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1. |
Three Sides
03:56
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You paint yourself a picture
A vision where you rule the world
Where at the end of every story
You're the one who gets the girl
But there's always one exception
The one who always slips away
The one just out of reach
Who won't listen to a word you say
And you've got to find a way to get past the doubts
Get her to give you a chance to see what you're all about
CHORUS
She sees three side to every problem (but)
Takes too long to make up her mind (and)
The one time you think you've got her
She's nowhere that you can find
But with three sides to every problem
It's too late to change your mind
It's time for you to tell her
Just what she will find with you
VERSE2
If you were king of the world
If only for a day
And you could get what you want
All you have to do is say
Would you know how to make her yours?
Make her want to stay
To want to be with you
Every single night and day
Could you find a way to get past the doubts
Get her to give you a chance to see what you're all about
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2. |
Valerie Sweeting
03:41
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She's from Saskatchewan
Skips a curling team
The youngest such skip
Alberta's ever seen
She was a Masters champ
In 20-14
And now she rules the ice
Like no one's ever seen
Valerie Sweeting
You're such a sweet thing
Can you see things
Working out with you and me?
Valerie Sweeting
Will you be my sweet thing?
And can I
Call you my girl?
She calls the shots
Out on the ice
The stone and broom
Move oh so nice
Some call her skip
Others call her Val
And all the boys and girls
Want to be her pal
I know I'm just a boy from the states
And I don't even own any hockey skates
I don't know curling from shuffleboard, it's true
But I could learn it all for you
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3. |
The Voice
03:44
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I hear you call out from no direction
I feel the tug of the undertow
I watch you organize the insurrection
I know the things that you don’t know
CHORUS
Can you hear the voice? It’s calling you
Can you hear the voice? It’s calling me, too
Do you hear the voice? It’s calling you
Do we heed the voice when it calls?
Do we heed the voice when it calls?
I fear the wind without a name
I seek the calm of higher ground
I dig the fire break below
I see the eyes behind the sound
CHORUS
Shield yourself, if you can
Expose yourself, if you dare
Sight it down, if you may
Seek safety in the higher ground
Shield yourself, if you can
Expose yourself, if you dare
Sight it down, if you may
Seek safety in the higher ground
I walk nighttime atop the levee
I guard your heart from those around
I learn the secret combination
I’ll take us all back underground
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4. |
Behind The Beat
03:47
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I’m learning to slow down
Take it easy, respond, don’t react
Take a moment to contemplate
Whether to watch or attack
Look at the big picture
Choose just the right words to say
Consider it’s best some times
To live to fight another day
That’s what happens when you live life behind the beat
That’s what happens when you live life behind the beat
If you try, you will see
Things look different behind the beat
A change of perspective
Isn’t the worst thing you could do
You might come to realize
It’s a better approach for you
Not every problem
Requires you to set the town ablaze
Just take half a breath
And watch what happens, you’ll be amazed
It feels like mental trickery
At least it does to me
But this thing
Seems to be working for me
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5. |
Italian Girls
05:01
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So, can you tell me of your time in the war
What you saw?
Half-way around the world, you where there
What you saw?
He said "I don’t have time for those days again
I don’t need to go back there anymore"
But he shared with me a memory
That in my mind I still can see
As vivd as the day I was told
I traded cigarettes for chocolate bars
And spent the nights under the stars
Dreaming of you oh so far away
I thought of you each day and night
It kept me strong throughout the fight
And I thought about coming home some day
There were times I feared for my life
And other times things were so right
But I think my greatest memory
Is the time I joined a friend and we
Serenaded sweet Italian girls
But what of the adventures in the war
What about them?
You were just like brothers
You were there
What about them?
Oh I don't need to know those days again
They're not important any more
But I'll share with you a memory
That in my mind I still can see
When I was twenty-nine years old
Lovely ladies, won't you come out to play?
A tiny respite for a day
A little special, precious memory
That we can take home some day
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6. |
I Was Wrong
03:51
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I never thought I'd miss you
Not the way I do today
I always figured I'd just forget you
Turn around and walk away
I was so sure I wouldn't miss you
It would be so easy to let you go
I'd simply just forget you
But now I know
CHORUS X2
But I was wrong ’cause when you left me
It left a hole I couldn't fill
And now that you've left me
I find I'm missing you still
You'll always be here with me
In my thoughts and dreams
You'll always be here with me
Forgetting's hard it seems
I was so sure I wouldn't miss you
It would be so easy to let you go
I'd simply just forget you
But now I know
It seems like I should move on
Find a new way to get along
But it’s not / always easy to move on
FINAL CHORUS - regular chorus, then this, then chorus again
I thought that when you left me
I'd move on in a matter of days
I figured when you left me
I'd feel better right away
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7. |
Dad Rock
04:56
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I’ve got my Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
I’m a master of fighting foo
Some times I fly like an eagle
Some times you know you do, too
Run to the store with Moving Pictures
Tom Sawyer’s not renting out his mind
And when it’s time to take things down
We can listen to Iron & Wine
(Rock it out to)
Dad Rock, walk that walk
Talk that talk on Top Of The Pops
Dad Rock, shimmy and shake
Shake and bake to the music we make
Dad Rock, rock and roll
Sing along songs even if we’re too old
Dad rock, it’s what we do do
Making that music for me and you
You’ve worn out all your Beatles records
They always seem to get it right
And finish up with your favorite pop songs
On a S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y Night!
You know for sure which one Pink is
And you’ve heard the Walrus was Paul
You can listen to deep cuts from Bowie
While taking the kids to the mall
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8. |
Talking To Girls
03:08
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If you ask yourself “who do you want to be?”
You must consider what everyone else will see
Who controls your image, you or the crowd?
What do you see, when you look around?
So here I stand, talking to girls
Look at me, king of the world
Step back my friend, I’m talking to girls
And I can see
You wish you were me
So you could be
Talking to girls
Truth is what you make it, if you know what to say
Words can be mutable, be bent your own way
Who controls the actors? Who tells them what to say?
Are you the director, or just someone with a part to play?
So here I stand, talking to girls
Look at me, king of the world
Step back my friend, I’m talking to girls
And I can see
You wish you were me
So you could be
Talking to girls
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9. |
The Descent
03:36
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A good spleen venting
Blood on a page
Is that what you came to see?
The descent into middle age
If so, you’re in luck my friend
It’s time to start the show
I’ve learned so many things
I didn’t want to know
Things don’t work as easily
As they did before
You’ll find you’re not quite prepared
For the curves life has in store
But you pick up a few tricks
Along the way
You learn how to work the long con
if you want to stay
Some things get simpler
There’s an upside there
As you begin to figure out
If and when you should care
And you’ll fall down along the way
As you learn how the game is played
The trick is when
You figure out how to get up again
A good spleen venting
Blood on a page
Is that what you came to see?
The descent into middle age
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10. |
Hashimoto
04:21
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So we meet at last
As you came crawling out of my past
Come to discover you've been picking on me
At least now I understand what brought me to my knees
A world turned upside down
Can't find direction, spinning all around
Short of breath and so confused
At least now I know it's all because of you
Domo arigato, Mr. Hashimoto
Glad I finally know your name
I’m sad to learn the bad news
I can't send you back whence you came
I can take control
With a little help, I'll gain a hold
And if it's what I must do
I'll learn to live with you
T-4, can I have some more?
It get me back up off the floor
T-4, give me some more
It’s time to even up the score
Domo arigato, Mr. Hashimoto
I'm glad to know your name
It's quite unfortunate to finally learn
I can't send you back whence you came
Okaeri nasai Mr. Hashimoto
Enjoy your brand new home
Now that you're around
I'll never be alone
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11. |
Face To Face
04:00
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I’d rather clear the clutter
Than face this head on
I’d rather search for distraction
By stacking things I own
Go for a walk to clear your head
Search for treasures that won’t be found
Listen for the ring
But hear no sound
I’d rather look for answers
Behind the attic stairs
I rather go through old pictures
And remember when I was there
Go for a walk to clear your head
Search for treasures that won’t be found
Listen for the ring
But hear no sound
I’d rather clear the clutter
Than face this head on
I’d rather search for distraction
By stacking things I own
Than consider that you might be gone
You can only put it off for so long
Eventually you’ll have to come face to face
With all you avoid
You can only put it off for so long
When you have to come face to face
Then what?
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12. |
Dancefloor Donkey
03:15
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Don’t look now, there’s a donkey on the dance floor
Who do you want to be when you grow up
The star of the show, or just the guy who shows up?
Think about it and you’re just gonna slow up
A sideline chump, not blowin' up
Trip up, flip up, down and around
Find yourself looking up from the ground
Wondering what’s that sound
And where’s it coming from? The dance floor?
Don’t look now, there’s a donkey on the dance floor
World War III, Who’d you expect to see?
There’s no one else hanging here but me
Bin Laden? Johnny Rotten?
They’ve all been forgotten
Turn your back on the past, not gonna last
Time goes by, oh so fast
Hope to die before you get old?
Don’t give up, you’ve been sold
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Letter Seventeen Norcross
Whimsical indie pop from a one-man band. Except when other people help. Which is quite often. So it's not like a one-man band at all.
Oh. And there are songs about donkeys.
Letter Seventeen recommends:
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Dense power pop with great hooks and superb musicanship
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Classy and incredibly well produced. A true gem!
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Well written and performed concept album about the supreme court. Not to be missed!
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