Fencepost!Lyrics
Ben Folds Five
Back to Fencepost!Lyrics.
Jackson Cannery
Stop the bus I wanna be lonely When seconds pass slowly And years go flying by
You gotta stop the bus I'll get off here Enough's enough I'm leaving this factory
All she wants Is food on the table I won't be able To bring it home
All she wants, come on All I need is free I'm a factory
Did Mother Nature tell you Boy you come and go as you please
That's what she said to me Big Brother got the keys I got Jackson Cannery
Millionaires and millrats live side by side here Messed up my brother's mind
He's far from Earth What's he worth The same as you or me In this factory
(chorus)
It's 4 in the morning Mother don't know That I'm going far away
She's whispering to the moon I hope he don't join you soon
Baby boss Climbs up on his soapbox But Great Caesar's Ghost
Knows what's best for me He says stop the bus
(chorus)
Philosophy
Won't you look up at the skyline At the mortar, blocks and glass
And check out the reflections in my eyes See they always used to be there
Even when this all was grass And I sang and danced about a high rise
And you were laughing at my helmet hat Laughing at my torch
Go ahead and laugh all you want I got my philosophy
And I trust it like the ground That's why my philosophy
Keeps me walking when I'm falling down I see that there is evil
And I know that there is good And the in-betweens I never understood
Would you look at me I'm crazy But I get the job done
I'm crazy but I get the job done So go ahead and laugh all you want
I got my philosophy And I trust it like the ground
That's why my philosophy Keeps me walking when I'm falling down
I pushed you cause I loved you guys I didn't realize
That you weren't having fun And I dragged you up the stairs
And I told you to fly You were flapping you arms
Then you started to cry, you were too high
Now you take this all for granted You take the mortar, block and glass
And you forget the speech that moved the stone And it's really not that you can't see
The forest from the trees You just never been out in the woods alone
So you can laugh all you want to But I've got my philosophy
And I love you, you're my friend But you got no philosophy
Now it's time for this song to end
Julianne
I met this girl, she looked like Axl Rose Got drunk and took her home and we slept in our clothes
In the morning put my feet on the floor and thought Being awake never felt like this before
And Julianne, y'know she wouldn't approve Spent all day on the phone 'cause I had nothing to do
Got rid of Axl by the afternoon Being awake never felt so clear and blue
That's all I knew Guess that I was innocent too
I'll sing a song and it won't be the blues
I don't miss Julianne
A friend she told me she felt sorry for me She said the truth would come crashing down on me
That I'd be sorry but the truth of it is That I feel guilty for not giving a shit
I got my bag of trash I got my bag of trash I drag it up and down, I drag it up and down the road
How could she miss a man Who drags a bag of trash down the road
This week I feel like I've been born again I know that Julianne, she would have a fit
She'd find a reason for the things that I did And give me credit for the things that I've never been
That's all I know Guess that I was innocent too
I can try just as hard as I can But I don't miss Julianne
Where's Summer B.?
I'd like to tell you, like to tell you Tell you everything
'cause nothing changes, ever changes Nothing seems the same these days
Dave's been a mess since Cheryl left Just sits at home and beats back death
And Beth still wears that stupid dress There goes Joe Caparo again
With Darren's girlfriend They're asking where ya been, like I know
Where ya been? Hey Summer, where ya been?
I tried to tell you, tried to tell you Just took a bit too long
And now your phone is disconnected And your shit's out on the lawn
The hardback cafe closed down Now we've got Office Town
You shoulda stuck around There go Ross and Frank again
They're holding hands They're asking where ya been
Like I know where ya been Hey Summer, where ya been?
I could take a train or fly away Maybe write a book or change my name I could settle down
Alice Childress
Some summers in the evening after 6 or so I walk on down the hill
And maybe buy a beer I think about my friends
Sometimes I wish they lived out here But they wouldn't dig this town
No they wouldn't dig this town Try not to think about it, Alice Childress
Try not to think about it anymore Try not to think about it, Alice Childress
Anymore, no not anymore Alice, the world is full of ugly things
That you can't change Pretend it's not that way
It's my idea of faith You can blow it off And say there's good in nearly everyone
Just give them all a chance Alice, give them all a chance
(chorus)
No it didn't work out No it didn't work out the way we thought it would
No it didn't work out An arranged marriage is not so good
Thank God it's you Y'know your timing is impeccable
I'm not fooling you I don't know what to do
Some dude just knocked me cold And left me on the sidewalk
Took everything I had Everything I had
Try not to think about it, Alice Childress Try not to think about it anymore
It's getting late where you are, Alice Childress Anymore, no not anymore
Underground
I was never coool in school I'm sure you don't remember me
And now it's been 10 years I'm still wondering who to be
But I'd love to mix In circles, cliques and social coteries - that's me
Hand me my nose ring (can we be happy) Show me the mosh pit (can we be happy)
WE CAN BE HAPPY UNDERGROUND Who's go the looks, who's got the brains
Who's got everything I got this pain in my heart, that's all
Hey you with the long and lonely face There's gotta be something else
Let me tell ya something else There was this girl who passed me by
She gave a smile but I was shy I looked down, so down
Don't look there no no, go go underground But now there's a place to go
It's the morning, it's the evening It's everything
I click my heels and I'm there Underground, Underground
Everything's happy underground You been kicked around
Did life bring you down here EVERYTHING'S HEAVY UNDERGROUND
We'll be decked in all black and Slamming the pit fantastic
Officer Friendly's little boy's got a mohawk He knows just where we're coming from
It's industrial, work it underground Get down, get down, get down
Underground, underground Everything's happy undergournd
You been kicked around Did life bring you down here
EVERYTHING'S HEAVY UNDERGROUND
Sports & Wine
Destiny was calling Monday afternoon
Wednesday you'll be crawling And you'll pray to be there soon
With sports and wine
Some men never grew up Fortunate like you
Some men never found out What it takes to be a dude
That's sports and wine
Girls don't understand it What you think is art
My oh my we're all impressed How sensitive you are
Everybody's talking about you now You know it's true
Always has been sports and wine for you
So you ask me how I think I know Just what makes you tick
I know what I know y'know I know you make me sick
Sports and wine
Girls don't understand it Anything you say
I don't understand it either Guess that makes me gay
Everybody's talking 'bout you now you know it's true...
Uncle Walter
Your Uncle Walter's going on and on Bout everything he's seen and done
The voice of 50 years experience Drunk, watching the television
You know he's been around the world Last night he flew to Baghdad
In his magical armchair Cigarettes and a six-pack, he just got back
Now the spit's flying everywhere Hey, hey, hey, hey (Your Uncle Walter's going on and on)
You're back so late (Where did you go that you were gone so long) How could you leave me here so long
With Uncle Walter Your Uncle Walter saw who fired the shots He drove his chair in the cavalcade
He's flown from South Africa To countries where They beat themselves on the backs with chains
There was a fleet of battleships And 1 reclining chair Headed north on the Arabian Sea
Now he's back and he'll tell us what He and his oldest boy Blair
Are getting rich with their mail order scheme Oh, oh, oh, oh We're glad you're home
But how could you leave me here so long with Uncle Walter Your Uncle Walter told me
Everything he'd do if he was president Oh what a perfect world
This world would be If he were president now
And he sees the children Smoking pot He knows that in a moment They'll be shooting up heroin
Teardrops in his armchair A fifty minute lecture And tobacco juice rolling down his chin
Hey, hey, hey, hey You're back so late How could you leave me here so long With Uncle Walter
Best Imitation of Myself
I feel like a quote out of context Withholding the rest
So I can be for you what you want to see I got the gesture and sound
Got the timing down It's uncanny, yeah, you'd think it was me
Do you thing I should take a class To lose my southern accent
Did I make me up, or make the face til it stuck I do the best imitation of myself
The "problem with you" speech You gave me was fine
I liked the theories about my little stage And I swore I was listening
But I started drifting Around the part about me acting my age
Now if it's all the same I've people to entertain
I juggle one handed Do some magic tricks and
The best imitation of myself Maybe I'm thinking myself in a hole
Wondering, who I am when I ought to know Straighten up now time to go
Fool somebody else, fool somebody else Last night I was east with them
And west within Trying to be for you what you wanna see
But I can't help it with you The good and bad comes through
Don't want you hanging out with No one but me
Now if it's all the same It comes from the same place
And if my mind's somewhere else You won't be able to tell
I do the best imitation of myself Yes it's uncanny to see
You'd really thiink it was me The best imitation of myself
The best imitation of myself
Video
Barren stares as they light up the screen Bearing teardrops that shatter in slow motion
Novacaine our brains and we're out like lights But as I'm growing older I'm bored
I remember when misery thrilled me much more When I can't relax
And I'd like to go back But that's gone Yeah, that's gone, turn around Turn the volume down
We're counting the days down
To the day when we'll live in a video I'll be stone-faced and pale
You'll pout in stereo 24 hours every day of the year
Oh, what fun I can't wait 'til the future gets here
Closing in on the pain and the torture He's slamming the doors like it's something to strive for
The girl tearing the curtains down looks funny as hell And of sense of humor is there any doubt
But that natural selection has weeded it out It used to keep me from laughing out loud
But that's gone We don't think that way no more That's gone, turn around, turn the volume down
We're counting the days down
I've seen some old friends sort of die Or just turn into whatever
Must've been inside them And whatever all of us had then in common
Grew up and left home We don't think that way no more Turn around, turn the volume down
We're counting the days down
The Last Polka
Well, she crept back back in the house at half past three Shook her head to see him snoring in his sleep
If you really loved me she said I wouldn't have to be so mean
He's a heap of junk that pours from his top drawer
Sometimes likes to spread it out around the floor It's evidence of what he was like
He likes to remember when...
Sha la la, Sha la la lo li The end is growing near v We're treading water now
And holding back our tears And the day is rising We're sinking, Sha la la lo li
In a minute it will all be coming down And they know it now but no one makes a sound
Such a shame to ruin this bright Lazy summer day...
My my, the cruelest lies are often told without a word My my, the kindest truths are often spoken, never heard
She said, "You've been pushing me like I was a sore tooth, You can't respect me 'cause I've done so much for you."
He said, "Well I hate that it's come to this But baby, I was doing fine. How do you think
That I survived the other 25 before you?"
Boxing
Howard, strangest things Have happened lately When I take a good swing And all my dreams
They pivot and slip I drop my fists and they're back Laughing Howard My intention's become not to lose what I've won
Ambition has given way to desperation and I Lost the fight from my eyes
Boxing's been good to me, Howard Now I'm old, you're growing old
The whole time we knew In a couple of years I'd be through
Has boxing been good to you?
Howard, I confess I'm scared and lonely and tired They seem to think I'm made of clay
Another day, not cut out for this I just want to say, I say...
(chorus)
Well sometimes I punch myself as hard as I can
Yelling nobody cares hoping someone will tell me how Wrong I am
(chorus)
Has boxing been good Has boxing been good to you?
1