The New Amsterdams

Stories been boarded up again
Old sins forgotten from new sins
Your habits get old
Your habits get old

Wanted to say
How I wanted to say

Miss the Valentine House sometimes
Good times compounded on good times
What's come over you since?
What's come over you since?

Wanted to say
How I wanted to say

Losing you
I would know
I feel partially responsible
I'm confused
All I can do
Is quietly grin and resent you

Phone calls made with such urgency
Speaking half-truths
She doesn't know
What she doesn't know

Wanted to say
How I wanted to say

Losing you
I would know
I feel partially responsible
I'm confused
All I can do
Is quietly grin and resent you

Came by to make you angrier again.
Gonna try to make you angrier enough,
I'm all ears now.
Volunteer how I'm
Gonna find a way to keep this civilized.

It's help if you just tell me what to say.
It's help if you just tell me anything.
I'm all ears now.
Volunteer how,
I'm not askin anymore.
I'm not askin anymore how
I'm gonna find a way to keep this civilized.

You fall back
On anger now,
Swear you are forgiven.
Your anger suits you,
It makes you beautiful
Gives you confidence
To come at me with more than your bare hands.
Not here to break you,
But all the words tonight are careful, chosen, hurting kind;
I'm tryin to say that I, I'm tryin to say that I,
I'm tryin to say that I've stopped tryin
If you rise above,
If you rise at all,
It'll probably be now.

Adeline, out of tune
Heaven knows what I would do
You can't just walk away
From everything

Adeline, out of tune
Step in time, two by two
Say it's over regret
I'm sure it's over I guess

I don't ever forget
Ever forget

Adeline, out of tune
Heaven knows what I would do
Say it's over regret
Sure it's over I guess

I don't ever forget
Don't ever forget

Burn all your pictures
Still save the prints
Thought I've feel better
I feel like shit
I fall to pieces with out you around
Spend all my time
Trying to figure out
Maybe I should be sorry
Maybe it's too late
It's never too early
I'll follow my faith
I shot the moon
When you shot me down
I spend all my time
Trying to figure out

I finally thought about
I forever been leaving

I wanna change the world
Nothings gonna change, believe me
Little love is lost
The memory remains
Time takes its cost
I'm still the same
I left the room
And you let me down

Spend all my time
Trying to figure out
I finally thought about
I forever been leaving
I wanna change the world
Nothings gonna change, believe me

I just seem to spend
More and more time again
By myself
It's just so much easier then
Trying to understand, myself
I finally thought about
I forever been leaving

Are you open, to open arms?
Misdirection does little harm
I won't ask, you won't tell
Just come around

Missed discussions of virtues and
Complications with cash in hand
I won't ask, you won't tell
Just come around

My angel flies
Carries all my fears
Angel don't die
For four more years

Are you waiting for me to say
That I made all the same mistakes
I won't ask, you won't tell
Just come around

My angel flies
Carries all my fears
Angel don't die
For four more years

My angel flies
Carries all my fears
Angel don't die
For four more years

We don't forgive
And I dare you not to speak
All bones with hands
Old wound open the key
The best of friends
Turn to enemies

Honestly, do I wanna walk away?
Is that obvious to see, that side of me?

Secrets and sins
Does it matter if I know?
Lets not pretend
Wish it wasn't so
Can we stay friends?
Even if I'm in your show

Honestly, do I wanna walk away?
Is it that obvious to see that side of me?

I'm all beat up
I'm a cold bruise colored
Tears me up
Do I ask myself to choose?
When I don't know what to do

One waitress
Outside of,
Phone booth, South Carolina
Sits, keeps killing time
Rolls her eyes
Roll of dimes
Speak of this sick surrounding sin
Tears me from limb to limb, within
I don't know how to let it go
This far away from home

One word was mistaken
Context that it was taken from
Write it down
Must be sound
Must be true
I hope you can hear me
My only sanctuary asks
Why am I here?
Why aren't I home?
As the line builds for the phone

I want it all
Work to a fault
That breaks us in two
And always at play
The end of the day
I'm alone and so are you

Old stories
Gas stations
Repeating conversations
Still, I can't speak long
The show has to go on
At best I, might question
The focus of my attention
Though, you know that I could bring it down

I want it all
Work to a fault
That breaks us in two
And always at play
The end of the day
I'm alone and so are you

One waitress, invading
But I'm content to make her wait
It's all I have
So far from home
Oh please stay on the phone

All your hangers on
Watch with anxious eyes
Watch your mouth to speak
Words mystic and wise
Can you explain away everything I know to be true?
Will you flinch if I criticize anything about you?

Anything about you
Wash your nervous hands
Speak and only lie
Dismiss distances
Between you and I
Can you explain away everything that I know to be true?
Will you flinch if I criticize anything about you?

Anything about you
Preacher only son
Wise man only tie
Scorned by anyone
With an evil eye

I don't want
A picture in the paper
I just want
A minute of your time
At a point
Appreciate an answer
Any token
Would suit me fine

I won't ask
A question you can't answer
Like, "Do you remember All Shook Down?"
At one time
It was your favorite record
But now it's broken
And not around
Baby I broke it
Broke me down

Strain of the show
Takes its toll
But you don't
Wanna know

Maybe I don't know what I'm asking
This is not
The place or time to speak
It's possible piano may be drinking
But it's not me
Couldn't be
I'm sincere
As I can be

Strain of the show
Takes its toll
You don't
Wanna know

Strain of the show
Takes its toll
You don't
Wanna know

My old man had a pistol
Never carried around
Never taught me to use it, yeah
No butt on the ground
Images of a family
Somewhere deep in the South
Wish that girl'd taken pictures, yeah
Dragged me out
Stand inside
Knees fall to the ground
I pray take me far away
From everything that I am
Must've lost all my memories
Must've blacked 'em all out
Thank God for the pictures, yeah
Didn't burn in the house
Stand inside
Knees fall to the ground
I pray take me far away
From everything that I am
Escape is the only way out

All my life I've been waiting.
It get's older, it's over me.
I'd speak but it fails me.
So the dike in the damn stops the leak.
Maybe it's me and I'm venting.

I find your speech otivating, watching life pass you by on the screen.
Just flicker and fading with a plot like you wouldn't believe.
Maybe I don't know the ending.
Someone ruined my daydream.
Aren't you spoiled enough as it is?

Whatever you're saying won't bring anyone closer to this.
I know you're sick.
I wish you were healing, but you're worse for the wear.
We keep tearing the seams we repaired.
If we all had the call to fair then we wouldn't be standing here.

It's a clandestine arrangement that we never could get to stick.
Every night under the table with the sick and the fits.
Never cast as the romantic lead but somehow on our feet.
We're just waiting to be received and the whole scene sighs relief.
Somehow everyone functions with a barely visible scar.

Never know the length we'd go was so far, so far.
Some nights I see the sun come up but don't remember where it went down.
A realist whose time has come, it feels like I'm the only one.
Obstacles to overcome, now I don't trust anyone.
So, here's to all our vice and our secret double life.

I'll sleep with one eye open and maybe you'll save my life.
Another cool assed show under the table on the ground.
Keep the floorshow up to sound and the light show up to specs.
If we drown until we're exhausted it's what nobody expects.

Nothing left to lose.
Everything to prove.
Nothing we can't do.
Not anything for you.

The words were written wrong.
My life imitates your songs.
On and on and on.
Here's to all our vice and our secret double life.
I'll sleep with one eye open, maybe you'll save my life.

Some might say it's over rated, staring at their shoes.
You're arrows don't have poison but they bruise.
I can't make peace with you.
All my heart is on these pages, open to abuse.
I should try to be dishonest but I lose.
It's never been for you.

Angry eyes, there's poison in the ink.
You've got so much time to think about it.
Try to put your finger on it and figure out what's right for me and mine.
Expletives and explanations fade bruise colored blue.
A thicker skin develops on the wound.
I won't change it for you.
I'm just telling the truth.

The light I followed tonight is only as bright as the highway.
The sight, try as I might, I can't keep the weight from my eyes.
We never will make load in if the Ephedrine don't kick in.

An empty house will leave you fatherless.
The cycle is coming around like my mother did, but it's in her blood.
Oh, my brother.
You've gotten over it, gotten older yet.
But it's only what our hearts will power.
I think I might have found the smoking gun.
My thoughts trail off for hours.
I think the time has come to be the one.

An empty house will leave you fatherless.
The cycle is coming around like my mother did but it's in her blood.
For the love of another, if the habit fits then you must admit.
It's only what our hearts will power.
I think I might have found the smoking gun.
My thoughts trail off for hours.
Maybe the time has come to be the one.

Are you hanging on for hope?
The clock strikes past the hour.
Is the pain enough to choke the life out?

You may never get to sleep
Your time is not your time tonight
Her smile will make you weak and proud

Do you ever miss her?
Do you feel the cold wind whisper?
Is there anything more deafening?

Are you hanging on for hope?
It's all you've got worth living for.
Is it much too hard to cope the road out?
There's a tension when we speak
The income's overrated
but it's worth it when we meet on common ground

Do you ever miss her?
Do you feel the cold wind whisper?
Is there anything more deafening?

Are you hanging on for hope?
It's all you've got worth living for.
Much too hard to cope when i'm gone?

Do you ever miss her?
Do you feel the cold wind whisper?
Is there anything...

Do you ever cower when the clock strikes every hour?
Is there anything more deafening?
Is there anything more deafening?

Uncommon amount of the time at home
Hardly a word on the telephone
Finally find the time to get to know you
Mapping it out like a master plan
Something to do with my idle hands
Write you a letter addressed from California

It's vivid and strong in my memory
An absence that smacks of abandoning
It led to the battle that ultimately destroyed us
I'm nothing if I don't know your mistakes
The pill is as bitter as I can take
It twists like a blade when I leave for California

La da la da da da da da da da da da da (repeat)

I hope that you know this is killing me
It's all in the name of the family
We only can play the cards the dealer dealt us
The end of the cycle is closing in
With you I see new hope begin again
There suddenly seems to be promise in California

La da la da da da da da da da da da da (repeat)

As heavy as all this is weighing me
Believe in the words I am promising
I'm still here for her
The distance is only an obstacle
Hardly a match for a miracle
I'm finally ready to go to California