Buildings And Bridges

buildings and bridges are made to bend in the wind. to withstand the world, that's what it takes. all that steel and stone is no match for the air, my friend. what doesn't bend, breaks. what doesn't bend, breaks. we are made to bleed and scab and heal and bleed again and turn every scar into a joke. we are made to fight and fuck and talk and fight again and sit around and laugh until we choke. sit around and laugh until we choke. i don't know who you were expecting probably some bitch who does not budge with eyes the size of snow. i may get pissed off sometimes, but you seem like the type to hold a grudge and in the end, i just let go... buildings and bridges are made to bend in the wind. to withstand the world, that's what it takes. all that steel and stone is no match for the air, my friend. what doesn't bend breaks what doesn't bend breaks.

Out of Range

just the thought of our bed makes me crumble like the plaster where you punched the wall beside my bed. and i try to draw the line, but it ends up running down the middle of me most of the time. boys get locked up in some prison. girls get locked up in some house, and it don't matter if it's a warden or a lover or a spouse. you just can't talk to 'em. you just can't reason. you just can't leave, and you just can't please 'em. i was locked into being my mother's daughter. i was just eating bread and water, thinking nothing ever changes. and i was shocked to see the mistakes of each generation will just fade like a radio station if you drive out of range. if you're not angry, you're just stupid or you don't care. how else can you react when you know something's so unfair? the men of the hour can kill half the world in war. make them slaves to a super power and let them die poor. i was locked into being my mother's daughter. i was just eating bread and water, thinking nothing ever changes. and i was shocked to see the mistakes of each generation will just fade like a radio station if you drive out of range. just the thought of our bed makes me crumble like the plaster where you punched the wall beside my bed. and i try to draw the line, but it ends up running down the middle of me most of the time. baby, i love you. that's why i'm leaving. there's no talking to you and there's no pleasing you. and i care enough that i'm mad that half the world don't even know what they could have had. i was locked into being my mother's daughter. i was just eating bread and water, thinking nothing ever changes. and i was shocked to see the mistakes of each generation will just fade like a radio station if you drive out of range.

Letter To A John

don't ask me why i'm crying. i'm not going to tell you what's wrong. i'm just gonna sit on your lap for five dollars a song. i want you to pay me for my beauty. i think it's only right, 'cause i have been paying for it all of my life. i'm gonna take the money i make i'm gonna take the money i make. i'm gonna take the money i make and i'm gonna go away... we barely have time to react in this world, let alone rehearse. and i don't think i'm better than you, but i don't think that i'm worse. women learn to be women and men learn to be men. and i don't blame it all on you but i don't want to be your friend. i'm gonna take the money i make. i'm gonna take the money i make. i'm gonna take the money i make and i'm gonna go away... i was eleven years old. he was as old as my dad and he took something from me i didn't even know that i had. so don't tell me about decency. don't tell me about pride. just give me something for my trouble, 'cause this time, it's not a free ride. i'm gonna take the money i make i'm gonna take the money i make i'm gonna take the money i make and i'm gonna go away... don't ask me why i'm crying. i'm not going to tell you what's wrong. i'm just gonna sit on your lap for five dollars a song. i want you to pay me for my beauty. i think it's only right, 'cause i have been paying for it all of my life. now i just wanna take, and i'm just gonna take. i'm gonna take, and i'm gonna go away.

Hell Yeah

life is a b movie. it's stupid and it's strange. a directionless story and the dialogue is lame. but in the "he said, she said," sometimes there's some poetry if you turn your back long enough and let it happen naturally. oh, yeah. hell yeah. i got a face like a limp handshake. hair like an accident scene. i've been waking up slowly savoring the same old dream. and somewhere between the folds of your memory i was sleeping soundly. oh, yeah. hell yeah. 'cause i like you, but i know you don't know it i like you so much. i talk to everyone but you, and i wonder what you would think of this little number. i wonder what you would say if you knew. if you don't ask the right questions, every answer seems wrong. i was a terrible waitress, so i started to write songs. and i don't know how i feel, but i wonder if you feel like me. do you ever get wrapped up in the folds of my memory? oh, yeah. hell, yeah. 'cause i like you, but i know you don't know it i like you so much i talk to everyone but you and i wonder what you would think of this little number yeah i wonder what you would say if you knew. there's a river of people that runs past my eyes, and it's beautiful enough just to watch it go by. but the trouble with water is she'll always leave you for gravity. i never even told you i had a crush on you or anything. oh, yeah. hell yeah. life is a b movie. it's stupid and it's strange. a directionless story and the dialogue is lame. but in the "he said, she said," sometimes there's some poetry if you turn your back long enough and let it happen naturally. oh, yeah. hell yeah.

How Have You Been

you could always hear the rub squeaking of those two tree limbs 'til one day one of them came down, taken down by the wind. but on the one that's still there you can still see where the bark was rubbed bare. it's a metaphor if you know what i mean. how have you been? me and you and your girlfriend makes three. in the interest of even numbers, i will make myself scarce. i will make myself scarcely me, but i'll be outside your window at night. pull up your shades, leave on your light. i don't want to come in between. i just want to know, how have you been? i leave for a living. music's just something i do on my way out the door, and i'd do almost anything once. something about you i think i'd do you more. if i had my way, i'd stay here and watch your hair grow for a while. it makes me smile just to dream of it. how have you been?

Overlap

search your profile for a translation. i study the conversation like a map. 'cause i know there is strength in the differences between us, and i know there is comfort where we overlap. come here. stand in front of the light. stand still so i can see your silhouette. i hope you have got all night 'cause i'm not done looking. no, i'm not done looking yet. each one of us wants a piece of the action. you can hear it in what we say. you can see it in what we do. we negotiate with chaos for some sense of satisfaction. if you won't give it to me, at least give me a better view. i build each one of my songs out of glass so you can see me inside of them, i suppose. or you could just leave the image of me in the background, i guess and watch your own reflection superimposed. i build each one of my days out of hope and i give that hope your name. and i don't know you that well, but it don't take much to tell. either you don't have the balls. or you don't feel the same. i search your profile for a translation. i study the conversation like a map. 'cause i know there is strength in the differences between us, and i know there is comfort where we overlap.

Face Up And Sing

some guy tried to rub up against me in a crowded subway car. some guy tried to feed me some stupid line in some stupid bar. i see the same shit everyday. the landscape looks so bleak. i think i'll take the first one of you home that does something unique. some chick says thank you for saying all the things i never do. i say the thanks i get is to take all the shit for you. it's nice that you listen, it'd be nicer if you joined in. as long as you play their game girl, you're never going to win. today i just want someone to entertain me. i'm tired of being so fierce. i'm tired of being so friendly. you don't have to be a supermodel to do the animal thing. you don't have to be a supergenius to open your face up and sing. somebody do something, anything soon. i know i can't be the only whatever i am in the room, so why am i so lonely? why am i so tired? i need company. i need backup. i need to be inspired.

Falling Is Like This

you give me that look that's like laughing with liquid in your mouth. like you're choosing between choking and spitting it all out. like you're trying to fight gravity on a planet that insists that love is like falling. and falling is like this. feels like reckless driving when we're talking. it's fun while it lasts, and it's faster than walking. but no one's going to sympathize when we crash. they'll say "you hit what you head for, you get what you ask." and we'll say we didn't know, we didn't even try one minute. there was road beneath us, the next just sky. i'm sorry i can't help you. i cannot keep you safe. i'm sorry i can't help myself. so don't look at me that way. we can't fight gravity on a planet that insists that love is like falling. and falling is like this.

Out Of Range

just the thought of our bed makes me crumble like the plaster where you punched the wall beside my bed. and i try to draw the line, but it ends up running down the middle of me most of the time. boys get locked up in some prison. girls get locked up in some house, and it don't matter if it's a warden or a lover or a spouse. you just can't talk to 'em. you just can't reason. you just can't leave, and you just can't please 'em. i was locked into being my mother's daughter. i was just eating bread and water, thinking nothing ever changes. and i was shocked to see the mistakes of each generation will just fade like a radio station if you drive out of range. if you're not angry, you're just stupid or you don't care. how else can you react when you know something's so unfair? the men of the hour can kill half the world in war. make them slaves to a super power and let them die poor. i was locked into being my mother's daughter. i was just eating bread and water, thinking nothing ever changes. and i was shocked to see the mistakes of each generation will just fade like a radio station if you drive out of range. just the thought of our bed makes me crumble like the plaster where you punched the wall beside my bed. and i try to draw the line, but it ends up running down the middle of me most of the time. baby, i love you. that's why i'm leaving. there's no talking to you and there's no pleasing you. and i care enough that i'm mad that half the world don't even know what they could have had. i was locked into being my mother's daughter. i was just eating bread and water, thinking nothing ever changes. and i was shocked to see the mistakes of each generation will just fade like a radio station if you drive out of range.

You Had Time

how can i go home with nothing to say? i know you're going to look at me that way and say "what did you do out there, and what did you decide?" you said you needed time and you had time. you are a china shop and i am a bull. you are really good food and i am full. i guess everything is timing. i guess everything's been said. so i am coming home with an empty head. you'll say, "did they love you or what?" and i'll say, "they love what i do. the only one who really loves me is you" and you'll say, "girl, did you kick some butt?" and i'll say "i don't really remember, but my fingers are sore and my voice is too." you'll say, "it's really good to see you." you'll say, "i missed you horribly." you'll say, "let me carry that. give that to me." and you will take the heavy stuff and you will drive the car. and i'll look out the window and make jokes about the way things are. how can i go home with nothing to say? i know you're going to look at me that way and say "what did you do out there, and what did you decide?" you said you needed time and you had time.

If He Tries Anything

i'm invincible, so are you. we do all the things they say we can't do. we walk around in the middle of the night. and if it's too far to walk, we just hitch a ride. we got rings of dirt around our necks. we talk like auctioneers and we bounce like checks. we smell like shit. still, when we walk down the street, all the boys line up to throw themselves at our feet. i say, "i think he likes you". you say, "i think he do too". go and get him girl, before he gets you. i'll be watching you from the wings. i will come to your rescue if he tries anything. it's a long, long road. it's a big, big world. we are wise, wise women. we are giggling girls. we both carry a smile to show when we're pleased. we both carry a switchblade in our sleeves. tell you one thing, i'm gonna make noise when i go down. for ten square blocks they're gonna know i died. all the goddesses will come up to the ripped screen door and say, "what do you want, dear?" and i'll say, "i want inside." i say, "i think he likes you". you say, "i think he do too". go and get him girl, before he gets you. i'll be watching you from the wings. i will come to your rescue if he tries anything.

The Diner

i'm calling from the diner, the diner on the corner. i ordered two coffees, one is for you. i was hoping you'd join me 'cause i ain't go no money and i really miss you. i should mention that too. yes, i know what time it is. in fact, i just checked. i even know the date and the month and the year. i know i haven't been sleeping, and when i do i just dream of you dear. i miss watching you drool on your pillow. i miss watching you pull on your clothes. i miss listening to you in the bathroom flushing the toilet, blowing your nose. i'm calling from the diner, the diner on the corner. i ordered two coffees, one is for you. the cups are so close. the steam is rising in one stream. how are you? i think you're the least fucked up person i've ever met. and that may be as close to the real thing as i'm ever gonna get. but my quarter's gonna run out now or so i'm told. i guess i'd better go sit down and wait for you til my coffee gets cold.