MYOPIA: CASSETTE 4-TRACK RECORDINGS
1991-1998 LYRICS
1. When I Get Bored
2. Another Bad Day
3. The Bass Guitar Song
4. One Day Closer
5. (Caught Up In Your ) Snare
6. Busted Pencil Lead
7. Now That You Are Gone
8. Just For You, Lucille (Oregon version)
9. Brad N.
10. Another Hour
11. Faith Like Iron
12. Sick of Eric Blues
13. Rivertown
14. Just For You, Lucille (Illinois version)
15. All Undone
16. Daylight Saving[s] Time
17. Out For A Cigarette
18. Song For Melanie Daniels
19. Soluble
20. When You're Away
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WHEN I GET BORED
when I get bored on weekdays
I am sure to go out walking
and I always bring my car along
when I get bored I sometimes
take a picture of your family
and I sometimes make it really small
when I get bored I slow down
and I look through my old phone books
and I check off all the “Tom”s I know
when I get bored I throw things
sand and leaves and chairs and boxes
then I line them all up in a row
when I get bored I wonder
if I am just unproductive
or if it’s okay to get so bored
when I get bored I feel like
everything I do is only killing time
so I don’t get so bored
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ANOTHER BAD DAY
can’t you see my love, don’t you understand
when you’re gone I feel so bad
tell you true my love, it’s only you my love
you hold my heart there in your hand
I take it all upon myself
I leave no room for no one else
this missing you is ruining my day
oh, it’s just another bad day
it ain’t something I can’t stand
it ain’t something I can’t take
it’s just another bad bad day
listen close my love, to the words I say
please don’t try to act surprised
you’ve known it all along, I’m really not that strong
you could see it in my eyes
my days go rushing by and by
if I could only find the time
I would let you know this misery I feel
I take it all upon myself
I leave no room for no one else
I know it’s no reason to cry
time will pass and we’ll be fine
I’ll survive another day
but inside I’m still afraid
that someday I’ll be drowning in my tears
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THE BASS GUITAR SONG
it was a sad, sad day
I thought it was the cable
or maybe my amp had finally died
I tried to play but wasn’t able
‘twas a problem I was not prepared to face
something was internally wrong with my bass
I could not play to save my soul
I could not play no rock and roll
I could not play no country or no blues
there was nothing I could do
I hear Aimee Mann
and I love what she plays
I hear Michael Been
I could listen all day
but they remind me of what I’ve got out of place
it’s tough to spend the day without my bass
Well, I don’t know much
about electrical guitars
you don’t need to know too much
to be a rock and roll star
so now I’ve got to put it in its case
and search for someone who can fix my bass
And then from way down in my soul
I’ll be playing rock and roll
I’ll be playing country and blues
yeah, I will play for you
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ONE DAY CLOSER
I have waited all my life for someone to hold on to
now your picture’s on my wall, the hours pass me by
I’m on a rollercoaster ride all because of you
I sit here staring at the clock, I watch the day go by
another day has ended
another day I made it through
I am waiting for the sunset
one day closer to you
the sun rises in the morning, it shines in through my window
I’m am turning in my sleep, I open up my eyes
yeah, I’m watching all the people, I wonder if they know?
I go out into the street wearing my disguise
another day has started
another day to make it through
I am waiting for the sunset
one day closer to you
in the quiet of the morning someday you’ll be with me
all of my loneliness will be lost to history
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(CAUGHT UP IN YOUR) SNARE
back then I was just some loser playing in a basement band
now I feel just like an artist with these brushes in my hands
you have given me a weapon, no this ain’t some children’s toy
now you know I’m yours forever – your little drummer boy
you gotta know, yeah, I gotta share
I gotta say, I’m caught up in your snare
yeah, I know it’s midnight, but I don’t care
you gotta know, I’m caught up in your snare
you can understand the cymbals/symbols that all this employs
there are times for being silent, there are times for making noise
I can vent this vicious feeling of busting someone’s head
I won’t play the fool no more – I will play a fill instead
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BUSTED PENCIL LEAD
she loves me and she’s reading my love letters
and she believes that she’s my only one
but if she could read what I’ve been thinking
she’d be the saddest girl under the sun
and I’m trying to love her only
but I’m loving you instead
and I’m trying to write her letters
with a busted pencil lead
I send her letters every single morning
to where she waits a thousand miles away
I’m kissing you every single evening
knowing that my heart has gone astray
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NOW THAT YOU ARE GONE
now that you are gone and I’m here all alone
wondering what you’re doing now, the why and how
are you crying too?
I see your clothes of lace, remembering your face
I walk down through these empty halls, these lifeless walls
call out for you
and if I only had an hour left to live
an hour left to live
I’d spend it in your arms tonight
by candlelight and slip away
we’d drift through sands of time
our bodies and our minds
for one eternal day
the sky is crying, too, the clouds wash out the dew
the city fell in love with you, as I did, too
I need you so
I feel you in my bed, your voice inside my head
I see you making tea, just you and me
my honeybee
and if I only had an hour left to live
one final thing to give
I spend it in your arms tonight
and hold you tight and drift away
we’d hold the hands of time
our bodies and our minds
for one eternal day
______________________________________
JUST FOR YOU, LUCILLE
waste another day waiting for your call
pace across the floor again
wall to wall to wall
will you keep your promises to me?
will you keep your word?
I don’t even know what to believe
will you keep your promises to me?
trapped inside my own house
just for you, Lucille
hold my breath, bored and alone
just for you, Lucille
all else is secondary
just for you, Lucille
all for you now
just for you, Lucille
can you now remember
or am I just another face?
am I just a loser
in this losing race?
can you give me Hollywood nights?
can you take me there?
can you put my name up in lights?
can you give me Hollywood nights?
________________________________________
BRAD N.
hey brad n. smokin cigarettes
brad n. at the pond
see brad n. with his brother
dippin all day long
brad n.
hey brad n. noisy muffler boy
brad n. take a jump
see brad n. with his bb gun
scroungin at the dump
brad n.
seven houses down
red dirt on the ground
three miles out of town
seven houses down
hey brad n. shack the schoolbus
brad n. goin far
see brad n. in his ozzy shirt
throwin rocks at cars
brad n.
______________________________________
ANOTHER HOUR
I put on my glasses and I twist my eyes
empty paper and an empty mind
if I knew what I was doing I could get it on the page
but the paper’s just turning yellow with age
there goes another hour
another dumb line born
a broken pencil, a paper torn
scratch through another word
sentences gone sour
there goes another hour
it’s either feast or famine, and I’m starving now
can’t move the pen, I don’t remember how
I got less than when I started, crossing out what I’ve begun
time flies by when nothing’s getting done
I try too hard to make it come out right
say it another way for the 26th night
correctness ain’t my nature, I write wrongs across the page
but the paper’s just turning yellow with age
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FAITH LIKE IRON
grandma’s got a stupid hat with colored balls around the brim
she tends those flowers like there’s no tomorrow
she’s a fragile woman with a faith like iron
Christopher, he knows his math, lists of multiples and factors
solving each equation, finding correct answers
he’s sharp as a razor with a faith like iron
my baby is distracting when she wears her tight black dress
sometimes when she writes me, she writes her letters all in red
she’s a pretty girl with a faith like iron
people that I know with a faith like iron
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SICK OF ERIC BLUES
he’s been a living legend since 1967
he got himself a grammy for “Tears in Heaven”
there’s a zillion people who bought his Greatest Hits CD
but there ain’t much about him that appeals to me
he’s like 60 years old, he’s dating younger women
he’s out on the town with Uma Thurman
I’m so tired of seeing him on the entertainment news
I’ve got the “I’m freakin’ sick of Eric Clapton” blues
I liked “Lay Down Sally” yeah, that was okay
but that’s about all the Clapton that I can take
no more “Sunshine of your love” no more “Wonderful Tonight” please
If I hear those songs again I’m gonna steer my car into a tree
My baby called me up, she said Clapton was in town
she said “After midnight we’re gonna let it all hang out!”
I said “I’m so sorry, baby, I just cannot get enthused.”
I’ve got the “I’m freakin’ sick of Eric Clapton” blues
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RIVERTOWN
those four months they came and went
longest months I ever spent
she and I on different ground
time alone in Rivertown
payphone in the lower hall
wondering if I’ll sleep at all
sunrise cold at 6AM
up and down and back again
oh, Rivertown, one with her and one with me
oh, Rivertown, soaked in all these memories
pray to Jesus for assistance
in between us quite a distance
memorizing every line
every number, every sign
one last time I cross this bridge
with the water down below
one more day in Rivertown alone/seems like this is all we’ve ever known
truest words we ever said
cold along the river’s edge
bitter autumn evening sky
icy water rushing by
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JUST FOR YOU, LUCILLE
waste another day waiting for your call
pace across the floor again
wall to wall to wall
will you keep your promises to me?
will you keep your word?
I don’t even know what to believe
will you keep your promises to me?
trapped inside my own house
just for you, Lucille
hold my breath, bored and alone
just for you, Lucille
all else is secondary
just for you, Lucille
all for you now
just for you, Lucille
can you now remember
or am I just another face?
am I just a loser
in this losing race?
can you give me Hollywood nights?
can you take me there?
can you put my name up in lights?
can you give me Hollywood nights?
______________________________________
ALL UNDONE
yellow dress, October day
barefoot on the railroad tracks
yellow ribbon pulled away
your hair falling down your back
all undone, you know and I know
all undone
heavy jacket closing tight
bitter autumn falling fast
watch you in the fading light
lay my jacket on the grass
whisper to me on the ground
throw my calendar away
scattered paper all around
every plan I ever made
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DAYLIGHT SAVING[S] TIME
I like daylight saving[s] time
I like when it’s dark at five
who wants to watch the news when the sun is shining
well, I guess that might be alright
daylight saving[s] time, it really saves the day
daylight saving[s] time, how I wish you’d stay
I like to sleep that extra hour
I like to gain an hour in bed
I know I’ll lose it when the Springtime rolls around
but I’d rather deal with it then
______________________________________
OUT FOR A CIGARETTE
we all got our problems
we all try to deal
people try to figure out
the way they feel
some of them start crying
others take it slow
some folks pray to God above
other people go
out for a cigarette
out for a smoke
out for a cigarette
find your way to cope
some things hold us back a bit
some things pull us through
whatever works for me
whatever works for you
see them all around you
every place I know
reaching in their pockets
watch them as they go
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SONG FOR MELANIE DANIELS
little rich girl, young and pretty
driving north away from the city
sixty miles to look for love
with the open sky above
you know what you want and you get your way
sailing out across the bay
you and your cage, almost there
and there’s something in the air
so tell me, what are you thinking now?
all this trouble, is it worth a try?
are you getting what you bargained for
underneath the sky?
hear the screaming in the skies
there’s a man with empty eyes
another day in that green dress
you’re the damsel in distress
watching that powerline, children cry
light a smoke and stay inside
you’re so beautiful, you’re so fair
even when you’re scared
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SOLUBLE
I met a girl working the crane controls
I asked her about my salt
she said it was soluble
I met a man down at the gravel pit
I pointed down at the sand
he said it was soluble
I met the queen there by the castle gate
I asked her for her name
she said it was soluble
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WHEN YOU’RE AWAY
I am so tired, don’t know what to do
slept on the ceiling ‘til noon
now you expect me to clear my eyes
talk all day with you
everytime I think I’m going to leave
I end up staying too late
time goes by slowly when no one’s home
just for you I wait
when you’re away
watch out the window
my bed isn’t made, oh
wait for a reason to come to my mind
am I just wasting my time?