1. |
Bitter Beauty
03:38
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all the flowers fade
and all the stars pale
as this bitter beauty
grabs you by the tail
how long will you hesitate
half way up the trail
yes it's dark in the trees
and some wounds never heal
but you're dreaming with eyes wide open
your
heart has spoken for the first time
all the gun for hire poets
who try to sing so loud
just to drown out the roar
as the bombs hit the ground
and the band is whistling Dixie
for its sentimental sake
that's the sound and the fury
of this new dark day
all the penny wishes
and the trickle down schemes
the Cracker Jack box prizes
splitting at the seams
you're standing in the doorway
with your hair all in a mess
you in all your glory
wondering what comes next
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2. |
Blue Sky
03:28
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you tried to make good
hiding out in the neighbourhood
getting by and it's understood
there's no time like the time rite before the flood
you get high to feel your love
it's alright so you need the crutch
step aside wonder what's up
you close your eyes you see you've missed so much
bring on the blue sky
you can fly in your dreams
floating by the black and white scenery
take a drive where lovers leap
only to arrive dead on your feet
bring on the blue sky
the paint is peeling off
the hood of
this old truck
as you drive into the West
where the eye of God is sinking fast
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3. |
Fire
02:46
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dance locust dance
the prophets shrug their shoulders as
calamity's child lost her head
in the bell of the trumpet's blast
I know you just want to be on fire
jam radio jam
power to the pirate stations
broadcasting up through the cracks
in the pavement
I know you just want to be on fire
the good morning comes like a hit and run
with a marmelade sun for everyone
I know you just want to be on fire
staring at the sun
will only make you blind
but a fiery glimpse
is all you need sometimes
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4. |
Hangover Days
04:36
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it was in your basement apartment
with all of its earth and sea
making love on the carpet
under the light of the TV
outside the sour moon minstrels
shook their dark tambourines
the morning came in sinister
well window light menacing
with clouds up above and clouds down below
killing time but it won't stand still, it won't stand still
you said you never made a promise
that you could keep
I thanked you for being honest
you said, "don't pull that shit on me"
these are the hangover days
of frosted glass and metallic gleam
all the new non-places
erase my memory
we try so hard, we try so hard
we try so hard to love
it was underneath London Bridge
I finally realized what you mean
meanwhile all of fashion's latest
were nipping at the heals of history
I tried to send you a postcard
but all I could write were apologies
so out the Columbia Hotel window
I threw my heart into the street
with stars up above and stars down below
killing time but it won't stand still, it won't stand still
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5. |
I'll Bring The Sun
03:33
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you took hold of my affections
with your bible and your sword
your celebrity connections
I was not use to keeping score
from your fine gilded chalice
I drank all your cheep red wine
It was a good place to play Judas
hiding pearls from the swine
I'll bring the sun to you when I come
you won me just as I failed you
fist full of cake, who could refuse
all of my love got stuck in traffic
two thousand miles away from you
bleeding into the telephone
on a reupholstered bed of nails
I'm a long, long way from home
I hope my jet lagged heart don't fail
I'll bring the sun
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6. |
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from St. Christopher's house
into the streets you set out
with the dispossessed and the broken down
you looked around and saw the need
dug in your heels rolled up your sleeves
you were no stranger to refugee
and you wouldn’t let the bully boys get you down
these are your streets from the projects to the slums of China town
from Denison square to the synagogue steps
the shopkeepers and merchants all families of immigrants
Charlyn angel of Kensington
laundry hanging in the ally yards
cats sunning on the hoods of parked cars
children messing ‘round in the vacant lots
fish market woman laughin’ out loud
old Portuguese men hanging 'round
in the ancient smoke of a local bar
you feeding birds right out of your hand
on the sidewalk café while the street preacher quotes the old testament
down in Alexandra Town
I can almost hear the old steel drums ringing out
courage take courage
for every lonely soul that you’ve lifting up
pushing out the walls of this neighbourhood
I guess that’s why they call you the angel of Kensington
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7. |
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roll on over you clouds of doom
the silver lining is coming through
just say yes just say yes just say yes
quit giving up so soon
our love will win what war will lose
every little bit of light helps get us through the
night these days
time fled from west
under a crescent moon the Elderado sun set
the stars came unglued and the sky fell in
like the smoke we grew from these ashes
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8. |
Lake Superior
03:10
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Lake Superior tonight
set sail the dancing stars
with all your might
flash of silver through the pines
crashed out on your shore
by bonfire light
lake superior you blow my mind
ill tempered in November
tender in July
Lake Superior I drove
all night
on the beach
on cassette
on the whole time
raindrops falling in the headlights
windshield wipers
slapping time
there is nothing so near
as feeling left behind
I’ll sink like a stone here
in your depths tonight
Lake Superior rambling tree line
the sleeping giant
and the legend of the silver mine
gitche gumee waves
reaching thirty feet high
Ojibway Ocean
stormy on my mind
north shore wind howlin’
down the line
breath it in
come back to life
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9. |
Love Is A Dirty Word
02:40
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in the golden age of love’s architecture
Shakespeare was lying drunk in a ditch
scribbling out his rapture
while getting his pocket picked
he said, lust is a subscription
passion’s what its worth
greed is a conviction
love’s a dirty word
you get hung up and you get hurt
love is a dirty word
from a bird’s eye view you can see it
it’s sublime and it’s absurd
you can buy it and you can sell it
but nobody’s figured how to make it work
you can talk about it like a lawyer
you can call it a crush
but in the end it’s all buried treasure
underneath the mud
it brings you down to earth
love is a dirty word
down the snakes and up the ladders
black eyed Mona is my crutch
the mission bell warned me of disaster
but I’m still waiting on the sucker punch
love is a dirty word
you get blind and you get burned
you get hung up and you get hurt
but it brings you down to earth
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10. |
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T-shirt rolled up to his shoulders
Six inch sideburns and a pompadour
A two pack habit pushing a baby stroller
My daddy was a rocknroller
He drove used cards
Built 'em outta used parts
Kept 'em in the front yard up on blocks
A grease monkey with a weekend job
Couldn't care less about what the neighbours thought
He really knew how to stretch a dollar
Sneaking us kids into the drive in theatre
Four on the floor underneath the covers
My daddy was a rocknroller
My daddy was a rocknroller
He dodged the war 'cause he was nobody's soldier
Settled down here just north of the border
A union man 'til the company sold her
My daddy was a rocknroller
He grew up but he never got older
A wise cracker and a straight shooter
Just like Lenny on Law And Order
My daddy was a rocknroller
My daddy was a rocknroller
My daddy was a rocknroller
He never kissed no ass unless it was my mother's
My daddy was a rocknroller
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11. |
Song and Dance Man
03:07
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I was a paper boy
Back when there were paper boys
Book stores and record shops
Bricks and mortar
Now I made the cover
But I can’t pay the band
What’s more important is
We’re building a brand
Everybody clap your hands for the song and dance man
Pass the hat for pennies
Kick start some fans
If you can tweet something brilliant
You got a marketing plan
Jingling and jangling
Living in a van
If we can just sell some T shirts
We could pay for the gas
Everybody clap your hands for the song and dance man
Everybody clap your hands I’m a song and dance man
You got to do what you can when you’re a song and dance man
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12. |
Love You Babe
03:01
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Smell the roses taste the wine
Try not to drink too much tonight
Love you babe
Zip up your dress damn you look fine
Zip off your dress cause you changed your mind
Love you babe
Across the room you catch my eye
I stir for you every time
What can I say?
Love you babe
You like to eat you like to talk
You hate to lose when we play cards
Love you babe
You like to dance kick off your shoes
Turn it up shake your hair loose
Love you babe
You got a temper but I can take it
You’re not as tough as your reputation
I know just where you ache
Love you babe
All lit up on a Tuesday night
A hard day deserves another bottle of wine
So you say
It’s so hard to deny you I don’t ever want to deny you
Love you babe
Lets go to bed before we fight hold your body close to mine
So I can love you babe
Love you babe
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13. |
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it must be late
I’ve lost track of time
everything changes then comes around again
and suddenly you’re a fashion crime
last call is over
house lights are up
turn my collar to the wind
and stumble back up the block
crab walking home in the rain
another tattoo parlour
another coffee shop
the new peasants are presently
movin on up
but the night is a wonder
and your shadow is long
the last of the sentimental ghosts
of the old neighbourhood haunts
crab walking home in the rain
I remember that old apartment
above what was the late night Chinese
drinking beer from a tea pot
When you’d order up “cold tea“
I remember your laughter
I remember your strong mind
I remember your warm body
tangled in mine
crab walking home in the r
ain
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Jason Collett Toronto, Ontario
Jason Collett is a Toronto-based Canadian singer-songwriter. He has released four solo albums, and is a member of Broken Social Scene. His latest album, Song & Dance Man, was released in February, 2016.
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