JUSTIFY THE WAIT
i’m a golden god
cried robert from the roof
down below on sunset
a billboard offered proof
perched at that precarious edge
his words had much more force
i remember thinking then
it might as well be the truth
enjoy every sandwich
that’s what warren said
late night on the tv
a year later he was dead
perched at that elusive edge
his words had much more force
i remember thinking then
give us this daily bread
no one knows what it means
the whys the snares of this dream
the slings and arrows whether chaos or fate
it’s die or justify the wait
someone’s gotta do it
the homeless man replied
digging through a dumpster
you do your work I’ll do mine
perched beyond society’s edge
his words had much more force
i remember thinking then
the sad black joke of our time
he’s somehow frowned on
no one knows what it means
the whys the snares of this dream
the slings and arrows whether chaos or fate
it’s die or justify the wait
so don’t believe the truth so often plied
an algorithm designed to drive you blind
the most precious things are not so much seen
they’re felt in the sounds of we humans being
Music by Jonas Ledecky. Lyrics by John Riley.
DARK TONGUE
at the waterfront in brindisi
when the moon is full and the sea is smooth
you may hear a voice wailing
save me save me please
don't go looking for it if you do
the fishermen they call her sappho
though no one swears for sure she's real
it's just that young men here go missing
and it's been going on for years
she knows how lonely boys can get
when their solitude is whet
and they wander from the bars
unaware of who they are
she waits until there's one alone
or so the story has been honed
and with her purr and silver ring
her dark tongue it does him in
no one's ever found a body
and the mayor says it's all a ruse
but when you hear that wail
save me save me please
you know the next one will be you
the fishermen they call her sappho
though no one swears for sure she's real
it's just that young men here go missing
and it's been going on for years
save me save me please
please save me
save me please
please save me
she knows how lonely you can get
knows your story as of yet
knows you'll brave that broken shore
for a taste of what's in store
and when you find yourself alone
she appears at first you moan
as with her purr and silver ring
her dark tongue does you in
save me please
save me please
won’t you please save me
save me please
save me please
won’t you please save me
when you find yourself alone
she appears at first you moan
as the purr and the silver ring
of her dark tongue does you in
she knows how lonely you can get
knows your story as of yet
knows you'll brave that broken shore
for a taste of what's in store
save me
save me
save me
save me please
Music by Jonas Ledecky. Lyrics by John Riley.
SHE NEEDS NO ANGEL
like a rose she's a thorny flower
a beauty with a razor’s kiss
she's a gambler by the hour
so reckless and curious
don't try designer lines on her
designs always go wrong oh so wrong
don't try to serenade her
that song’ll only last so long
just because you find her fragile
doesn’t mean she can’t break you
it’ll happen so gradual
you don’t feel a thing ‘til it’s true
who was it you thought you'd save
did you think through why and what for and what's more
it's too late to plead you're insane
though that's never stopped her before
i know
you think you know
but you don't
she needs no angel
ever never no
she’s already one
take your cue when she starts to pray
take her word and disappear
you’ll be blinded by what she has to say
stoned cold sober and left in tears
who was it you thought you'd save
did you think through why and what for and what's more
it's too late to plead you're insane
though that's never stopped her before
like that’s ever stopped her before
i know
you think you know
but you don't
she needs no angel
ever never no
she’s already one
Music by Jonas Ledecky. Lyrics by John Riley.
COLD COFFEE
cold coffee
and wet cigarettes
seems the weather's
lost a bet
new orleans in drear december
we lost our way in that quarter as you do
coldwater
just like a movie set
this sun never
seems to set
los angeles in bright september
we lost our way in that canyon as you do
you and me will ever be
getting lost finding out what's real
that's a fact though you'd disagree
by degree
cold comfort
may be all we get
but we make sure
it's well spent
these are the dreams i remember
these are to me why you matter as you do
you and me will ever be
getting lost finding out what's real
that's a fact now don't disagree
no need to worry or excuse
no need to mind our ps and qs
name a time a place you favor
and I'll be there before you fetch your shoes
Music by Jonas Ledecky. Lyrics by John Riley.
LEAVES
would ya call the operator
let her know i'm blind
i never saw it comin' or
i up and lost my mind
and if she hangs up
well so much for my last line
would ya call the cavalry
call 'em real loud
send 'em up to calvary
tell 'em not to make a sound
and when they find it
bring my body back to town
hear the leaves
scrape against the ground
they whisper
nothing is forever son
won't ya take a look around
hear the leaves
scrape against the ground
nothing is forever
won't ya take a look around
would ya call all the mannequins
in their sequinned shirts
and every harlequin
make sure that you rehearse
i don't want distractions
while I'm riding in my hearse
hear the leaves
you won't be pleased
but in the end you’ll find
you’ll be at greater ease
and if you fall
fall like the leaves
and you will float instead of
twisting in the breeze
if you fall
fall like the leaves
let go
and you will float instead of
twisting in the breeze
hear the leaves
scrape against the ground
they whisper
nothing is forever son
won't ya take a look around
hear the leaves
don't be like me
and in the end you’ll find
you’ll be at greater ease
and if you fall
fall like the leaves
and you will float instead of
twisting in the breeze
Music by Jonas Ledecky. Lyrics by John Riley.
MUST SEE
you know chickens when they come home
they make a fuss wherever they roost
and yeah i'm always for justice
but there's no greater bitch than the truth
now a fever when it's raging
means the infection's much much worse
there's really no way no one can stop it
all you do is pray for nothing to burst
trust me
we're a must see
truly
a dying beauty
trust me
we're a must see
a menagerie
of sound and fury
there's a liar says he's righteous
there's a sinner who says he ain't
and then there are those here among us
who say only they can make it all great
well the second coming has been cancelled
but all the flooding's drowned out that news
and all this blood in the water
has thrown a frenzy into the mood
did everyone dig
their 15 minutes of fame
'cause while we been posing
our shame ran away
is everyone in
the end's about to begin
funny how it takes so long
trust me
we're a must see
truly
a dying beauty
trust me
we're a must see
a menagerie
of sound and fury
Music by Jonas Ledecky. Lyrics by John Riley.
YOUR LOVER
you intoxicate me
like an unnatural need
like the kind of sex
that leaves you begging for breath
you make sublime every day
make it all seem like play
yeah that's why seriously
you intoxicate me
often i fear to lose
so i don't try too hard you know
and I've wished i'd done things better
but now it is too late i know
still you spend on me your tender mercies
and when I ask you always sigh
why'm i here for you
I'm your lover
you're all i want to get
for the rest i've no regrets
the doubters who condemn
straight to hell with all of them
no i take nothing back
not even maybe that's a fact
I meant it when I said
that you're all i want to get
often i fear to lose
so i don't try too hard you know
and I've wished i'd done things better
but now it is too late i know
still you spend on me your tender mercies
and when I ask you always sigh
why'm i here for you
I'm your lover
yeah i've wished i'd done things better
but now it's too late i know
often I fear I'm losing you
so i don't try too hard you know
still you spend on me your tender mercies
and when I ask you always sigh
why'm i here for you
spend on me your tender mercies
when I ask you just sigh
why'm I here you fool
I'm your lover
Music by Jonas Ledecky. Lyrics by John Riley.
MENTAL
let go of all you know
because i’m about to break it
don’t be sad you’ll be thanking me
right before we go too far
that’s what she said you know
just as we got naked
then she whispered in my ear
escargot or caviar
it was mental
somewhat gentle
nothing like that ever crossed my mind
it was mental
transcendental
especially when she crossed my i’s
everything that’s wrong is right
and all that’s right’s a real bore
i still don’t have a clue
what she did to me that night
the dawn had come and gone
when we got up off that floor
I was seeing stars
go supernova bright
right
it was mental
also gentle
nothing like that ever crossed my mind
it was mental
transcendental
especially when she crossed my i’s
shoulda probably seen that doctor first
shoulda always paid my debts on time
shoulda done myself a lot more worse
yet in spite i made out fine
it was mental
somewhat gentle
nothing like that ever crossed my mind
it was mental
transcendental
especially when she crossed my i’s
it was mental
also gentle
nothing like that ever crossed my mind
it was mental
transcendental
especially when she crossed my i’s
her ways are so divine
i dot my t’s with pride
ain’t gonna stop
Music by Jonas Ledecky. Lyrics by John Riley.
FOR US
i wish there was some other way
i wish sometimes i prayed it paid
i wish i knew
feelings die
i know that you are not the same
i know your face not what you say
i know inside
it's good-bye
for me
for you
for us
it's true
for me
for you
for us
i know the rules they have changed
I know it never was a game
I know we lost
don't know why
why me
why you
why us
it's through
for me
for you
for us
i wish there was some other way
i wish sometimes i prayed it paid
i wish i knew
feelings die
deep down
inside
Music by Jonas Ledecky. Lyrics by John Riley.
TAK MI NALEJ
v rohu sedí jedna ženská
jinak tady chcípl pes
neni zrovna hezká
popravdě je to děs
nemá žádný zuby
tak z ní zrovna nejásám
jó, tou se asi nepochlubim
ale dneska nechci zůstat sám
no tak mi nalej
ať už jsem zralej
no tak mi nalej
nikdo neni dokonalej
no tak mi nalej
vo trochu víc
nebo z toho
nebude nic
dám si jednu na kuráž
a jednu abych zapomněl
na co se právě chystám
abych se pak nestyděl
s každou další sklenkou
vypadá vo něco líp
myslim že ještě chvíli
a pak bych na to vlít
no tak mi nalej
ať už jsem zralej
no tak mi nalej
nikdo neni dokonalej
no tak mi nalej
vo trochu víc
nebo z toho
nebude nic
no tak mi nalej
ať už jsem zralej
no tak mi nalej
nikdo neni dokonalej
no tak mi nalej
vo trochu víc
nebo z toho
nebude nic
no tak mi nalej
a sudy válej
no tak mi nalej
další se pálej
no tak mi nalej
vo trochu víc
nebo z toho
nebude nic
Music & Lyrics by Jonas Ledecky.