1. |
In the Puzzle Room
00:39
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2. |
Ginger & Ruth
02:20
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The quotidian aches and pains
of being a being.
All the small nothings, they’re something;
the bric-a-brac euphoria.
“Every problem’s not mine to solve.”
Ruth built a shrine to all
the passers-by, the banal.
Ginger fears death
but Ruth says that life’s where the pain’s at.
Ginger’s a bored one.
Well, Ruth is a bear and Ginger’s a brat.
Well, back in New York where the fun’s at,
waiting at the train tracks.
Ginger is arguing in her head
with her boss—some bullshit hen.
Well, Ruth, she walks down the platform
in black.
She says it’s good to be back
in the city—the big brick hive.
Ruth says, “When all else fails
dig the hippie shit like it’s working.”
Ginger gets frustrated
and Ruth just shifts round the wording.
“Ginger, you’re so good to me
but your worry is disconcerting.”
“Ruth, don’t overthink it!
Now come back to bed I’m just bursting.”
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3. |
Zoom Out
02:43
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The duck eating almonds;
he’s wasting time today
until his job interview.
He’d love some honest pay.
We zoom out to see the whole park.
The projects stand tall on the horizon.
A yawn, he won’t be late,
the interview’s not til eight.
Hey, I bet he’ll do great.
The hunter comes round the bend,
she’s got him in her sights.
The gun goes blammo;
to die’s not difficult.
“We’re eating tonight,” she thinks.
“This is the end of the road for me,” he thinks,
“this stinks. Always knew I’d die
one day just not today.”
We zoom out once again;
a chicken’s getting mugged top left;
a badger’s trying to score dope;
a human’s riding out the joke.
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4. |
Kill the Dream
04:16
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Benny’s waiting for a new brain implant;
His old one’s working fine.
He don’t care if it’s worth it
he just needs the new version.
Benny’s gotta make that money
so he can afford to update the life
that he don’t spend living;
too distracted searching for the new.
Ginger’s got her nose stuck in a book,
hypnotized by symbols on a page
imbued with meaning.
Certainly means more than the life that she ignores.
Replacing her thoughts with authored thoughts,
living half a life through pulp and ink;
it’s imitation;
she’s been told it’s education but it ain’t life,
it’s living a fiction in fear of raw life.
The distractions they’re mired in are lies.
Facsimile dream but I’ve got a scheme to wake up;
oh, I’ve got a scheme to kill the dream.
Jumbo Ron is pacing back and forth,
he’s worried that he may have made the wrong impression last night
on a date with a doggy from work.
He’s obsessing over one small turn of phrase.
He’s not sure if it conforms to current standards
of political correctness as it changes day to day.
They’re living a fiction in fear of raw life.
The distractions they’re mired in are lies.
Facsimile dream but I’ve got a scheme to wake up,
oh, I’ve got a scheme to kill the dream.
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5. |
Stargazers
03:17
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Those elephants in heels;
they seem to feel that the dream is real.
Those daffy dachshunds bark;
they lounge after dark in a sleazy bar
drinking warm beer.
Maybe it’s not as easy as you thought.
Maybe you’ll stop believing what you were taught,
and earthlings can’t stop looking to the stars
but these eyes just can’t see very far.
The aardvark in the city;
he might be witty but he’s feeling real shitty.
The donkey in the band;
she don’t understand although she’s seen it first hand.
She was right in the stands.
Maybe it’s not as easy as you thought.
Maybe you’ll stop believing what you were taught,
and earthlings can’t stop looking to the stars
but these eyes just can’t see very far.
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6. |
Benny Knows
02:15
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Benny’s on the train
improvising life,
practicing his pain.
“I’ll take your worst price.”
“Maybe alphabets
are pictures mutated
to obscurity.”
That’s what Benny thinks.
Benny knows
what to do
when scumbags haunt
the local pews.
Benny knows that new
always means bogus
and old is bona fide.
Benny knows…
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7. |
Gracie II
04:19
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I feel our hearts beat in our chests.
I can’t tell which one is yours which is mine.
You touch me so sweetly
the boundaries blur between.
Connection. Perfection.
It’s so damn easy,
the way you please me.
This is the essence of
my whole existence.
I’m sure of this pure love.
Oh Gracie,
I love you.
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8. |
Comma for Cow
03:32
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Suzy the Cow doesn’t frown.
She keeps it together alright
even though she wants to cry,
wants to feel satisfied
as the tears start to slide
down cheeks of black and white.
She’s had a false smile tacked on her face
ever since that dreadful day
when she broke it off.
Oh Llama Lamar, if you only knew
how much she misses you.
Just call her up to share a little joke,
you fool.
You ever stop to think that she’s not a “bitch”?
Life ain’t so simple y’know.
Maybe it’s circumstance; it’s time again
for romance, she needs your romance.
She downs the hooch after dark.
She’s been fucking some goateed shark.
All she wants is that damn llama.
She wants this to be a comma,
a little ripple of nasty drama;
just hope there’s not much trauma.
She’s sick of all these sad songs singing her life,
of all this useless shit advice.
She’s heard it all more than twice.
Oh Llama Lamar, if you only knew
how much she thinks of you.
C’mon and break that vow; call the cow,
you fool.
You ever stop to think that she’s not a “bitch”?
Life ain’t so simple y’know.
Maybe it’s circumstance; it’s time again
for romance, she needs your romance.
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9. |
Elastic Last Act
03:47
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She had a dream last night.
It was just like real life.
Only difference was
everyone was an actor
playing themselves,
inching towards the elastic last act.
What if she’s been playing herself
for so long she’s just forgotten?
Always stretching towards the ending—
“Say is that a fact?”
Time is bending; it’s impending—
“The impact’s too abstract!”
Always stretching towards the ending—
“I just can’t keep track!”
Time is bending; it’s impending—
the elastic last act.
Ruth on a round stage.
She feels odd and uncomfortable.
Someone walks in, sits down, gives a little cough.
She can’t step off. She wants to but she can’t.
Always stretching towards the ending—
“Say is that a fact?”
Time is bending; it’s impending—
“The impact’s too abstract!”
Always stretching towards the ending—
“I just can’t keep track!”
Time is bending; it’s impending—
the elastic last act.
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10. |
Hijinks Ensue
04:05
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The pelican shouting “Fuck you all” at the crowd;
I bum him a smoke on the way out of town.
Beavers crunch numbers. The porpoise slips and falls.
The wolf’s eyes pop out of his head.
Hijinks ensue as the wolf’s tongue rolls out;
he sees something outside the frame.
We see a reflection, a flash of the scene.
Maybe a breast. Maybe two?
He knows he’s left early but he does not know why,
his fur collar up to his ears.
The piggie is hopped up on USA-made speed.
We see something rustle behind.
Hijinks ensue as the pig’s head explodes.
He’s left standing; we don’t know his name.
We see in the background a mouse with a lever.
He grabs all the cash and then leaves. “Ooh!”
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11. |
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A bummed out Frank the Frog, yeah,
he says, “Life’s a big joke.”
He mumbles to the smog, “Yeah,
it might as well be smoke.”
He kicks a plastic bag, yeah,
it wraps around his foot.
He’s deep in the drag, yeah,
thoughts covered in soot.
Benny turns the corner;
Frank is in sight.
He says, “What’s the matter Franky boy?
Are you alright?”
He says, “I’m all fucked up now.
I know life’s just a joke
and there is no punchline to be found.
I might as well just croak.”
He fumbles with his zipper
and Benny steals a glance
at Frank’s hollow eyes now
and Frank adjusts his pants.
“Now Frank let me tell you,
if life is a joke
then shouldn’t you be laughing?
Don’t be a mope.”
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12. |
Jumbo Ron
03:14
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Jumbo Ron is lost in thought
every little moment of his life.
Relentless babble in the mind!
So much so that he thinks he is thoughts.
Lost in thought;
he gets caught up in nonstop monologue,
immersed in waking dreams.
Jumbo Ron; he thinks in dreams his mind
runs free but awake he’s got control.
He rides the flow of inner chatter as if he is the
river itself.
Wake up to your life! There is no thinker
only passing thoughts.
Jumbo Ron has no clue that he’s not
identical to his inner voice.
He does not find the conscious mind
to be but illumination
and the thoughts just thoughts
passing through like commuters
on a train.
Half-remembered conversations
of a mind run amok.
He rides the flow of inner chatter as if he is the
river itself.
Wake up to your life! There is no thinker
only passing thoughts.
He rides the flow of inner chatter as if he is the
river itself.
It’s easy to confuse your boat when it’s rocking back and forth
with the river itself.
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13. |
Plans
02:38
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Llama Lamar with a vision stretching far;
consumed by worry and craving a cigar.
Looks like the plans changed again
like they usually do.
Benny on the right,
he doesn’t sleep at night.
He’s got a crush on Cobra Mike,
praying for just one bite.
Llama Lamar never talks to Suzy now.
He wishes he’d never met that fucking cow.
Looks like the plans changed again
like they usually do.
Cobra Mike;
he’s all sweaty from the fight.
That fucking mouse called him a kike,
he just had to strike.
Benny on the left
got convicted of petty theft.
He’s got some shit repressed
but he really just needs some rest.
Llama Lamar!
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14. |
Nirvana Mañana
02:07
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Nirvana mañana if we luck out.
The strongest bodies will still give out.
If grief is the price of love,
well sign me up for five.
I’d take a million days of mourning
for time with those I love.
Ginger breathing shallow.
Ruth can’t stop
hot tears falling on her gown.
The body breaking down.
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