1. |
Hell's Hotel
03:48
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[Verse 1]
An ambulance pulls up to a glass house
Where a medic finds Mickey with Minnie Mouse
Next to ghost of Lincoln who doesn't have a pulse
Miss Liberty cries in the corner
[Verse 2]
Sharp headed men move in with the sheikh
With delusions of grandeur they take their seat
Next to Bonnie the Thief who swindles so sweet
For the kings in suits with gold watches
[Chorus]
I was dreamin' in the lobby but woke up in hell
Tried to escape this nightmare spell
But the devil laughed and said
"There ain't no leaving my hotel
My hotel
Hell's Hotel"
[Verse 3]
They're singin' the blues from the bayou on down
Cuz the science man was replaced with the class clown
Who says, "you'll be fine, water can't make you drown"
While stuffing more green in his pockets
[Verse 4]
The news came on with an urgent report
Forget your jobs and savings, John Smith's going to build a fort
Walls made of gold and jewels of sorts
To protect from our greedy neighbors
[Chorus]
I was dreamin' in the lobby but woke up in hell
Tried to escape this nightmare spell
But the devil laughed and said
"There ain't no leaving my hotel
My hotel
Hell's Hotel"
[Verse 5]
The Head of the Schools came in with a bang
Tore down the flag, Hail the Queen she sang
Then taught history of plunder through Emmanuel's gang
But no one could understand her Russian
[Verse 6]
The sheriff's in town waging war on the poor
For stealing his job selling guns at the toy store
While the chiefs protect their last four acres or so
From a species of invasive monkeys
[Chorus]
"So, listen here, kid, I'm doing fine in hell
Ain't no escaping this nightmare spell
Cuz I'm the goddamn devil
And their ain't no leaving my hotel
My hotel
Hell's Hotel"
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2. |
Broken Elevator
03:38
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[Verse 1]
You walk through that door
Not even sure what you came here for
Now the whole world’s keeping score
Hands you a mop, you were made to be poor
[Chorus]
We’ve got a broken elevator
Can’t catch the perpetrator
Got a broken elevator
It won’t be long till we settle the score
[Verse 2]
You fought the last desert war
Came back with ringin' they told you to ignore
Still the same Baltimore
Just as worn as you were before
[Chorus]
We’ve got a broken elevator
Can’t catch the perpetrator
Got a broken elevator
Won’t be long till we settle the score
[Bridge]
Ooo Ooo Ooo-o Ooo-o-o
Ooo Ooo Ooo-o Ooo-o-o
[Verse 3]
They’ve got you drillin’ off shore
Told you freedom we need to restore
Watch for the cracks in the floor
They’ll take of you just like the last four
[Chorus]
We’ve got a broken elevator
Can’t catch the perpetrator
Got a broken elevator
It won’t be long till we settle the score
Broken elevator
It won’t be long till we settle the score
[Outro]
Ooo Ooo Ooo-o Ooo-o-o
Ooo Ooo Ooo-o Ooo-o-o
Yeah Yeah, Yeah Yeah, Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah
Yeah Yeah Yeah Ye-a-ah
Yeah Yeah, Yeah Yeah, Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah
Yeah Yeah Yeah Ye-a-ah
Got a broken elevator
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3. |
Redcoats
02:18
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[Verse 1]
He shines the barrel of his forty-five
The sun is shining down on people outside
He lied to himself and his mother will cry
But he’s only got seven more
He walked with a limp since the sixth grade
They laughed and sneered, a clown on parade
Now he sits in his room with the rage he made
With the pieces laying ‘cross the floor
[Verse 2]
He was on his knees his heart lost in song
A child on the way, oh, it wouldn’t be long
Tiny feet beside, they were singing along
Prayin’ peace till the peace was gone
Joy filled the pews as the people swayed
Till dark ripped through, evil serenade
They prayed for the end but the crying remained
Till there was nothing to cry for
[Chorus]
The Redcoats aren’t coming anymore anymore
The Redcoats aren’t coming anymore
The Redcoats aren’t coming anymore anymore
So what are these guns for?
[Verse 3]
How many brothers have to lose their lives?
We’ve got motherless children and fatherless wives
You talk to the heavens and they showed you a sign
But is their crying easy to ignore?
[Chorus]
The Redcoats aren’t coming anymore anymore
The Redcoats aren’t coming anymore
The Redcoats aren’t coming anymore anymore
So what are these guns for?
So what are these guns for?
So what are these guns for?
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4. |
Gonna Try to Love You
03:49
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[Verse 1]
There's a little part of me
And a little part of you
That are painful reflections
Like we know each other's truth
It's hard to give you love
When you're lost and you don't care
So I clench my jaw instead
And leave this broken stare
But that ain’t got us anywhere
[Chorus]
So I’m gonna try to love you
And I’m gonna to try to hold you
So I’m gonna try to love you
And I’m gonna try to hold you
Cuz loving you is all that's left to do
[Verse 2]
I know he tried to show me
But he had never known that love
So we left these broken shadows
Swept time under the rug
But I keep trying to win this
Like it will ever soothe my soul
But this trail of no amends
Has left me dark and cold
But I don’t wanna do that anymore
[Chorus]
So I’m gonna try to love you
And I’m gonna to try to hold you
So I’m gonna try to love you
And I’m gonna try to hold you
[Bridge]
There's shards of broken glass
I keep letting people down
But I say it's for the better
While I straighten out my crown
Cuz I'm not scared of anything
Gonna climb this lonely tree
Like salvation's at the top
But it's only you and me
[Chorus]
So I’m gonna try to love you
And I’m gonna to try to hold you
So I’m gonna try to love you
And I’m gonna try to hold you
So I’m gonna try to love me
And I’m gonna try to show me
Cuz loving me is all that's left to do
Cuz loving me is all that's left to do
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5. |
Bombshelter Blues
03:02
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[Verse 1]
A madman’s got the deal
He's tryin’ to fool us now
Got nothing left to steal
But the crying sounds
In walks Mrs. Valentine
With her cabaret
And the union miners
Who have nothing left to pray
A brewer and an artist
They're unsure what it means
They tell the weary masses
‘Tis nothing but a dream
[Chorus]
Donny’s on the trigger
He’s had too much booze
Johnny’s playing darts
But he always lose
So I’m diggin’ down
Singin’ the bombshelter blues
[Verse 2]
Colluding in the corner
Are Shakespeare and his gang
Writing messy love affairs
While the waitress eats her ring
Sticking up the joint
Are a banker and a nun
The green-nosed politician
Thinks it’s just for fun
The general and the sheriff
Are playin’ blind man’s bluff
Shootin’ at the dark
Think Fredrick’s had enough
[Chorus]
Donny’s on the trigger
He’s had too much booze
Johnny’s playing darts
But he always lose
So I’m diggin’ down
Singin’ the bombshelter blues
[Verse 3]
There was a fire in the kitchen
But cooks were all thrown out
The DJ spins his disks
He knows what it’s about
The level-headed carpenter
Is nailed to his truth
Says gin’s his new religion
Drops sun in his vermouth
The critic and the author
They’re lost out in the woods
Where Smokey lights a match
It all ends like it should
[Chorus]
Donny’s on the trigger
He’s had too much booze
Johnny’s playing darts
But he always lose
I’m diggin’ down
Singin’ the bombshelter
I’m diggin’ down
Singin’ the bombshelter
I’m diggin’ down
Singin’ the bombshelter blues
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6. |
Brought Our Stones
01:53
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Big lawns and bigger houses
You own the sun
But you talk like hungry mouses
Stealing the last crumbs
You’re never gonna give up
You’re never gonna give up
You’re never gonna give
You’re gonna swim in green and gold
As long as you live
But my intuition tells me
You never did grow up
And even though you spit out hate
All you need is love
But for the time being
You wear the heavy crown
And trip over your riches
Like a spoiled little clown
Like two kids fighting in the castle
You try to play the knight
But you're the slimy dragon
And we brought our stones tonight
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7. |
The Black Snake
02:15
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[Verse 1]
Down the river rowed a mother
Holding her only child
She told him of the birds and the fish
How they used to make her smile
She painted plains full of color
A past sunny and bright
The warmth of the sun
How the stars they shone at night
[Verse 2]
There she saw it coming
How long would this hunger last
On the banks of the Black Snake
Grew a greenish patch of grass
But the clouds of smoke they thickened
Blocking their only light
She lit her tiny lantern
Hoping darkness she could fight
[Verse 3]
"To hell" she cursed those greedy men
Who played god for a while
Then she pulled him close again
Her last and only child
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8. |
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My hands are numb just waitin’ for my train to come
My hopes are numb just waitin’ for my train to come
Ain’t nothing out there, my dear, I know that can’t be done
My hands are numb just waitin’ for my train to come
I keep on tryin’ to love with this heart of mine
Try to give to you ‘fore I go and meet my time
I know this love I’m lookin’ for can sure be hard to find
So I’ll keep on tryin’ with this heart of mine
Now I just hope that I can be a better man
My daddy showed me half of who I am
This dirt and lust and pain it must be part of a bigger plan
I just hope that I can be a better man
Now I’ve done wrong I hope I can set it right
At the break of dawn I’ll be gone with the morning light
Gonna fight for all those tired folks that ain’t got time to fight
Now I’ve done wrong I hope I can set it right
My hands are numb just waitin’ for my train to come
My hopes are numb just waitin’ for my train to come
Ain’t nothing out there, my dear, I know that can’t be done
My hands are numb just waitin’ for my train to come
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9. |
||||
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[Verse 1]
Two streets to grandma's house this wasn't black on black
Church choirs singing 'bout ancient artifacts
Jimmy Crow rides over with his pistol whip brigade
The mayor sleeps in peace with his red haired chambermaid
The Dean of Everything slips the chief a silver NDA
White collar renaissance at Smith & Wesson's hood parade
Green-minded book smiths deal diplomas under wraps
The summer courts are empty but the judge’s room is packed
[Chorus]
This isn't black on black
This isn't black on black
This isn't black on black
Oh oh oh
[Verse 2]
Golfing with the downtown crowd till the townies call the cops
They buried Malcolm X under their new parking lot
Raised up in mansions built by forbidden hands
The misinformed parishioners took back their stolen lands
The whitest underwriters built jail's cuz they're afraid to feel
While country singing divas copycat winning record deals
The first-rate second class citizens of lesser facts
Regurgitate Channel 55's rereading of Ayn Rand
This isn't black on black
This isn't black on black
This isn't black on black
Oh oh oh
Latadadada
[Verse 3]
Monumental monuments from Pinocchio's puppeteers
Sailing down through Salem carried by widowed witch's tears
But the segregating cousin of the late Farmer Brown
Stole the soul and sold the food that helped mama stick around
Now they washed the brain of Yeezy and painted Jesus light
But the facts must be the facts so we'll unpack 'em till the dead of night
[Chorus]
This isn't white on white
This isn't white on white
This isn't white on white
Oh oh oh
This isn't white on white
This isn't white on white
This isn't white on white
Oh oh oh
Latadadada
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10. |
Boys Will Be Boys
02:39
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Boys will be boys
Boys will be boys
Boys will be boys
But when, oh, when
When, oh, when
When, oh, when
Will we ask them to be men?
But when, oh, when
Will we tell them to be men?
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alex & the people Boston, Massachusetts
A son of immigrants who fled at midnight saving money under bathroom tiles. Given new life from strangers turned family and late nights cleaning hospital floors. We question, we push, we wrestle. We're stubborn and proud like the wrinkles on Yiayia's cheeks, but we soften and change. Culture runs deep, sorrow runs deep, love runs deep-brandy into the fire, a violin cries while the gypsies weep... ... more
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