to me.

A pistol, hot cup of rhyme.
The whiskey is water, the water is wine.
Marching beat, Johnny Reb, what's the price of heroes?

Six and one half dozen the other.
Tell that to the captain's mother.
Hey Captain don't you want to buy
Some bone chains and toothpicks?

Night wings, her hair chains.
Swan, swan, hummingbird.
Hurrah, we are all free now.
What noisy cats are we.
Long, low time ago, people talk to me.
A pistol, hot cup of rhyme,
The whiskey is water, the water is wine.



SUPERMAN (The Clique)

I am Superman and I know what's happening.
I am Superman and I can do anything.

You don't really love that guy you make it with now do you?
I know you don't love that guy cause I can see right through you.

If you go a million miles away I'll track you down girl.
Trust me when I say I know the pathway to your heart.


All lyrics (c) I.R.S. and Berry/Buck/Mills/Stipe, published by Nightgarden Music (BMI). Reproduced here for strictly non-commercial use.

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