“AMBER WAVES (GOODBYE)” – Lyrics by Ryan Rosoff, (c) 2023 ASCAP, All Rights Reserved
1. AMBER WAVES (GOODBYE)
Well bless your heart for breaking mine
This ache is an old friend
It’s been awhile, but we’re acquainted
And now we’re catching up again
I am riding Amber Waves of anger
And then a swell of sorrow
Mulling lemon memories
I’ll sift through some more of them tomorrow
Love songs are sweet self-indulgence
But this could be the one
So, right now every note is yours
Until the aching is done
Right now every ring is you
And every passing car
Waiting, but the joke’s on me-
I took the dream too far
CHORUS
I reserve the right to feel
Like anybody would
Grieving is its own reward
There is no bad or good
And I feel guilty for these words
About my state of heart
When every morning is a win
And the big picture is a work of art
“SILVER TONGUE” – Lyrics by Ryan Rosoff, (c) 2023 ASCAP, All Rights Reserved
1. SILVER TONGUE
Got fooled when no one cared
Got twisted up on the pen
A pound of
Patience and presence
To fall apart and coalesce again
Sold a bill of goods
With a Silver Tongue
Paralyzed, face up
And sleeping like the dead when it stung
Weaponized, chest out
Criticized, no doubt
Sold a bill goods
A man of high character
Is sometimes aware when he’s wrong
And 25 is a relative number
There’s so much more to give
A bringer of change
It’s an even exchange
CHORUS:
Peace and Love-
Elegant dream
A Utopian joke?
More cynical
So Critical
Shouldn’t be so extreme
Even though I foretold the flood
Doesn’t mean it’s not already happening
Once more, I crawl through the mud
To beg for one dose of clarity
Got battered up, I’m on the mend
With words so intimate
Sentient
Negligent
Vacant
To talk the talk and fall apart again
I told a pack of lies
With a Silver Tongue
Paralyzed, toes up
And leading with my head when I was young
What did I do?
What did it prove?
Analyzed, struck out
Compromised, no doubt
It’s time for a change
Summit Timing
Viral Fool
Over-Driven and Foiled
In the queue…
When I’m Wrong
When you are running on the back-end
Of your time
Falling down then back up on the climb
And 25 is a serious number
I know, there’s so much more to do
A Bringer of change-
It’s an even exchange
Slinging silver over you
CHORUS:
Peace and Love-
It’s an elegant dream
A Utopian joke-
It’s really not that fucking funny…
Shouldn’t be so obscene
Just because I foretold the flood
Doesn’t mean it’s not already happening
The core of all things to come
To be the change I need
To execute the deed
To be the man I wanna see…
AMUSE DE Q – Lyrics by Ryan Rosoff, (c) 2021 ASCAP, All Rights Reserved
1. BOMBS AWAY
INCOMING!
Bombs away
Down Broadway
I haven’t seen the light in damn near seven days
A sheltered place
A covered face
An empty space of isolation
Losing nerve
Hiding out inside the Wicked Curve
And we will get what we deserve
Wait-
The news is on
And I don’t wanna miss
The Siren Song
I don’t wanna miss
The death toll at dawn
But I can’t remember what day it is
And I haven’t shaved in a week
The Ficus is starting to speak
But my world revolves
As science evolves
The things they can’t solve –
What can I do when they don’t have a clue?
Bombs away
Slow decay
I haven’t seen a soul in damn near seven days
A hopeless race
An endless chase
A viral case of desperation
I skid and swerve
Spinning out inside the Wicked Curve
I can remember what year it is
But I haven’t taken a single peek
Last time, the future was futile and bleak
But our world revolves
Around the resolve
That problems are solved
Coming together
Things will get better
Hope is untethered –
The comeback is real
The skies were gray
But that’s okay
I’m heading for the sun and all its brilliant rays
A shining face
A warm embrace
A loving place of exultation
I found my nerve
And I’m riding high
Bombs Away…
2. KEYBOARD SOLDIER
You could be the good kind of trouble
The kind that burns the rules to rubble
On a page where truth’s subjective
You could burn a whole lot more
With an ember of perspective
Keyboard Soldier
Feed the troll more bass
Into the Negative Space
Control Alt Delete erase
What’s the password in this place?
I don’t think you understand
Sinking in the social quicksand
Divide and conquer from your phone
Come outside, brother
I hope you come alone
Keyboard Soldier
Feed the troll more bass
Fist meet face
Orange you a sad disgrace
Watch that dude catch a case…
You could show some real empathy
Look at yourself, what do you see?
All our Lives can’t really matter
Until it’s true that all Black Lives do
Hit the streets
Rip their sheets
Delete the tweets
Keyboard Don Juan
Soon you will be gone
3. HOW COULD YOU?
The last round of tears
Was barely dry
It’s hard enough to see
Without the bruises on my eyes
How Could You?
You said you never would
How could you break your word?
This time I am out the door for good
He hits me…I said it
Took my share of the blame
I kept coming back for more
Spinning around and around
And forever
Caught in the wheel of shame
Such a way you made a play to make me feel like
I did something to deserve it
Spinning around and around
And I could never
Find a way out and without the means to
Leave forever
Quarantine hell
Terrorized and frozen
In a prison cell
Such a life I’ve chosen
Battling the hate
Hiding in the shadows
Rattling the gate
Waiting for your death throes
You thought I never would
This time I will end the war for good
Such a way you made a play to make me feel like
There was nothing that I could do
Spinning around and around –
You’re not so clever
I found a way out and now I mean to
End you forever…
How Could You?
4. SET IT DOWN
Every day ends in “Why?”
Head pounds, throat running dry
Comatose well past Noon
Back to bed, be up soon
Spirit sick, liquid ruin
Different day, same old tune
Set it Down
Out of time
Going down
Decline
So many times I heard
“Last call”
Lights came up
And I’d take a fall
Couldn’t walk out –
Yeah, I barely could crawl
Another day fades into night
Last round in a losing fight
Shake, stir, lynch, and repeat
Back to back, be up soon
Spirit sick, liquid ruin
Different night, same old moon
Set it Down
Out of mind
Straight Down
Rewind
I can kick it
With the greatest of ease
I can beat this
Pyrrhic disease
A day at a time
Stick to the plan
Soda and lime
I will say it again
Soda and lime
I am sober, man
Then the cravings
Put me in a squeeze
Breaking me down
Ill at ease
Then the shakes
Bring me to my knees
O Dear God
Won’t you help me please?
Help me please
I can’t go back –
Take my keys
5. MELPOMENE (Instrumental)
6. AMUSE DE Q
I don’t open windows
I don’t hold a soul
Don’t have a heart for heartbreak
Black as coal
Feel my static fever
Love is for true believers
But I’m whole
Use and abuse me
It’s all you can do
I prefer to live with
A Muse…
A slow dance
A romance
I’m virtually gratified but
She wants the real thing
And I can’t provide it
I’m thousands and thousands of miles
From the action
Locked up inside
Without satisfaction
This is how it works
This is how it goes
This is how it ends
For all humankind
Best make amends
Or be left behind
I don’t think it’s healthy
Silence takes its toll
Don’t want a Miss for mistakes
I’m whole
Use and abuse me
It’s all you can do
I prefer to live with
Amuse De Q
Praying to the goddess
Of sorrow and song
Suffering and singing
Joyous and wrong
This is how it works
This is how it goes
This is how it ends
For all humankind
Best make amends
Or be left behind
I don’t make excuses
For a midnight flight
Don’t have a room for you, love
Goodnight
7. OMEGA SON
Orbs of fire
Torch the land
He implodes
Shelter in place
Negative Space
Set to erase
On command
Omega Son
Climbs up the hill
Surveys the land
Opens his eyes
Everything dies
Vaporized
Against its will
Last man stands
Outlived the horde
Slept through the Q
Praising the Lord
Omega Son
Grips the poison pill
Surveys his life
Closes his eyes
Everything dies
Euthanized
Now be still
Safe
From the places we hide
All the sickness inside
And all the reasons we die
And all the reasons we run
In the face of fear
I’ll be by your side
When the end is near
We’ll vanish with the tide
High on the unknown
You’ll never go alone
Saddle up and ride
Chaos reigns
Overland
Oceans Rise
Wither away
Washing away
Carry away
Grains of sand
Omega Son
Back down the hill
Touches the flame
Covers his eyes
Everything dies
Vaporized
Against its will
Last man stands
Outlived the scourge
Slept through the plague
Singing the dirge
Omega Son
Says last rites
Tunes out the pain
Closes his eyes
Everything dies
Euthanized
Cut the lights
Safe
From the places we hide
All the sickness inside
And all the reasons we die
And all the reasons we run
In the face of fear
I’ll be by your side
When the end is near
We’ll vanish with the tide
High on the unknown
You’ll never go alone
Saddle up and ride
OCCAM’S FOIL – Lyrics by Ryan Rosoff, (c) 2019 ASCAP, All Rights Reserved
1. HATE COUNTER
I can see your hate
You wear it well, so well
You built your big, beautiful wall
And threw those kids in a cell
Un-American Hell
So here’s the plan…
Meet at 10, I’ll tell you when
Strike at 12, then hide yourself
Back at 10, we’ll do it again
Count to 9 and cross the line
Keep it up, keep it down, heroes
Wall city, Sun City rebels
Keep it up, keep it down, Dreamers
Storm the camps and free up the nameless
Clean it up, clean it up, heathens
Skybeard come to take you
Meet at 10, I’ll tell you where
Take up arms, we soon shall bear
Take 11 straight to heaven
Smash the cages, if you dare
Dissonance is growing
Your ignorance is showing
Skybeard sees your walls
And he counts your hate
A real man feeds on love and hope
Clean it up, it’s not too late
2. THE SKIN THAT I’M IN
In your room
Glass of White
Beating up your phone
Just keep it cool
Soon you’ll be alone
Such a mess
Ball of stress
Nerves so tightly wound
The walls are thin
And closing in
Kills without a sound
I slept alone for many years
If that’s what one calls sleep
I told you all I wanted was
The truth to hold and keep
Because I really loved you
I took the higher ground
But I wanted you to know
What I’d finally found
I’m in your room
I’m everywhere
You’ll never be alone
Just when you thought
That fool could take my throne
But he’s no saint
In fact he ain’t
Any man at all
The poison’s in –
Under your skin
Drown
Do you have a real regret
A moment that you knew
That when I was really gone
Your anchor would be, too?
Now I am in your head
Right where I want to be
And I wanted you to know
I’m at one with the skin that I’m in…
3. FORGOTTEN MILE
If I was a lost and lonely terrapin
Crossing on a crazy coastal road
Would you lift me by the shell
And set me in the bay?
This highway is a mortal threat to me
A creature here who wanders off
Had better hope and pray
Forgotten Mile made me lose my way
And now I wander aimless, night and day
Such a strange and slender road that wore my
Shell away
Take me back to the sea
Hide my deepest fears from me
Find yourself another highway to take
Another way to fix your mistake
The One may help you leave behind
The things that you regret
Forgotten Mile helped me find my way
But this is not a place we wish to stay
Such a strained and slender road that tore my
Shell away
4. THE FOIL
Come to me
Right through me
Come see what
Really moves me
Come on to
This side
Down the
Slip and Slide…
We can bring a badass party
We can drink up your Bacardi
We can make you think much deeper
We can make you want to keep her
Swing so easy
Find your groove
This ain’t Yeezy
Or Show and Prove
Satan’s prank is right before us
Jesus, Guns, and a Ford Taurus
Meat is murder, so said Morrissey
Evolution to the chorus
Keep it simple (stupid stupid)
You can dance to this
We can rip your eyes wide open
We can meet at Cave Headslopin’
We can make you think much deeper
We can put you in a sleeper
Hold me, thrill me
Whip me, kill me
Dusty people
Needle, Sheeple
Keep it simple (stupid stupid)
You can dance to this
Keep it simple (stupid stupid)
Ignorance is bliss
Keep me lit and play that number
I can groove to this
Slip into a drunken slumber
Sleep in my own piss
Father please hear my pleas
Help me find lasting peace
Father please free my mind
I’m not afraid of what I’ll find…
I believe that I can
Use my brain, understand
Thought control? Open mind!
Nevermore will I be blind
5. NERVE #8 (INSTRUMENTAL)
OD-1 – Lyrics by Ryan Rosoff, (c) 2014 ASCAP, All Rights Reserved
1. THE LEADED BEATDOWN (INSTRUMENTAL)
2. HAPPY HOME
I’m in a place
With a million friends, but I am on my own
I’m heading East
Driving to a place that I have never known
I’m moving on now
You might envy me, but I am on my own
I know it seems
That I found the blueprint…
But I’ve left behind more than a shadow
Of doubtful intentions, misguided inventions
My best-laid plans drown in confusion
Behind the illusion of my Happy Home
Home is where the heart is meant to be
All I know is I don’t wanna let it go
Home is not an easy place for me
All I can do is let it flow
When I was young
I held my head high, but now I’m grown
When I was wrong
I made excuses in arrogance, then I was all alone
I was exposed
Backed into a corner with my cover blown
I know it seems
That I found the blueprint
But I’ve left behind
More than my share
Of righteous intentions and failed redemptions
My best-laid plans are selfish and changing
And I’m rearranging again my Happy Home
3. THE BLACK HOLE
We’re snatching victory from the jaws of defeat
The Jack flows and the air is filled with trees
We got our tilt now
But the cops will leave us be
This house was built so the crazies could run free
Welcome to our little corner of Hell
Get here early and find a seat
Welcome to our psycho costume ball
We’re snatching victory from the jaws of defeat
No one here is sober, no one here is green
No one here gets over, no one here is mean
No, it’s never over ’til the final scene
No one in the Black Hole gets out clean
Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiderrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrs!
Fanatics glow, and the torch is lit with glee
It’s do or die now, and we bring them to their knees
Welcome to our little corner of hell
Get here early and find your seat
Maybe you can ring the bell?
We’re snatching victory from the jaws of defeat
No one here is sober, everything is green
No one here gets over on the Big Machine
Don’t wear other colors, never make a scene
No one in the Black Hole gets out clean
LEGACY OF FOOLS – Lyrics by Ryan Rosoff, (c) 2008 ASCAP, All Rights Reserved
1. PRODIGAL SON
Amazing – we didn’t learn a thing
Hit it and then quit it and thought about being a king
Blazing, a thousand points of light
No one could ever challenge the worldwide leader in might
And gifted with a perfect son
Blind – relative humanity wearing on my sanity
Blind – cataclysmic travesty, irreversible
And lazy, from waiting in the wings
Spinning and then winning, he’d never accomplished a thing
Crazy, he started to take a swing
At rolling back all the compassion he said he would bring
And gifting to the filthy sons of the blind
Relative humanity wearing on my sanity
Cataclysmic travesty, bowing to His Majesty
You must be so damn proud
To be gifted with a Prodigal Son
You must be so damn wise
You made this one
Face down in a foreign land
Two in the Bush buried in the sand
Maybe we’ll never learn a thing
Just close your eyes, bow, and kiss the ring…
2. DOMINO
Can’t help but wonder what it would take
To send a message for goodness sake
Across the river and out to sea
And with some luck right back to me
So knock me over
It’s all I know
If I fall over and over and over
Domino
It started here when I opened the door
And I let you pass on the Seventh Floor
It felt so good, you called your wife
And said, “I love the fact that you’re in my life”
She felt so good that she called an old friend
And said, “It’s time that we made amends”
Drinks at 7 and tears at 10
And a promise that they’d meet again
We’ll meet again…
Now they went home with a buzz and a plan
The time had come to make a stand
No more wasted moments of spite
One open door can shed so much light
Word is spreading of a Virus Divine
Quasi-religious state of mind
Pyramid scheme, cosmic plan
One domino can push one million men
Two, to four, to sixteen, or more
Over and over and over and over…
Domino
3. COLLATERAL DAMAGE
Send them away, karma is thicker than oil
Rotting away, strong is the scent of their spoil
Turn up the heat, karma is ready to boil
You’ve got a weapon, so don’t be afraid
The truth makes a point like a sword when you wield it
Ashes to ashes for those they betrayed
Teacher and student were silenced forever
Track coach and 9-year old murdered together
Will you fight back when you get to the end of your tether?
What would you do if we occupied Cleveland
And made up the reasons for killing your people?
You would be with Hannity and O’Reilly
You’d meet in secret
And find a way to stop the invaders
Yeah, you would be a martyr
For all to see
You say two wrongs won’t make one right
But desperate times make desperate men
Take heed – For our great will
Shall bring the fight right back to you
Send them away…
It isn’t easy to come to our senses
And take our true share of the toil
To mend human fences
Before they bleed onto our soil
Rage when you scream at them
“THERE WILL BE NO BLOOD FOR OIL!”
4. MOVING ON (INSTRUMENTAL)
5. NINETEEN STRONG
She’s fighting for breath in the frozen dawn
Missing – A mother or child
She’s holding her head with a weakened dignity
Indignity and panic
Nineteen eyes and ears
With nineteen hopes and fears
Falling to the ground
She won’t make a sound
If no one’s there to hear
A doe, a deer, a female deer
Stray and apart from everyone
She’s holding her head in a crease in a field
And panic, sweet panic
Nineteen eyes and ears
With nineteen hopes and fears
Falling to the ground
She won’t make a sound
If no one’s there to hear
Crying out in pain
Calling out in vain
The end is drawing near
She slips away
But her spirit lives to fly another day
And the herd moves on
Missing one but still they stand
Still they are Nineteen Strong
6. INTERNAL SMUT (INSTRUMENTAL)
7. LEGACY
I won’t try to justify
Just hear me out, son
I’ll tell you why
I’ve got yarn to spin
What a crazy find
As I trace the hidden lines
To my next of kin
It’s a vain parade of lives
In a wooden, framed disguise
Hanging on the wall
Staring down the hall
When Senior rose off
Into the half-light
He lost his last fight
My grandpa wasn’t violent, but he fought a bloody war
Stubborn, condescending, neurotic to the core
Pater Nostre cast a long shadow
It struck my next of kin
But my old man had a better plan
Patience and an even hand
Your grandpa was a soldier
But he didn’t go to war
Conscious of his legacy
And who had come before
I know I’m far from perfect
But I’m always keeping score
You deserve the best of me
I know I can do more
The wise inherit glory
But fools know what’s in store
8. MEA CULPA
Don’t walk away
I think about it every day
I could beg forgiveness morning and night
A disgrace when held up to the light
That’s what this is-
This is my fate
Caught up in the trap I laid
It is what it is
Things will be the same
It is what it is
There’s no one else to blame
Take a look around
It is what it is
Lost and found, my good name…
Stands accused
Of a crime against the trust I abused
I could beg for mercy morning and night
But the grace of your love has taken flight
Take a sad song and make it better
Take a sad song and make it bright
Take a sad song – that’s what this is
Lost and found, my good name
9. 202
When it rains, it always pours
And it catches you off-guard
And when it finally makes its presence known
Will you throw it all in
On the river card?
Because I have a vision
Of reincarnation
Of this institution
Of foolish hearts
Read between the lines
Before the dye has set
Heed the warning signs
Critical, but yet
Always try to take the time
And double down your bet
Tell me, 202
When we meet in five years on the street
Will you tell me things
Are harder than they seemed at age 16?
And would you acquiesce
That the perfect vision statement
Shouldn’t second-guess?
Common sense is never second best
Think about both sides
Before you raise the bet
Double-down and let it ride
And think of when we met
Tell me, 202
If failure’s not at least an option
It’s a certainty
If we pull it off the proverbial table
It’s a standard thing
You could stand a raise in our expectations
Mediocrity – You are who you choose to be
Read between the lines
Before the role is cast
Just between the subtext lies
A true Iconoclast
I hear the rain
Mister Mister
I’m sick and tired of what I see
So rest your weary mind
And know I’m free
From the ties that bound me
And I believe my time has come
So it goes…
VIRUS DIVINE – Lyrics by Ryan Rosoff, (c) 2003 ASCAP, All Rights Reserved
1. ALL I NEED
Snow falls in my room tonight
Recurrent, surreal scene
The soothing hum of white light
Can’t tear my eyes from the screen
It’s not like I’m uninspired
It’s just a matter of drive
Must be the way I was wired
Content to just be alive
Tell me a reason to scream
Sell me your faux motivation
I live inside my own dream
This place has All That I Need
I don’t need a lot of money now
Can’t take away the air I breathe in
Don’t care to balance the Tao
I put my faith in Yin
Four Twenty One Triple Nine
A Little Town up in flames
Those children could have been mine
Can’t tear my eyes from their names
Blood flows in my room tonight
Horrific, surreal scene
Cathartic flicker of light
Can’t tear my eyes from the screen
I found a reason to scream
Clearly some real motivation
Like rising up from a dream
I found some real aggravation
This horror planted a seed
This push is All That I Need
2. NARCISSUS AND ECHO
Hey…You feel the weight of the world?
Well in a perfect mirror
You’d only see yourself
Look into my eyes
And tell me what you see
A vision of your lies
Staring back at me
You fade in
You really think it was worth it?
You had to crown a new king
You bought the whole damn thing
For so long I sat like a fool
With my head in my hands
In an empty room
A victim of circumstance
Well, in a perfect world
You’d never see yourself
You fade out
You know you reap what you sow
You hear the ringing voices
And you know that it’s me
Singing “I win and you lose”
You are what you choose
3. PEACEMAKER
I live in constant fear
Of strangers and things I don’t know
I hold my Peacemaker near
It’s best if I don’t let it show
I know the danger is real
I read the news, just like you
Can’t be too careful, I feel
I hold my peacemaker true…
You’re out of control
Out of your mind
It’s out of your hands
You’re way out of line
But I have a way of changing your mind
And keeping the peace, while leaving behind
All the frontier justice you’ve practiced for years
Put your hand on your heart
Draw the Peacemaker
I live in mortal fear
Of shadows and things unexplained
Secrets exchanged out of ear(shot)
To the back of my brain
I took a wrong turn tonight
I met a man with a gun
He said I didn’t look right
He said I better run…
I learned the hard way tonight
I couldn’t draw fast enough
Don’t bring your heart to a gunfight
Someone may call your bluff!
4. SECOND WIND
The night was almost over
When I walked into the room
Eyes wide open, heart wide open
Could it be too soon?
It seems like only yesterday
My heart and mind were cold
Turned around and upside down
By a shining band of gold
Dreaming of your dancing shoes
Backed up against the wall
Sliding down, nothing to lose
I’m headed for a fall
It seems to me
That we live our lives
In the blink of an eye
And I feel that I
Found new hope
In your Second Wind
My heart was racing madly
And I had to make my move
Eyes wide open, heart wide open
Couldn’t be too soon
I could never feel like that
Your eyes burned me alive
Shiver with anticipation
As I make my final drive
Dreaming of your dancing shoes
Backed up against the wall
Sliding down your strapless gown
I’m headed for a fall
And it seems to me
That you gave me life
With a touch of your hand
And I feel that I will survive
In your Second Wind
Slipping from your sleeping arms
Away into the night
Driven by your Second Wind
Now I will make it right
5. ANTIBODIES
You’re late
But I don’t mind the wait
Like a venomous snake in the long, cool grass
A silent twist of fate
Your head
Is hanging by a thread
Like a spiderweb crack in the looking glass
You’re a step ahead of dead
Sometimes we need…
A good swift kick in the ass
Or a gentle evening breeze
Anybody, Antibody
Can fight the need to please
The world
And all its lack of trust
Anybody, Antibody
It all comes down to us
To fight the greed and lust
It all comes down to us
I know the situation seems grim
The naysayers dance
And I know it’s sink or swim
It’s our last chance
I’m itching for a battle
Or an all-out, total war
Anybody, Antibody
Can fight the mighty horde
And the world
And all your blood and guts
Anybody, Antibody
It all comes down to us
To fight the greed and lust
To fight the mightiest
6. VIRUS DIVINE
A fever
A blistering wave of desire
To go out and change their ways
Believers
A passionate trial by fire
To show that they’ve been led astray
Deceivers
My ringing indictment of liars
Will usher me into the fray
White lies, Half Truths, Alibis, Deceptions
Will never cause my conviction to sway
Cause my conviction to fall…
Keep your decency
And your reasoning
We spit on piety and propriety
Argue aimlessly
Backstab shamelessly
Entertain you while we stay nameless
We will fight your Virus Divine
Zombies
The LCD promises profits
Suburbanite gangsters with cash
Robots
Programmed to emulate violence
You’re filling their heads up with trash
The masses
No longer will suffer in silence
Your empire is ready to crash
You can keep your decency
And your abject reasoning
We pit on your piety
Worship impropriety
Argue aimlessly
Backstab shamelessly
Entertain you while we stay nameless
We will fight your Virus
The fever
Is hotter than Hell’s wild fire
Deceivers
My ringing indictment of liars
Sends the powers-that-be on their way…
7. PASO DEL NORTE
I could find my way home
At midnight with my eyes closed
Bittersweet memories
Gently exposed
When I come home
I have come so far
Like a warm September rain
Lit up by the evening star
High above the desert plain
In the afterglow
Tiempo paso lento
Change here
Is like a foreign entity
Visions rise and fall
Torn apart by apathy
In the ebb and flow
Changes come and go
But you stand by
With a skeptical eye
And a cynical laugh
As the city blends in with the trends
Fly North
I will return to fight again
Any man with hands
Can point a pious finger
What The Pass demands
Are helping hands that linger
Long enough to show
That seeds of change can grow
Psychological switch
Philosophical twitch
And a genuine laugh
From simple means come noble ends
Fly…
8. HORSEFEATHERS (I love you, Maddy!)
So much hope
Lights up your future
But brilliant lives and minds
Need to be nurtured
Fight like hell for answers
Go to any length
Seek me out for guidance
Search within for strength…
TIME EXTENSION – Lyrics by Ryan Rosoff, (c) 1998 ASCAP, All Rights Reserved
1. TAKE IT BACK
Just before he buckles under
And his fate is set in stone
A final breath of rolling thunder
Shakes him to the bone
Carry me far away
A hole at the end of a long drain
Back to another day
To a time without a rhyme or reason
Why I couldn’t do it over again
Just before his final number
And his name is carved in stone
A final chance to make it right
A chance to atone
Watching as the years rewind
To all the places he could find
Fault with how he spent his days
Just in time to change his ways…
2. I DIDN’T ASK
Bills to pay, mouths to feed
Differences in want and need
Taxes, death, shattered dreams
Preordained in our genes
I didn’t ask to be thrown to this world
I didn’t ask to be born
I didn’t have a say in the matter
Into the world my body was torn
Some advice is lent
Mine’s for keeps
Listen to your dad
Go Back To Sleep!
3. MADELEINE (INSTRUMENTAL)
4. VOICES MADE SILENT
Bless me
Keep me
Free from
Self-pity
It’s easier, I find
When free to speak my mind
To close the door and say nothing at all
Always
Speechless
Wordless
Soundless
But this time around
My thoughts translate to sound
And open up the door into the world
Silent voices disappear into a sea of doubt
And hidden cries
Silent voice learn to whisper, then they yearn to shout
To the skies
Bless me
Heal me
Teach me
Certainty
Feel me
Breathing
Hear me
Scream…
5. SMOKE SPIN FREE
Smoke rings
Shape things
Smoke brings me an extraordinary sense of peace
And space, and time
A beacon that can help me find my place
A second sight
A wrong from right
A tiny detail brought to light
Some things should be
Given for free
Passed back around from you to me
Smoke spins
Great sins
Smoke brings me an extraordinary sense of grief
A constant fight
Who’s in the right?
The propaganda clouds your sight
Some things should be
Done legally
Passed into law by our decree
Smoke
Spin
Free
Breathe In
Burn Out
Deep Spin
Breathe Out
A second chance
A different stance
A way to snap out of your trance
Some things you knew
To be untrue
Passed back around from me to you
6. LAID OUT STONE DRY
Meetings
Running late again
Don’t you wait up for me, baby
I’ll be quiet coming in
Meeting
On her bed again
Don’t you wear no perfume, baby
She’ll never know where I’ve been
You laid me out stone dry
I nearly fell out of my skin
You keep me coming back again
Into your velvet walls of sin
Fleeting
Moments of ecstasy
Don’t you think it’s worth it, baby?
What she don’t know can’t hurt me
Cheating
It comes so naturally
Don’t you lay no guilt trip, baby
You can’t fake morality
7. PET BLACK GOOSE (INSTRUMENTAL)
8. NAME YOUR PRICE
Hey, I think I’m gonna make it
And if I have to fake it
That’s okay
Hey, I’m gonna hit the big time
And selling out ain’t no crime
I’m gonna make ’em pay
Name Your Price
I won’t think twice
I’m for sale
Hey, I’ll do most anything
I’ll change the way I sing
Just tell me what to say
Hey, I’m sick of playing bars
I’m reaching for the stars
And one more cliche
Hey, I hope you liked this song
And it won’t be long
Before we get airplay
9. BLOODLINE
Blood
Runs thicker than the crudest oil
When my boy ran away
My blood heated to a boil
Blame
Ran only on a one-way street
Ingrate, little shit
Go!
Blood
Runs deeper than the China Sea
When my girl ran away
My cold heart burned inside of me
Bloodline, everything’s fine
Bloodline, stay on the vine
Couldn’t spare a moment
I couldn’t be two places at once
Tell the kids that everything’s fine
I’ll make it up to them in due time
But work has just been crazy today
And the man just asked me to stay
Tell the kids I’ll be home at nine
I’ll make it up to them in due time
Nothing matters but the Bloodline
Blood
Can dry up like a desert rose
When my brood ran away
My blood froze
10. LITTLE THINGS
Little Things that make me crazy in the head
Minor matters multiply and spread
Little Things that creep up slowly on my nerves
Making sure I get what I deserve
Celebrate simple pleasures
Elevate drastic measures
Celebrate perfect moments
All of life’s little treasures
Traffic jam that holds me idle in my lane
Endless lines that leave me in the rain
Writer’s block that keeps me bogged down on a verse
Whine Du Jour – there’s always something worse
You never know when your time will come
You never know when your days will be done
Who can predict what the future will bring?
Who has the time to tame the Little Things?
11. TIME EXTENSION
Working while the world was sleeping
Shackled to a cold machine
Toiling for a few more dollars
Bigger pictures better left unseen
Waiting for the perfect moment
Years flew by at breakneck speed
“Quit your job and see the world”
Wisdom I had always meant to heed
When did “Then” turn into “Right now”?
My soul for a Time Extension
Write a novel, ride a camel
Through the streets of Mozambique
Hike up through the clouds of Everest
Set your compass for the highest peak
Pull up roots and burn your bridges
Give your heart to charity
Would you spend your precious moments
With your money or your family?
12. TOPEYE
I feel a little bit older
Move a little bit slower
Skin worn paper-thin
Nights are so much colder
No hesitation
No reservations
Ancient rites of passage
A test of inner-strength
Promise to his ancestors
A simple leap of faith
Ten thousand years they asked the Great Spirit
Ten thousand years they whispered in vain
He’ll be the last to eat from the desert
He’ll be the last to walk in the rain
Sacred ground is hallowed
Sacred is the pain
As the plant is swallowed
He completes the chain…
TRANSMOUNTAIN – Lyrics by Ryan Rosoff, (c) 1997 ASCAP, All Rights Reserved
1. DROP THE DIME
Drop The Dime
Free your mind
Let’s go…
Follow me into a dream
Nothing here is ever as it seems to be
Follow me into a dream
Disappear into the cracks and seams
Follow me into illusion
Nothing here is ever as it seems to be
Drop the dime
You can’t blame me if I take some time
Away from gravity
Sanity, follow me
Free your mind away from gravity
Ecstasy
Wash over me
Ecstasy
All over me
Flying up the mountain side
Rising slowly through the desert sky
Headlong into the unseen
Nothing here is ever as it seems to be…
2. TRIPWIRE
All the roads that bring me hope
And all the wires I tripped to be with you
All the times I drove so far
The times I sold my soul to be with you
Miles and miles to passion out of town
When she takes me up I can’t come down
Help me burn the sky tonight
Red rocket from a slingshot
Help me cross the line tonight
I tripped across the wires
You thought our time was up in smoke
Help me turn the tide tonight
No vision in the hot moonlight
Help me cross the line tonight
I tripped along the wires
You thought I might go up in smoke
But I can’t come down
From the Tripwire
All the crazy days alone
And all the nights I tripped to be with you
Try to find some peace of mind
You know I sold my soul be with you
3. 60 SECOND REVOLUTION
Passing minutes ain’t so easy
Turn them backwards just to tease
The dancing shadows in the east
But holding hands won’t make them freeze
Around and round in silence, such reliance, on the violence
Of your pair of spinning fingers
Should you linger
They return into a 60 Second Revolution
Circle in the mass confusion
Walking on your resolution
Counting down your execution
Around and round in silence, such reliance on the violence
Of your every waking hour
Feel the power
Of the hand behind the glass
Stepping in the river twice
Your dreams of living in the splice
The footprints follow different roads
But the choices always seem to make your head explode
Waiting for a better reason?
Passing idle time is treason
Summer is a dying season
Winter hands will soon be freezing
4. FORGIVE AND FORGET
Here we go…
I can forgive a little white lie
And I can forget another mistake
I can accept a simple solution
Change of direction
Silent objection
Anything but a total rejection
And I can give in to every temptation
Only you can make me forget
That I’m falling without a net
Must be this town
Must be the weather
But the weight of the world
Feels light as a feather
And I fall apart
When we come together
Could it be lust that’s making me blind
Or could it be just the time out of mind with you?
Could it be lust that’s making me numb
Or could it be just the way that we come together?
I can forgive a little misconduct
And I can forget a promise you break
And I can forgive a loss of conviction
Change of direction
Silent objection
Anything but an inner reflection
I can give in to every sensation
Only you can make me believe
It’s better to forgive than to leave…
5. I-10
Friday mornings out of Arizona
Border crossing on the road I know
A hundred miles an hour to El Paso
I lost my will a hundred miles ago
Tell me why
I aint’ got a reason to jump the other track
Tell me why
You ain’t got a reason to jump into the facts
Better run
Highway Ten will keep me coming back again
I tried so very hard to turn the wheel
I tried to break the spell, to break away
Tried to angle back to where I feel
Shades of black and white, not blue and gray
Every mile I come a little closer
Every single time I go too far
Every single day another reason
Every time I get into my car
Sunday mornings back to Arizona
Searching for a sign on Highway Ten
Growing old inside these walls of steel
Ten will keep me coming back again
6. TRANSMOUNTAIN
Up the mountain now
Down the other side
High above the valley
There’s no place to hide
High above the valley
Of the Rio Grande
I can see the river
Carving up the land
Coming to the summit
Time comes to a stop
Things look very different
When I’m at the top
Coming to the middle
Of a Great Divide
Try to solve a riddle
Time to choose a side
Fighting indecision
Trying to extend
Taking a position
To the bitter end
Mountains last forever
So, I thought, would we
When I leave the mountain
It will set me free
7. RESTLESS
Clap of thunder
Waking from a restless slumber
Waking up I and wonder
Who am I to blame
And isn’t a shame
That things can’t be the same
Then it’s raining
Disposition slowly changing
Maybe with some re-arranging
I can shift the blame
Wash away the shame
And quickly as it came
My conscience fades away
If I could travel back somehow
And if I knew then what I know now
And if I could change what I would say
And if you would change your mind and stay
But my words cut you so deep
That I can’t get back to sleep
I take it back
Every other word I said
I’m over my guilt attack
And I still wish you were dead
And I won’t take the blame
And you should be ashamed
That you could cause me pain
My conscience coming back
8. GOLDEN RULES
Run like a river
You run uphill
Take what they give you
You take your fill
No trespassing-
You pass in threes
Life isn’t fair
Take what you need
Do you listen carefully?
Do you believe what’s on TV?
Do you question the answer, question tradition
Question so-called authority?
Do you see?
Don’t talk to strangers
You shake his hand
Sex? Hidden danger
One Night Stand!
Stay off the grass
Don’t kill the weed
Life isn’t fair
Take what you need
Ain’t so bad to be so bad
Ain’t no fun to follow rules
Ain’t no good to follow fools
So I’d rather break those golden rules
9. DEAD TO RIGHTS
Black tar days and white lines
An endless maze of city lights
Left the ground for deadly heights
If he looks down, he’s dead to rights
Free too young and hooked too soon
And her back to burn the spoon
She left her town for deadly sights
If she looks back, she’s dead to rights
Not another cry for mercy
Way beyond a false alarm
Don’t you think that if they didn’t really mean it
That they would have turned around some time ago?
Not another cry for mercy
Way too gone to turn around
Closer to the edge
One more step to go
Flying off the ledge
And the wind begins to blow
They left the ground for deadly heights
If they look down, they’re dead to rights
She had always made decisions
He would have the final say
Then one night she had a vision
He told her to lead the way
Face to Face
Hand in Hand
They look down
Halfway down they had a doubt
But halfway down you can’t get out…
10. OMEGA
I will never come down to your level
Never fight back
Never, ever let anger and regret
Change the way things oughta be
Why can’t I make you see?
Omega
You and me
11. GET UP (RIP Dave Charity)
Around on the earth
We’re just taking up space
We’re screwed in at birth
We’re just doomed to this place
How can we know
The right things to do to make it so
You’ll get up off your knees?
Are we in hell?
Are we wasting the days
On a suicide run
Maybe Heaven don’t pay
Give me a reason
Any little reason will do
It’s me that I’m pleasing
It’s over, you know I’m through
Living for you
They tell us what to think
To stay in control
They always talk about screwing up
My immortal soul
But now I’m taking it back
Back to the place where it came
Back to a new higher power
Back to a place in my brain
Yeah I’ve got the answer
Is this Heaven or Hell?
Well, we’re already in it
Which one, I just can’t…
You’ll get up off your knees