All lyrics © 2003 Eric Nicolas (BMI)

Election Day

It's election day and i'm alarmed and afraid and I
Wonder how we're gonna get by
It's election day and all its promises made and I
Pray we don't sleep late on election day

It had been ten years when I woke it seemed
From a long and troubled dream
I heard a voice I thought I knew say
"welcome to the new regime

"we arranged it all while you were gone
Or sleeping with the tv on, or dazed
We've applied a tried and true idea
Stick around, we think you'll be amazed
It's election day and i'm alarmed and afraid and I
Wonder how we're gonna get by

It's election day and everyon'es been betrayed and I
Pray we don't sleep late on election day

He said "I know your youth has been
Silly and dull
Real change is always gradual
The freedoms you did not enjoy
Will bore you never more, my boy

"What you thought was yours was just a rental
Call it a developmental stage
Now bring on the new amusements!
To impair your powers of concentration
Now you've reached the information age"

Well—
It's election day and I'm alarmed and afraid and I
Wonder how we're gonna get by
It's election day and all its promises made and I
Pray we don't sleep late on election day

[bridge rap:]
Last night I dreamed I heard
The monkey-in-chief
Give a presidential speech
and I was sickened unto my soul to see the wicked are in control—
That's right, the wicked:
Should be impeached, they breached
The basic covenant of our government. They're only in control because
They stole the election and gave a lethal injection
To government by the people, for the people they can afford to ignore
The people

Wily wise old Tom Jefferson
Graded us on the curve
'We get the government we deserve'
But what about the rest of the earth ?
They never voted, duly noted—
Neither did we, by and large
And now the monkeys in charge
Are laughing at us from behind
The glass of limos as they pass

Here in New Nork we
Respect our brothers fallen,
We can still hear them calling
And we fail to be amused
To see them getting used
To justify a plan already in existence
and to call unpatriotic
Anyone who shows resistance
— it's election day.

Now we conjure up the soldiers lost
and watch them stagger gamely 'cross
The sand— and were they being all they
Could be?— we've been
Blind as bats and twice as clever
All this time in never-never land

Well—
It's election day and i'm alarmed and afraid and I
Wonder how we're gonna get by
It's election day and everyon'es been betrayed and I
Pray we don't sleep late on election day
And I pray we're not too late
On election day

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The Water Wheel

The water wheel is turning around
and over and over a beautiful sound
And all that has been and will
goes tumbling down that hill

The sky above is filling with tears
and over and over for millions of years
It is grandfather and midwife
to every kind of life.

Meanwhile, I read the morning paper
I watch a TV show
and I try to love my neighbor
Easier said than done, you know!

But far afield, between mountain and town
The water wheel is pouring it down
And if I can tune my ear to that sound
I'll have found: something real:
No matter how sad you feel
There's always the water wheel
Only the water wheel.

The tribes and the nations are all spinning past
The rain in the garden, the ice in the glass
So why was I so alone
in the company of my own?
When all around, in mist and on skin
The water wheel is pulling me in
…and can't you feel it spin?

As I read the morning papers
I watch a screen aglow
And I try to love my neighbors
Easier said than done, you know!

The water wheel is turning around
And over and over a beautiful sound
And far afield, between mountain and town
It's cupping it up and pouring it down.

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That's My Bird
Winging through the misted fountain
Deep in a crevice of mountain
Ringing the abyss and counting circles
—that's my bird

And high above a desert burning
Wind around his feathers turning
Far below I'm tethered, yearning
But I look up— that's my bird

I've heard they tell the future
I hope so
My bird up there
You sure look like you know

See him fly, I wish I could become one
He kind of reminds me of someone
If I could catch a ride, i'd thumb one
Feeling happy on the back of my bird

He doesn't sing a blackbird's song, though
In the dead of night was long ago
With him up there I can't do wrong, so
That's my bird

Come on, life— loosen my leash a little
Let me rise
Come on, bird— grant me at least a little
Look through your eyes

You get the sky and it don't fall
You get to fly above it all
And when you cry it's just
Your call— my bird
You make it all seem possible

Winging through the misted fountain
Deep in a crevice of mountain
Ringing the abyss and counting circles
— that's my bird

You get the sky and it don't fall
You get to fly above it all
And when you cry it's just
Your call— my bird
You make it all seem possible

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Chamber of My Heart

I've got a little chamber for my precious things
First kiss, first bliss
First song I heard you sing
How there you used to be for me
Time after time
And that music box you found
That plays my funny valentine

Now there's too much of you in this
Chamber of my heart
It isn't much, just a little fixer-upper
But it's all i've got
It's where I held you and felt you but now it's not
So what am I to do with all this you
Here in this chamber of my heart

It was pretty to think that we could
Stay in touch
I tried, you cried
I always ask too much
I'm gonna need a wrecking ball to
Tidy up this place
If i'm ever going to close my eyes
And see another face

Now there's too much of you in this
Chamber of my heart
It isn't much, just a little fixer-upper
But it's all i've got
It's where I held you and felt you but now it's not
So what am I to do with all this you here
In this chamber of my heart
I wanna know things I no longer have the right to
Who are you blowing kisses and saying goodnight to
So many harmless little things now pierce me so
I never wanted so bad not to want to know

Now there's too much of you in this chamber of my heart
I'd rather have nothing but a smoking crater
With a basin and a cot
This is where I held you and felt you but now it's not
So what am I to do with all this you here
In this chamber of my heart

Maybe I should never let another in it
Oh she just stepped out, she'll be back in a minute
So please don't touch a thing
In this chamber of my heart

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Double Life of the Single Man

That was then. Now we’re friends
She comes to me in tears again
For expert insight into men and what we claim to be

I’ll dry her eyes, I’ll be sincere
I’ll tell her what she needs to hear
But it’s too close and it’s too clear
He sounds so much like me

I take no one wife, I take no one’s hand
I give no one life, wearing no one’s band
But I say I do, I swear I can
The double life of the single man
The double life of the single man

A double life is what I lead
I’m twice the man I seem to be
Cause one life’s not enough for me and one love is too much

Even when it’s right, it can’t last
There’s no point dwelling on the past
I’m sure I’ll find a girl who has
Those eyes, those lips, that voice, that touch

(Chorus)

All my heroes go it alone
They turn their battered hearts to stone
I’ll set my jaw and ride away
And double back every single day

Just like old times— I want her back
But she’s learned not to fall for that
We’re better off; I’ll be fine
It’s always new, every single time

(Chorus)

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Beautiful Children

Beautiful children are out in the jungle
Lost and bewild'ring their searchers to find
They would come home if they knew they were your own
Claim your beautiful children while there's still time

Peter and Wendy were classic examples
Parents were out getting high every night
So, graceful and silent, they flew off to this island
Very sexy and violent
When viewed from that height

Lucky for me I was made an apprentice
Shipped off to sea, a patch of tar in my hair
Who would have known
They'd hoist the skull and crossbones
Take me as one of their own
I felt like family there

And now they come to me, boys
The admiral of the clan
The Captain of all I see, boys
The taker of all I can
A needle it loves a vein, boys
A crocodile loves a hand
In as dangerous a jungle as this can be
All your beautiful children are safe with me

Now they've got dope in their brains and tattoos on their faces
But some of them shine like a morning star
So bright and so rare, fragile and devil-may-care
And they look like their parents, wherever they are

Now they hide here from Time, but it's not Never-never
There's only one real way to never grow old
And I do what I can, but I am only one man
And this is no kind of hand for your children to hold
And all over London and all over Rio

And in Tompkins Square Park now as I sing you this song
Far from father and mother, they take care of each other
Each relies on their brother; I just help them along.
And now they come to me, boys
The admiral of the clan
The Captain of all I see, boys
The taker of all I can
A needle it loves a vein, boys
A crocodile loves a hand
And every boy has his crocodile, just like me
And the clock will keep ticking away, you'll see
So if you're tired of being grown up and you want to be free
Send your beautiful children away with me
I'll be gentle and kind as a hook can be
And all your beautiful children are safe with me.

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On Your Way

Now I've closed your eyes for you
And tried to do what's wise for you
Though I did not feel ready for the role
And all the things you gave to me
Are playing like a symphony
And you'll see the irony
With your soul
You taught me doubt was our friend
You thought that death was the end
Now I'll do as you intended me to: I'll disagree
'Cause I can see

You're on your way— on your way—
You're on your way now
Godspeed my old man

Ten days you were lying there
I did my share of crying there
I could not sleep your last night in this world
But my sister did: she dreamed of you
You sat up, smiled, a younger you
And asked her to dance with you
Your little girl

And how you swept her away
Like it was her wedding day
As if forever you'd stay, spinning there
And in the dawn, though something's gone
You're on your way…

Now I know there's a song for this
To help me to be strong for this
They say it comes from God's own mighty hand
You could not go believingly
But I know you believed in me
So I'll sing you something you'll understand

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She Is History

Helen of Troy She had her boy He had his heel
I’ve got one now So I know how The hero feels
She launched my ships with just her smile
So I forgot for a little while
That I never learn, I never learn / An unteachable child

And Saint Joan did all that she could and
Old Rome used crosses of wood and
She was ruthlessly good to me
And that’s why she is history.

Queen Anne Boleyn imprisoned in her Tower cell
She loved her King and wore his ring to the last bell
She gave the benefit of doubt
Until her thousand days ran out
She never learned, she never learned
What she could have lived without

And Great Powers are destined to clash and
Pompeii lies covered in ash and
She was more than a match for me
And that’s why she is history

Adam and Eve could not believe things could go wrong
In Paradise you mate for life but not for long
I had such hopes for her and me
The way this world was made to be
But we never learn, we never learn… We never will, will we?

And Saint Joan put France to the test and
The Queen of the Nile put an asp to her breast and
She demanded the best of me
And that’s why she'll always be—
And Saint Jude will send his regrets and ships sink and people forget
but
She is stuck in the depths of me and that’s why she is history

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Flying Horses

Passengers, please make sure you've got your seatbelts on
And all your baggage stowed away
'Cause pretty soon we'll be so high above the clouds
And we won't be coming down today

Brothers and sisters, we are on our way at last
I know it hurt to say goodbye
And they'll cry so many tears to have you back again
But let's spend a little time up high

WE'RE RUNNING RIGHT ON TIME
WE'RE RUNNING RIGHT BEHIND A TEAM OF
FLYING HORSES, BRIGHT AND FINE
AND WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN
BACK IN YOUR LITTLE TOWN
WE WILL BE SAFE AND SOUND - AND FLYING

Passengers, please look out your windows at the world
See, it's so precious and so small
'Cause by the time you get back there
You'll find it hard to remember you were there at all.

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(Let's All) Join the Mujahedin

All around the world they're putting on their combat beige
And all my brothers say i'll get my gun when i'm their age
And all around my head there's glimpses of my life as it might be
God alone, I guess, knows what is best: but where is he?

Late at night as I lay in my tent
I used to think about what revolution meant
Is it something that history's grooming us for
Or is it just an excuse to steal and make war?

They used to shoot at the redcoats from up in the trees
And the French pushed aristocrats down on their knees
And the Romanovs' blood spilled out like wine
And Allah kicked the shah out in '79
And American rockets on the back of a mule
Brought a Russian bomber down on its way to Kabul

And I want to be somebody
Yeah I want to be someone

High in these mountains I run and I play
And dream of joining my brothers in the cause someday
I bet nothing compares to the pride
That you feel when you're fighting with God on your side
And all of the pictures they've beamed in my head
Make me love them so much I have to hate them instead
Yes and all of the pictures they've beamed in my head make me hate my life and wish I were dead

But I want to be somebody
Yeah I want to be someone
Yeah I want to be somebody
Yeah I want to be someone

Let's all join the Mujahedin
Like the older boys have all done
We're just kids, frightened and green
But there's a righteous war to be won
If you can't be in between
You're at either end of a gun
So let's join the mujahideen
And God will bless us, everyone

Early this morning I woke to the sound of the american planes
They were shaking the ground
And I thought of my mama and all of my friends
And wondered if I was ever gonna see them again

And I looked to my snow-covered favorite hills
And wondered was it too late to run and play there still
And if I were a boy from the land of the free
Would I want to sign up so I could come kill me?

But I want to be somebody
Yeah I want to be someone
Yeah I want to be somebody
Yeah I want to be someone

Let's all join the Mujahedin
Like the older boys have all done
We're just kids, frightened and green
But there's a righteous war to be won
If you can't be in between
You're at either end of a gun
So let's join the Mujahedin
And God will bless us, everyone

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