No Doubt

Tragic Kingdom


Spiderwebs

You think that we connect
That the chemistry's correct
Your words walk right through my ears
Presuming I like what I hear

And now I'm stuck in the web
You're spinning
You've got me for your prey...

Sorry I'm not home right now
I'm walking into spiderwebs
So leave a message
And I'll call you back
A likely story, but leave a message
And I'll call you back

You take advantage of what's mine
You're taking up my time
Don't have the courage inside me
To tell you please just let me be

Communication, telephonic invasion
I'm planning my escape...

Chorus

And it's all your fault
I screen my phone calls
No matter who calls
I gotta screen my phone calls

Now it's gone to deep
You wake me in my sleep
My dreams become nightmares
'Cause you're ringing in my ears

Chorus


Excuse Me Mr.

I'm like a beggar with no luck
I'm holding signs up
On your street corner stops
Like most you try not to see me
You stare straight ahead
Ignore the responsibility
Excuse me...excuse me Mr.
I've been waiting in line
And I'd like to buy some of your time
I'm every anxious, eager, willing.
What's your billing?
So please excuse me Mr.
You've got things all wrong
You make it feel like a crime
So don't confuse me Mr.
I've know you too long
And I need is a little of your time
For most love comes for free
They don't pay the high cost
Of mental custody
I'll pay bail for a guarantee
Please make space for me
In the time yet to be
Excuse me...excuse me Mr.
And I'd been saving up my life,
What's your price?

Chorus

What should I do
I'm about to crack
And there's a force
That comes over for me
It's almost as if I'm tied to the tracks
And I'm waiting for him
To rescue me
The funny thing is
He's not going to come
He's not going to find me
This is a matter of fact
The desire you lack
This is the way I guess it has to be...
A little of your time
Please, a little of your time

Chorus

I'm in line to buy time
I'm in line to buy time


Just a Girl

Take this pink ribbon off my eyes
I'm exposed
And it's no big surprise
Don't you think I know
Exactly where I stand
This world is forcing me
To hold your hand


'Cause I'm just a girl, little ol' me
Don't let me out of your sight
I'm just a girl, all pretty and petite
So don't let me have any rights
Oh...I've had it up to here!


The moment that I step outside
So many reasons
For me to run and hide
I can't do the little things
I hold so dear
'Cause it's all those little things
That I fear


'Cause I'm just a girl.
I'd rather not be
'Cause they won't let me drive
Late at night
I'm just a girl,
Guess I'm some kind of freak
'Cause they all sit and stare
With their eyes
I'm just a girl.
Take a good looks at me
Just your typical prototype
Oh...I've had it up to here!
Oh...am I making myself clear?
I'm just a girl
I'm just a girl in the world...
That's all that you'll let me be!


I'm just a girl, living in captivity
Your rule of thumb
Make me worry some
I'm just a girl, what's my destiny?
What I've succumbed to
Is making me numb
I'm just a girl. my apologies
What I've become is burdensome
I'm just a girl. lucky me
Twiddle-dum there's no comparison
Oh...I've had it up to!
Oh...I've had it up to!!
Oh...I've had it up to here.

Happy Now?

You had the best
But you gave her up
'Cause dependency might interrupt
Idealistic will so hard to please
Put your indecisive mind at ease
You broke the set
Now there's only singles
There's no looking back
This time I mean it


Are you happy now?
How is it now?
Are you happy now?
Are you happy?


The uncertainty you had of me
Brought clouded shady company
The tenderness habitual
A seldom-fading ritual
You killed the pair
Now only one is breathing
There's no looking back
This time I mean it

Chorus

No more leaning on your shoulder
I won't be there, no more bother
If you feel you just might want me
That's too bad, I'm not that easy


The contemplator all those years
Now you must adhere
To your new career of liberation
You've been cast all by yourself
You're free at last
You broke the set
Now there's only singles
There's no looking back
This time I mean it

Chorus

You're by yourself,
All by yourself
You have no one else,
You're by yourself


Different People

Things can be broken down
In this world of ours
You don't have to be a famous person
Just to make your mark
A mother can be an inspiration
To here little son
Change his thoughts, his mind, his life,
Just with her gentle hum
So different, yet so the same
Two sisters only have their parents to blame
It's rare that two can get along
But when they do, they're inseparable
Such a blessing comes to few
The sky is full of clouds and
My world's full of people
All different kinds with different ways
It would take a lifetime to explain
No one's exactly the same
He and she, two different people
With two separate lives
Then you put the two together
And get a spectacular surprise
'Cause one can teach the other one
What she doesn't know
While still the other fills a place inside
He never knew had room to grow

Chorus

Once in a while I sit back
And think about the planet
Most of the time I trip on it
To kick back and think about
How massive it all is
And how many others are one it


I often think about the world
In which I live today, of animals and plants
And nature's gift set on display
But the most amazing thing
That I've seen in my time
Are all the different people
And all their different minds
And different ways
It would take a lifetime to explain
Not one's exactly the same
So many different people
So many different kinds
So many different people
So many different kinds
Look at me, I'm a person
Look at me, I'm my own person
So many different people
So many different kinds
For better or for worse, different people

Hey You

Hey you with the wedding dress on
Made of white chiffon blowing in the wind
Hey you with the dreams in your head
You've been so mislead by your heart's pull
I know your waiting for your ship to come in
You anxiously wait for such a long time
You're just like my Ken and Barbie Doll
You dress up and play the game
You're just like my Ken and Barbie Doll
Your name will never change


Hey you with your eyes full of hope
You think you can rope your desire
Hey you, you naive thing
Your patience in time will tire


I know you're waiting for your tide to roll in
How did you ever get such high hopes?

Chorus

You're just like my Ken and Barbie Doll
In a plastic world of make believe
You're just like my Ken and Barbie Doll
You know he's just gonna leave


The Climb

Step by step I come closer to reaching the top
Every step must be placed so that I don't fall off
Looking down to see about how much higher I am
Another cool wind comes through, brushes my skin
The harder I push the tension does grow
I gather my thoughts the further and further I go
With some luck I just might keep on climbing
So better to climb than to face a fall
So high the climb
Can't turn back now
Must keep climbing up to the clouds
So high the climb
Can't turn back now
Must keep climbing up to the clouds
Pulling myself up by a rope I better my view
The only thing in sight is what I must do
As I turned I could see myself falling
Which in turn gave me strength for the climb

Chorus

Although many failed
I must now prevail with no question
Have no time to stop
Onward to the top of the mountain
And I can't turn back now
It's so very high but I can't turn back now
If I keep it up, I'm gonna make it
I'm so very close can't you see

Chorus

I'm getting closer...


Sixteen

You've been a juvenile
With a dolphin smile
With no elbow room
You've had in your little backyard
Protected by big walls
You didn't dare look over
'Cause you've been too small
Now you're finally sixteen
And you're feelin' old
But they won't believe
That you got a soul
'Cause you're only sixteen
And you're feeling real
But you can't seem to cup a feel
Why do they have to force us
Through this metamorphose
Little butterfly
No matter how you try
You'll be segregated
You're gonna be closed off
You're callow and you're green
'Cause you're caught between
You're only sixteen
Try to cross the line
But your little wings are intertwined
You're only sixteen
And you're such a tease
And there's nothing you can do
That can really please
These children
They're not really bad most of them
They're just products
Of rotten neighborhoods
And bad family situations
You know you can't forsake it
So sit back and take it
You see you're just not ripe
So don't try and fight that
You're only sixteen
You wanna catch a peek
But they look at you
Like you're such a freak
Well you're only sixteen
With a lot to say
But they won't give you
The time of day
You're only sixteen!
You're only sixteen!!
You're just sixteen!!!
You poor little thing


Sunday Morning

Sappy pathetic little me
That was the girl I used to be
You had me on my knees
I'd trade you places any day
I'd never thought you could be that way
But you looked like me on Sunday
You came in with the breeze
On Sunday morning
You sure had changed since yesterday
Without any warning
I thought I knew you
I thought I knew you
I thought I knew you well...so well
You're trying my shoes on for a change
They look so good but fit so strange
Out of fashion, so I can complain

Chorus

I know who I am, but who are you?
You're not looking like you used to
You're on the other side of the mirror
So nothing's looking quite as clear
Thank you for turning on the lights
Thank you, now you're the parasite
I didn't think you had it in you
And now you're looking like I used to!
You came in with the breeze
On Sunday morning
You sure have changed since yesterday
Without any warning
And you want me badly
You cannot have me
I thought I knew you
But I've got a new view
I thought I knew you well...oh well


Don't Speak

You and me
We used to be together
Every day together always
I really feel
That I'm losing my best friend
I can't believe
This could be the end


It looks as though you're letting go
And if it's real,
Well I don't want to know


Don't speak
I know just what you're saying
So please stop explaining
Don't tell me 'cause it hurts
Don't speak
I know what you're thinking
I don't need your reasons
Don't tell me 'cause it hurts


Our memories
They can be inviting
But some are altogether
Mighty frightening


As we die, both you and I
With my head in my hands
I sit and cry

Chorus


It's all ending
I gotta stop pretending who we are...
You and me
I can see us dying...are we?

Don't speak
I know just what you're saying
So please stop explaining
Don't tell me 'cause it hurts
Don't speak
I know what you're thinking
I don't need your reasons
Don't tell me 'cause it hurts


Don't tell me 'cause it hurts
I know what you're saying
So please stop explaining
Don't speak
Don't speak
Don't speak
ohhhhh
I know what you're thinking
And I don't need your reasons

I know you're good
I know you're good
I know you're real good oh
La da da da da da
La da da da da da
Don't, don't
Ohh Ohh

Hush me hush me darling
Hush me hush me darling
Hush me hush me, don't tell me 'cause it hurts
Hush me hush me darling
Hush me hush me darling
Hush me hush me, don't tell me 'cause it hurts


You Can Do It

Since you've been gone
Since you've been unglued
It's hard to figure out
You're next move
One minute here
The next you're gone
Let's make an end
To this sad, sad song


For you it's hard to take
'Cause the pull has an awful taste
Just open up and swallow down
Once it his bottom
Things may turn around


Unfortunately this is the case
You've got to catch up
And win the race
Straighten yourself out...
You can do it


One minute here
The next you're gone
Let's make an end
To this sad, sad song
They can't understand
That you mean to do good
I guess you could say
You're misunderstood


I know you're meaning well
But you're been shot to hell
Just come back and join us now
'Cause I know that you know how

Chorus

I know it seems
They're messing with your mind
But you don't have to go
Forward blind
So let the bygones be bygones
And let's make an end
To this sad, sad song

Chorus


World Go 'Round

In the quickness of our haste
It seems we forget how to live
The old blueprint
No longer manifests itself
As the correct way to exist


Wipe the grime off the view hold
And please take a closer look
Environmental bandits
Up to their shenanigans
Crooks disguised...


We've got to find another way
To make the world go 'round


Our individual roles we think
Not so important to the plot
The big pictures unseen
Leaving life in between
Destroyed and overwrought


There's no need to paint the finger
We understand who takes the blame
Delinquents caught
Red-handed in the act
Crooks disguised as you and I


We've got to find another way
To make the world go 'round


You see there's many many many
People in the world
And I'm not sure if I like
What I've heard
I'm not sure if I like
What I'm doing myself
I'm not sure if I like how it turns


Degradation
Violation
Inexcusable exploitation
It's the dawning of a new era
People consciously don't care
How unfair


We've got to find another way
To make the world go 'round

End It On This

You see in the past I had a dream
A fantasy
I thought that we would last
Become a little family
Then one, two, three, four
The years were flying by
They soared
And it's my gut feeling
It's not happening for me, so...


Let's end it on this
Give me one last kiss
Let's end it on this
Let's end it on this


You see it's hard to face
The addict that's inside of me
I want to fill my glass up
With you constantly
I've been here before
But I've never ever felt this sure
But I've never ever felt this sure
And now I know I've been dreaming
And your actions
Have inspired me, so...

Chorus

I open up, you ignore me
You're not the same at all
And if I could turn back
The pages of time
I'd rewrite your point of view


Washed up on the shore
Given one last chance
To try some more
But I'm tired, I'm freezing
Let's stop and call it history

Tragic Kingdom

Once was a magical place
Over time it was lost
Price increased the cost
Now the fortune of the kingdom
Is locked up in its dungeon vaults
The castle floor ties in traps
With coiled wires set back
Decoyed by the old cheese
Now the drawbridge has been lifted
As the millions
They drop to their knees


They pay homage to a king
Whose dreams are buried
In their minds
His tears are frozen stiff
Icicles drip from his eyes


The cold wind blows as it snows
On those who fight to get in
On heads that are small
Disillusioned as they enter
They're unaware what's
Behind castle walls
But now it's written in stone
The king has been overthrown
By jesterly fools
And the power of the people
Shall come to believe they do rule


They pay homage to a king
Whose dreams are buried
In their minds
His tears are frozen stiff
Icicles drip from his eyes
Welcome to the tragic kingdom
Cornfields of popcorn
Have yet to spring open


Have they lost their heads
Or are they just all blind mice
We've heard all their stories
One too many times
Hypnotized by fireflies
That glow in the dark
Midgets that disguise themselves
As tiny little dwarfs
The parade that's electrical
It serves no real purpose
Just takes up a lot of juice
Just to impress us


Welcome to the tragic kingdom
Cornfields of popcorn
Have yet to spring open



Volta

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