The Last Few Years

It's raining downtown in the springtime, and the city lights are beautiful
and her eyes are glowing green
like an alibi
"be mine tonight," she said
it's pouring in your heart
i can see it now, as we wade through these crowds
it may be just a shower
but i'll matter to you
I swear I'll matter to you

I'll do my best
love
In this epilogue
to us

What if the next few years were like our last few,
would that change you at all?
If our next few days were like sitcom reruns,
would that change you at all?
If i don't wake up with you
            I won't know what to do at all
If i don't wake up breathing next to you

It's snowing hard outside in that little town I never got to bring you to.
Fires are burning through these Ashland streets, I swear everyone was waiting to meet you.
The city streets are on fire tonight
The city streets are on fire tonight
The city streets are on fire tonight
(and I can't wait to meet you)

I'll do my best
love
In this epilogue
to us

What if the next few years were like our last few,
would that change you at all?
If our next few days were like sitcom reruns,
would that change you at all?
If i don't wake up with you
            I won't know what to do at all
If i don't wake up breathing next to you

Take me to that bar - teach me to drink
(You could have taken me to that bar
to teach me to drink
we could have gone to that bar
to teach each other to drink so hard)
Take me to that bar, and teach me to drink
Take me to that bar, and teach me to drink so hard
Take me to that bar, and teach me to drink

What if the next few years were like our last few,
would that change you at all?
If our next few days were like sitcom reruns,
would that change you at all?
If i don't wake up with you
            I won't know what to do at all
If i don't wake up breathing next to you...

Last Call

we'd sit on the floor
on drunken sunday mornings
picking up pieces of puzzles off the floor
walking around and looking for our clothing
wondering,
just what happened the night before?

because
It hasn't been a party 'til you've called me a dick
and I've called you a whore

you make me wanna make
lampshades over my mind
from the feathers of wild turkeys
and so that's how i came to realize
we are all just ashes
throughout time
in those drunk cold decembers
here's to the fights
here's to the nights that we'll never remember

so tell me again, just what were you expecting?
we'd get breakfast at nine, then we'd catch the mid-day mass?
because all of your points and all of your words inflected
and all of your bitter statements have come to pass
makes me wonder,

did you really think that it was ok?

to make me wanna make
lampshades over my mind
from the feathers of wild turkeys
and so that's how i came to realize
we are all just ashes
throughout time
in those drunk cold decembers
here's to the fights
here's to the nights that we'll never remember

Constance (Angeline)

I saw you walking down the stairs
I stayed in the shadows so you wouldn't see me there
I saw you fall into the mirror again yesterday night
Don't give up without a fight

I saw you trip into the street
Lights never lit up for you, but they died for me
I saw you fall along the wayside yesterday night,
you gave up without a fight.

Angeline
Stay close to me
Angeline
Stay close to me

I saw your dad the other day,
drowning in his beer he didn't know what to say
I met your mom along that schoolyard yesterday night,
she said 'don't give up without a fight'

Angeline
Stay close to me
Angeline
Stay close to me

Angeline stay
Angeline stay so close to me
I could give you everything
Angeline stay
Angeline stay so close to me
I could give you everything you need
Angeline's falling and I
Angeline's falling and I
Angeline's falling and I don't know what I need

Angeline
Stay Close to me
Angeline
Stay close to me
Angeline
Stay close to me
Angeline
Stay close to me

Fires led me to your room
Where I found a tape of you still screaming at the moon
You said all of your drugs were gone
And you needed to find someone who could hook you up soon
            but now all your friends are gone
            And I know that I'm usually wrong...

But
I know where you went
I know where you went
I know where you went
and it's not your home

Indecision led me to that street
where I found your car and it was parked sideways
you swore that all of your love was gone
I wondered when it was that our life had become a cliche
            But all your friends are gone
            And I know that I'm usually wrong....
But
I know where you went
I know where you went
I know where you went
and it's not your home
                       
                        I spent all day in my bed
                        drinking filtered sunlight through pillows understand
                        This was never my intent
                        This was never something I expected to last

But I know where you went
       I know where you went
       I know where you went
and it's not your home
it's not your home
it's not your home

Robert Zemeckis

It's almost a new year,
I'll kick it into next gear
as I stay in between calendars
I'll sleep well knowing these hours are my sheets
Angeline said, "Don't worry about it now"
Jed claims his innocence
I claim incompetence
I guess that's how...

            On the way back home
            I knew I was afraid of myself
            On the way back home
            It's killing me, it's killing me
            On the way back home

I still have the same fears
I'll drown them in different beers
What would this calendar year say to me?
If only these moments could speak
Lisa said, "You might as well roll with it,
because everyone else left,
and you're no different"
           
            On the way back home
            I knew I was afraid of myself
            On the way back home
            It's killing me, it's killing me
            On the way back home

Sandy said no
Sandy said no
Sandy said no
Sandy said no
Sandy said you're full of shit
You're full of shit, so baby just go

            On the way back home
            I knew I was afraid of myself
            On the way back home
            It's killing me, it's killing me
            On the way back home

Memphis

Those small towns out in west Texas,
they never did shit for me.
And all those lost souls out in Memphis,
they need more soul delivery

All you snot-nosed whiney bastards
out in Santa Barbara stare
And take another shot of tequila
on your way to O'Hare

What would you say?
What made you think you'd get away?
Did you get away?

I think I lost you long before that,
somewhere stranded at a county fair.
You were looking for some talent playing on the sidestage
I could have told you it was never there

What would you say?
What made you think you'd get away?
What would you say?
What made you think you'd get away?
'Cause I got away

Cityscapes

How long has it been since I can remember your street?
I need to send you a letter to let you know that I found me.
Again.

How long has it been, since we lost touch?
I heard your smile is gone, but nobody says much
of anything at all

oh
This city is starving you
oh
We're all missing you

How long has it been since those days faded into weeks?
Because you never left my heart for a minute and I still feel everything that
we had.

How long has it been since those months faded into years?
I wish I could say I knew what to do now, but nothing seems so clear
anymore.

Oh
This city is starving you
Oh
We're all missing you

You lost your friends
Don't lose me tonight
You lost your friends
Don't lose me tonight
We loved so long for none of this to be right
You lost your friends

The Yard Sale

So let's start this sale with just one clearance item.
It'll do no harm to get this shit out of my wallet.
Or will it?
Let's start this night, let's start it off with just one kiss
The kind that could start a war, or the kind that could end it.
Don't end it.

I know I could do this right
I know I could really fuck this up before we hit the night
I know I could turn you on
I know I could really fuck this up before night turns to dawn

Start this party; start it off with a backbeat
Then get her in the room and then get her on her feet
Start this story - greet the city with this ending:
Love means so much, and rules are for bending...
There are no endings.

I know I could do this right
But I know I could really fuck this up before we hit the night
I know I  turn you on
But I know I could really fuck this up and sleep straight through a dawn

            The painting is wrapped in plastic. I say ‘is’ because it was in my most recent memory and they rarely visit the basement.  Beauty.  I think that's what I'd call that painting.  I think that's what I’d call Angeline’s room.  I think that's what I’d call Angeline. Honesty.  Honesty and beauty and friendship. Love. This isn't a love story, but this might be the most important thing I say: Don’t lie to those that you love. Don’t claim to love those who you don’t trust.

            So start a war
            So start a war
            So start a war
            So start a war
            So start a war
            So start a war

I know I could do this right
But I know I could really fuck this up before we hit the night
I know I  turn you on
But I know I could really fuck this up and sleep straight through a dawn