STRIP-MINE




WHAT FOR

Today, I won't think of any sad things
Will not think of torture, or the rape of nature
Just today, I won't touch those sickening papers
Will just let myself get swept away by this beautiful day

What for, tell oh me, tell oh me, what for
What for, tell oh me, tell oh me, what for

The sunset tonight is beyond all words, in the sky above the square
The starling spiral dancing on air.

What for, tell oh me, tell oh me, what for
What for, tell oh me, tell oh me, what for

I will pass through the glass into air past those birds
In the square, I am sun, I am sky in my mind's eye

Today, I will dive into foaming seas
Sick fish, myself, and some strange debris.
I would prefer to be anywhere away from here
Oh I would prefer to be anywhere away from here
I would prefer to be anywhere away from here
I would prefer to be anywhere away from here

What for, tell oh me tell oh me, what for
What for, tell oh me, tell oh me, what for

I will pass through the glass into air past those birds
In the square I am sun I am sky

What for, tell oh me tell oh me, what for
What for, tell oh me, tell oh me, what for

CHARLIE DANCE

Oh, Charlie, don't dance dance dance
Your head's in a whirl
In a blind romance
Oh Charlie, look away look away
Do you believe what the good doctor says

Now there's rumors in the city that the banks might close
Close for a long holiday
And the papers are full of a new meltdown
Hold your breath, for the winds are all change

Oh, no, Charlie dance dance
Oh, go, Charlie dance dance
Oh, Charlie dance dance

The minister says, put your hands on your head
Try and breath through your nose
Flat on the floor, bum in the air
Let's all do the death throes
Don't drink the milk, but the water is fine
The cows got caught in the rain
Charlie, believe what the government says
They don't moo anymore, but I'm sure they're not dead
Don't chew anymore, but I'm sure they're not dead

Oh, go Charlie dance dance
Oh, no Charlie dance dance

FAIRGROUND

Why is it always, when I open my mouth
I clash with whatever you do
When we dance together your rhythm and tempo
Cuts through my quick step and tune
You cry, I, I, can't take anymore
But you can't find the bloody door
Oh you might think we're free
'Til we slip back into memory

We're joined by a purpose that will not release us
'Til we have come to some terms
Some love and acceptance, not hate and repentance
These skills are things to be learned
You cry, I, I, can't take anymore
But you can't find the bloody door

Oh you might think we're free
'Til we slip back into memory

I love you so
I'm stuck, can't you let go
Let's try again
This time we will be friends
I cannot change
All my tracks have been laid
Playin' the game
It's just, it's just a memory

Lost in memory
Here's to memory

ARE YOU READY

Hey hey hey

Julie says that I must wake up
I am losing touch 'cause I think too much
I'm afraid to feel, my life feels unreal
You will not find love if you think you're not good enough

Are you ready to rebel
Change your mind, I know you live in hell
Are you ready, oh

All of my beliefs, they come back to me
I think life is tough, so my life is tough
She says find a way to develop love
To receive my love, believe you are good enough

Are you ready to rebel
Change your mind, I know you live in hell,
Are you ready

When we forget why we're here
Out goes love, in comes fear
And if not then, I'm all alone
I need nothing 'til my mind takes hold
Hold, hold

Are you ready to rebel
Are you ready

MEDIEVAL

Caught in the long grass, got separated from his company
Those men he thought were friends turned out to be the enemy
Their uniforms were black not brown, they marched to a different step
But he soon tuned in to their frequency
By shifting up one fret
But the one thing that united them
Was they all had life to give
But it wasn't their intention to serve that way, but to kill so they may live
We are sound, we are sound, we are sound

Set them marching, stop them thinking
Psyche them up with your will
Stir them up with frantic rhythm
Send them out to kill, kill, kill, kill kill

We are sound we are sound we are sound

Back in human form, skin tight uniform, caught upon the barbed wire
Back in human form, skin tight uniform, crucified upon the barbed wire
The wire

We are sound

NOT THERE

Hello
Swig from the bottle, now who's sucking who
You'd prefer the nipple, but your teeth have cut through
Defects we're born with, but poisons we choose
He' s not there, just a gap in the air
He's not there, just the smell of despair
He's not there

Pill-popping and a pint-pulling
And a thirst-quenching, mind-bending
Pill-popping and a pint-pulling
And a thirst-quenching, mind-bending
Pill-popping and a knife-pulling

People come knocking, but there's no one at home
Did you get my call, oh you haven't a phone
That look in your eyes, it's miles away
Don't look in your eyes, you are miles away
He's not there he's really not there

Oh, people come knocking but there's no one at home
Did you get my call, oh you haven't a phone
That look in your eyes, it's miles away
That look in your eyes, it's miles away
He's not there he's really not there

YA HO

I nearly died, when you jumped in
But you had to drown before you could swim
All the people on the beach, they were so impressed
That they wanted to join you
But no, they wouldn't undress
Or let that wetness splash their skin
So they pray for a whirlpool to pull you in
Ya Ho! Ya Ho!

So they looked away, and they tried to pretend
That it was for you, but no it wasn't for them
So the fear of sinking remains in place
But it's the fear of failure that's a real disgrace
Ya Ho! yo yo Ya Ho, yo yo

Let me be the one
To get over your wall

Head in the sand, sea out of reach
Swept away by the games of the beach
Those people sat and watched your stand
And the weight of their fears
Pulled them underground

Will anyone learn from the stories that are told
Of the tribe who drowned in the grave of gold
Ya Ho, yo yo, Ya Ho, yo yo

Let me be the one
To take a cool long look with eyes prised wide
To face those fears from which I hide
Ya Ho

Heads down, someone's calling, but your head's down
Someone's drowning
Look up, see what's before your eyes
Someone escaping or someone drowning
Head's down, you can help them but your head's down

Your head is underground

RIDERS

I'm in a crowded room - I've been half-asleep
Says the sister in uniform
"Has everybody understood?"
The listeners turn and nod
But I can see their fear, do they know more than me
Do they know why they're here

I don't want that poison in

She passed around a potion - it went from lip to hand
I took a sip, a taste I didn't understand
The woman then explained that this was the juice that causes pain
That all great singers need
There must be some mistake
I do not want this seed
Think I'm in another's dream
Now I can feel this creature flapping in my throat
Try and throw it up
But my cough turns to a choke
Put my fingers in my mouth
I have it by the head
It dug into my jaw
I threw the sucker to the floor
Sucker to the floor

VULTURE

Tiptoe behind sapper
Who crawls through the minefield
Knife in the soil, and his ear to the ground
Hiding in shadow, he takes the risks
You are the pimp who steals the sound

Fox breathes again, when the fox breathes again

When you spy a fresh face remember the rich taste
You want a part, at the cost of it all, so you open your flick knife
And lop off a thick slice
Envy makes the flyer fall

Please don't hitch a ride with us, you leave a slime that turns to pus
Your appetite is out of sight
I think I'll be feeding you dynamite

Please don't hitch a ride with us, you leave a slime that turns to pus
Your appetite is out of sight
I think I'll be feeding you dynamite

I'll never feed you again

When you spy a fresh face, remember the rich taste
You want a part at the cost of it all, so you open your flick knife
And lop off a thick slice
Envy makes the flyer fall

The only way to kill this breed is stuff its face, let him feed
Piling the plate, pushing the load, make him eat 'til he explodes

The only way to kill this breed is stuff its face, let him feed
Piling the plate, pushing the load, make him eat 'til he explodes

I'll never feed you again

STRIPMINING

When the world swallows whole all you've known
There are no landmarks you can recognise

Where is the jewel that will never fade
Will not decay with old age

Maybe a death, maybe a depression
Those things you thought you could lean on
Are suddenly just an impression

Well, if you put your trust in things of dust
You're gonna feel the pain of loss

The pain of loss

When the world swallows whole all you've known
There are no landmarks you can recognise

We've got no understanding of this body's needs
We've got no understanding of real philosophy
We've got no understanding of mortality
So we keep putting our trust in things that rust
And then we feel the pain of loss
Keep putting our trust in things that rust
And then I feel the pain of loss

La la la loss

REFRAIN

(no lyrics)


JAMES
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