Crooked Books

•

She never bothered with me 
Just shackled her reins and heart 
To the same damn car that she left 
To me a mistake, one of many I bet 

The flame should have went out with the cold 
Still sing in the pews of her choir 
Throwing fuel to fire 
She's melting my heart till it breaks, one of many I bet 

So let me down before I settle 
Into this snare that I've prepared to be alone 

Help burn these crooked books that never 
Taught me how to be a man 
All my thoughts like paintings on the wall 
That always seemed to look much better before honesty began 
To meddle softly when I met her 

Help me keep from falling apart 
Since when has a road I took 
Ever taught me to look for the brakes 
Still leading the chase won't admit it, I guess 

The same would happen now if she left 
I'd still be as star-eyed and dumb but a hero to some 
Still singing my part that I miss you 
Still blowing my kiss through the wind and rain 

So let me down before I settle 
Into this snare that I've prepared to be alone 

Help burn these crooked books that never 
Taught me how to be a man 
All my thoughts like paintings on the wall 
That always seemed to look much better before honesty began 
To meddle softly when I met her 

But if I fall remind me 
The saddest years behind me 
Wasted and lost to be alone 
Whatever comes and goes 
Just let old fears control them 
Safe in my thoughts and never told 

Help burn these crooked books that never 
Taught me how to be a man 
All my thoughts like paintings on the wall 
That always seemed to look much better before honesty began 
To meddle softly when I met her

I'm Fine

•

You don't have to be here 
You don't have to see to know 
I'm doing just the same as when you go 
Standing where you left me in your dust and feeling low 
Doing nothing big comported to you 

But have no fear for me 
Take your tears and leave 

When will you believe that I'm fine 
When will you believe that I'm alright 
There's absolutely nothing I'm trying to hide 
As bad as you wish I were lying 

Never called to see you 
Still you're calling me to say 
Lose your number, lost it anyway 
You don't have to tell me 
That I'm better off alone 
Your good for nothing games said it all 

So have no fear for me 
Take your tears and leave 

When will you believe that I'm fine 
When will you believe that I'm alright 
There's absolutely nothing I'm trying to hide 
As bad as you wish I were lying 

Work is hard but paying me fine 
I'm starting out again but's alright 
Is it any wonder you'd start a fight 
You're mad I'll forget you in time 

You thought I would cave like the others 
You'd call and I'd lose my mend 
You're bent out of shape to discover 
I'm already off of the line 

You thought I would do what you wanted 
Would pay any cost and more 
That rather than lose you come running 
There before long, but you're wrong 
I don't care anymore 

When will you believe that I'm fine 
When will you believe that I'm alright 
There's absolutely nothing I'm trying to hide 
As bad as you wish I were lying 

Work is hard but paying me fine 
I'm starting out again but's alright 
Is it any wonder you'd start a fight 
You're mad I'll forget you in time

The Dark

•

Where am I going 
Where have I been 
Ain't seen your face here since I don't know when 
Same conversations 
No news to send 
Friends came and left 
Now they're gone with the wind 
I'm waving hello 
Or watching them go 
Shining as they move in their arcs 
Am I going in or coming out of the dark 

No voices calling 
Or pulling me back 
Road with the train to the end of the track 
But station to station 
It all looks the same 
Gray as a headstone 
And cold as the grave 
The flame's getting low 
I'm watching this glow 
Dying or just losing its spark 
Am I going in or coming out of the dark 

The weather here falls 
The same as it all does 
The tide pulls me under 
I'm cold and bereft 
Just the same as it was where I left 

I can't see at all 
If you love me then call 
And tell me 'cause I'm losing the mark 
Am I going in or coming out of the dark

Vandalize

•

We used to be good 
We were living it up 
I thought that everything was 
I gave you my heart but you're giving it up 
Call it whatever you want 

If it helps to heal the wounds, you win the fight 
If I had it coming, feel you're in the right 

If love was here then it died 
But you could count upon your friends to mend your life 
No more tears 
No more lies 
When you're out again in time 
When you're once again in love 
When you've found another heart to vandalize 

I try to be cool 
But you're making it tough 
I've thought of everything but 
You say you want more 
But you've taken enough 
I've done whatever you want 
Now you'd rather call than see me to remark 
Guess you've had your fun so leave me in the dark 

If love was here then it died 
But you could count upon your friends to mend your life 
No more tears 
No more lies 
When you're out again in time 
When you're once again in love 
When you've found another heart to vandalize 

You'll see when you're out there on your own 
With no direction where to go 
You'll need another me to find 
Now you're leaving me alone 

When you're out again in time 
When you're once again in love 
When you've found another heart to vandalize

Let It Roll

•

Head over heels with your friends from the bar 
Harder to get than she looked from afar but she was 
I go to move but I'm pinned to the floor 
Heads in the car and my heart's in the war like it does 

It comes, it goes 
It's hard to hear that life's not fair but there you go 
Win some, get close 
And some defeats are hard to bear but let it roll 

I'm here as often and long as she lets 
Grant me the time and I know I could get her for once 
Just give me a chance and I'll show you a star 
I'll sing a song, I could play my guitar if she wants 

It comes, it goes 
It's hard to hear that life's not fair but there you go 
Win some, get close 
And some defeats are hard to bear but let it roll 

I should have stayed instead of leaving 
Regret it even as I go 
Ain't life a constant state of grieving 
At least that's all I've ever known 

It comes, it goes 
It's hard to hear that life's not fair but there you go 
Win some, get close 
And some defeats are hard to bear but let it roll

Never Will Call

•

I'll be there for you 
With only so much time to spend 
I never see it through 
Just long enough to say I went 

For the moment I'm strong 
But I'll be going under 
Only to stall, I'm writing down your number 
But never will call 

It's never something new 
It's just more of the same I guess 
It's hard for me to do 
I always feel the same but only weaker 
Why do I even bother 

For the moment I'm strong 
But I'll be going under 
The weather is calm 
But growing like a thunder 
Only to stall, I'm writing down your number 
But never will call 

String you along but pretend 
I don't believe a lady like you cares 
Say you belong as a friend 
I want to keep but maybe I'm too scared 

For the moment I'm strong 
But I'll be going under 
The weather is calm 
But growing like a thunder 
Only to stall, I'm writing down your number 
But never will call

Howdy, East Orange

•

Well, I fanned a flame for Mary 
That went out when you arrived 
But how ever wrong the reasons 
Stayed the course and made a life 
Around a friend I thought would be a better wife 
And I pretended I could leave and never write 

But I counted on the memory 
Of your love to feel alive 
When the life that I was leading 
Had convinced my heart to die 
Through all the years I lost to fear and knew were lies 
When all the tears I fought appeared and still denied 

My dreams are all devoted 
And my thoughts always drift to you 
My wife admits we're fond but not in love 
What hope was left eroded 
Now there's nothing left to lose 
I know it's wrong to tell you know 
Though much to my dismay 
But hear the words "I love you" when I say 
"Howdy, East Orange" 

Now the things I used to hope for 
All get put up on a shelf 
With a wife and kids to care for 
There's no more living for myself 
I watch beliefs I held get buried in the past 
With all the needs I thought to please but knew were last 

My dreams are all devoted 
And my thoughts always drift to you 
My wife admits we're fond but not in love 
What hope was left eroded 
Now there's nothing left to lose 
I'm sorry doesn't say it now 
For such a long delay 
But hear the words "I love you" when I say 
"Howdy, East Orange" 

How many years are left to waste on dreaming 
How many years were lost along the way 
I tried to make the best but now I'm screaming 
It only made it worse to long to say 

My dreams are all devoted 
And my thoughts always drift to you 
My wife admits we're fond but not in love 
What hope was left eroded 
Now there's nothing left to lose 
It doesn't make a difference now 
But later on it may 
So hear the words "I love you" when I say 
"Howdy, East Orange" 

And though we're not together 
You're not too far away 
To hear the words "I love you" when I say 
"Howdy, East Orange"

Not That Wonderful (To You)

•

Jasmine and Delilah call for me to play 
The daughters of the neighbors' I may 
Have tried to keep from knowing 
But they're calling anyway 
Still haven't heard from you but I'll wait 

Tell me why you're leaving 
It's hard for me to know 
The letters all returned that I wrote 
Time alone can tell me what is driving you to go 
How the dark will ever end when I know 

No one cares if I'm eroding 
No one cares if I'm alone 
No one cares if I am brave or on the ropes 
If I try to fight the waves or I don't 

No I haven't got a clue why they'd call to me but knew 
I was not that wonderful to you 

Found the words to win you and put 'em in a song 
Sang with all the breath in my lungs 
Dreamed you now adored me 
And were proud to sing along 
But only woke to learn that I'm wrong 

No one cares if I'm eroding 
No one cares if I'm alone 
No one cares if I am brave or on the ropes 
If I try to fight the waves or I don't 

No I haven't got a clue what a song for me could do 
If I'm not that wonderful to you 

Don't leave, be a friend 
Stay with me to the bitter end 
Don't go and break this heart in two 
If your heart of heart says to 

'Cause I haven't got a clue how to start over anew 
If I'm not that wonderful to you