1. |
Hands up
03:42
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cold as a winters night
she's fearless in the face of life
cool like a killers touch
she puts the tumble in the rough
this is a hold up, get your hands up
you're being kept and held for ransom
in beauty’s eye your beholden
to the mirror on the wall your golden
disarm the phantom
she won’t swoon at the thought of love
she's not moved by the thought at all
she is steely as the bullet stings
she's hanging by angels wings
hands up my friend its time
give up the goods, survive
give in now take a dive
surrender stay alive
this is a hold up, get your hands up
you're being kept against your will without ransom
in beauty’s eye your beholden
to the mirror on the wall your golden
disarm the phantom
hands up….
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2. |
Forced smile
03:44
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what if you were denied
everything you love in life
what if you tried but failed
to find the light that guides your way
would you step aside?
bit my tongue and forced a smile
questioning but never asking why
men like me don't change overnight
hold my breath as I hold on tight
caught between the longing and the might
men like me don't change
what if your hands were tied
your feet bound to an honest life
what if a Midas touch would reveal too much
about a great divide
would you step aside?
bit my tongue and forced a smile
questioning but never asking why
men like me don't change overnight
hold my breath as I hold on tight
caught between the longing and the might
men like me don't change
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3. |
Left to my own device
05:46
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like a phoenix i rise out of the ashes
to set the whole world on fire
but its nothing i care about
no wrong to right tonight no burning desire
we tend to forget who sets the trends
who makes the lists and who’s left off them
but its all a lot of bloody nonsense, in my own defence, there’ll be no recompense this time
you choose to believe
you shook the trees and i fell out
but not on my head
left here for dead and I pine
left here for dead and I whine
and complain it will never be the same
never be the way that I want it again
so I whine
left to my own device I’m alone
left to my own device
pump on the brakes its every mistake you’ve made
coming right back at you
no bone to pick, no labels that stick
we are lying to ourselves and its making us sick
of this world and we ask ourselves why we exist
the clock strikes my face
as time fades away
no place to run there’s no quick escape
from this world and we ask ourselves why we resist
you choose to believe
you shook the trees and i fell out
but not on my head
left here for dead and I pine
left here for dead and I whine
and complain it will never be the same
never be the way that I want it again
so I whine
left to my own device I’m alone
left to my own device
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4. |
Top ten
05:34
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if you made a list, am I on it
would it be sincere or ironic
something you desire or never wanted
so which list am I on
a beau bereft of charm
just another outlet for the broken-hearted
could you state your case and walk away
you’ll never know which way to go
that’s ok please feel free to say
am i in your top ten baby
or bottom three?
swirling around in my head
words scratch my tongue like an itch
its either approval or ridicule
i just cant tell which is which
I love the smiles
that are always surprising me
if you made a list, am I on it
swiping left is so sardonic
whether metaphoric or electronic
does my name fall off the page
for those more dear than I’ll ever know
that’s ok you're free to say
am i in your top ten baby
or bottom three?
swirling around in my head
words scratch my tongue like an itch
its either encouragement or ridicule
i just cant tell which is which
I love the smiles
that are always surprising me
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5. |
Starlings
03:39
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you are a starling
just one of many
that come together
so fond of company
you’re filling up the sky
one wing at a time
patterns and formations
in seasonal migration
the mimicking songbird
or is that a car alarm
I know you can hear me
when you want to sing along
you fly, I witness
your business in the sky
you fly, I’ll bear witness
to your beauty in the sky
you are a starling
just one of many
a living metamorphosis
so fond of company
you are swarming in the sky
for miles upon miles
patterns and formations
gotta love your murmurations
meet me in central park
will you come when i call
i know you can hear me
we can sing anything at all
you fly, I witness
your swiftness in the sky
you fly, I’ll bear witness
to your beauty in the sky
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6. |
Sycophant
05:10
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counting on my fingers
all the times your thoughts were mine
is the highest form of flattery where you draw the line?
you might not be genuine and that’s the truest test
as soon as you believe yourself you’ve lost your self respect
you might scheme so nonchalant
but you’ve always been a sycophant
sterilized and normalized by each passing day (down in the way)
plagiarized cause there’s absolutely nothing new to say
this is the new normal
this is the new normal
this is the new normal
this is the new normal
is social life better by design?
then you better look behind you baby
what’s yours is yours what’s mine is mine
that’s what we learned in 1980
captain of the cliches
always ready with a line
every word put to use is part of the design
you work all the systems, you play on their egos
spoken with sincerity but its all for show
you might be a social savant
but its sickening to see a sycophant
paralyzed and stigmatized by the words in play (the horrible lies)
plagiarized cause there’s absolutely nothing left to say
is this the new normal?
this is the new normal
this is the new normal
this is the new normal
is social life better by design?
then you better look behind you baby
what’s yours is yours what’s mine is mine
that’s what we learned in 1980
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7. |
Ruining everything
04:31
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your bold lie is morning
when you don't like what you see
and you don't like how its waken you
from your deep and restless sleep
like a dream that's slipping through your fingers
you should know better
than lie in the bed you made
with a friend or foe
I’m ruining everything
ruining everything
to build it up again
…with you
the bold lie is the warning
and the stress will run you down
if you don't take to praying
at least when no one’s around
there is no sugar coating
this sounds silly, this sounds curt
does this sound witty
what more could you want from me?
I’m ruining everything
ruining everything
but i don't know what that means
… do you?
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8. |
Cat and mouse
04:12
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lose your conscience, leave it at the door?
its all about want and we always want more
thats why we’re chasing dreams while chasing our tails
on feather pillows not beds of nails
life is no more than ups and downs
competitive forces and battle grounds
we search for answers with endless questions
one way forward but four directions
she makes it up
rather than face it
its cat and mouse
cat and mouse time
she plays it up
and makes a little dumb
its a cat and mouse game
cat and mouse game
I’m calling you out, what’s the deal?
you make the bed you’re lying in
averse to conflict your hands are stirring
your sense of self awareness is disconcerting
so why the drama, why the scheming?
all the pressure wont stop the bleeding
she pulls my strings
and digs her claws in
its cat and mouse time
cat and mouse time
she gives it up
and takes it away
its the cat and mouse game
cat and mouse game
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9. |
Win the day
05:50
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live or die young
famous last words
for those predisposed
to making matters worse
to throwing in the towel or tying off
and wasting away
all these forced smiles
have taken a turn
stretched out your skin
past the point of return
we are all sinners and saints
in the end any way
lets not live a lie
lets not live alone
lets try not to get high
lets try not to get low
lets try to win the day
lets try to win or show
what it is…
live or die young
famous last words
spoken as gospel
is that what you heard
when you were keeping your guard down
and wasting away?
these good intentions
have taken a turn for the worse
you got to bet big to win the big purse
beginners luck is a curse
but we are all sinners and saints
in the end any way
lets not live a lie
lets not live alone
lets try not to get high
lets try not to get low
lets try to win the day
lets try to win or show
what it is...
in your life
what do you want to find
in your life
what do ya expect to find
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10. |
Wouldn't that be better?
03:36
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I love you
but can’t you see that
I thought you knew it
so I never thought to say it
sometimes I feel like quite
and so I am quite
sometimes I feel like screaming
you know I will sing it to you
I love you, I love you, I love you
sometimes I miss you most
when you’re right beside me
its just obsolete
or maybe its not so bad
I could be lost as you are
as lost as you are
I love you, I love you, I love you
wouldn’t that be better?
you and me together
I love you, I love you, I love you
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11. |
The lesser evil
04:15
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he’s a bobblehead
he knows how to blow hard, shake his fists
and point his little fingers
no humility in his corner
she’s a talking head
she knows how to smile smugly
roll her eyes and keep things cagey
until the storm blows over
split the vote
choosing between the lesser evil
split the vote
divided by lies and superego(s)
split the vote
choosing the lesser of two evils
split the vote
who is the leader of the people
heard it all before
all these words are just politic
billboard signs that make you pick
between the lies you like
and the kind that boil you over
is the story rote
by sloganeers and campaign shtick
lunatics with circus tricks
that wool your eyes
while they dampen your spirit
split the vote
choosing between the lesser evil
split the vote
divided by lies and superego(s)
split the vote
choosing the lesser of two evils
split the vote
who is the leader of the people
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12. |
Ode to a ladies' man
03:30
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devil may care
many of us can
so sad to hear of gods plan
ode to a ladies man
all those songs we loved and sang
raise a toast, have a smoke if you can
ode to a ladies man
most beautiful loser
to ever lay it down
give your praise and raise your hands
ode to a ladies man
smile, wink and tilt your hat
to the mirror, to Suzanne
ode to a ladies’ man
the favorite game
didn't go as planned
sing along if your a fan
ode to a ladies man
stretch out your hand
you’ve waited so long Marianne
ode to a ladies man
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13. |
Found another way
04:31
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little did you know that I
found another way
I set my sights on a life that i can give away
little did you know that I
found another way
I set my sights on a life that i can live my way
this is my home
shout it from the rooftop
somebody’s got to know
this is my hope
we can shout it from the rooftops yo
you let it in, you let it out
you left it open
now close it tight
its all right, its all right
little did I know that you
had another one who let you down
broke a hopeful heart and turned your world around
little did i know about
the little things you lost and found
amidst the din you hardly even made a sound
this is my home
shout it from the rooftop
somebody’s got to know
this is my hope
we can shout it from the rooftops yo
you let it in, you let it out
you left it open
now close it tight
its all right, its all right
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14. |
Lisa
03:33
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you came to me like a dream
effortless but meaningful
now I got you my bloodstream
delicate and beautiful
Lisa my words are real
Lisa these words i feel
there’s never been two others
like you and I
there’s never been two lovers
like you and I
no one’s ever loved another
like you and I
I fell for you like the night
fleeting yet so lovable
and landed as your lifeline
sensitive, affable
Lisa my words are real
Lisa these words i feel
there’s never been two others
like you and I
there’s never been two lovers
like you and I
no one’s ever loved another
like you and I
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15. |
Believe
04:24
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all emotions aside
its all crystal clear
is a world without your diamond eyes
a world I want to share
the way that I am leaning
towards something I can believe in
is that something I am feeling
you
you know its true
there’s nothing more that I can do
than bare my soul and see it through
just like lovers do
like lovers do
its all crystal clear
a world without your diamond eyes
is not a world I want to share
I think I know what your feeling
this love story is worth believing
does my fondness give new meaning
to you
you know its true
there’s nothing more that I can do
than bare my soul and see it through
just like lovers do
like lovers do
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Arjen Ordeman Surrey, British Columbia
Singer-Songwriter, DIY recording artist, one man ensemble, strummer, plunker, groove maker.
Guitar driven melancholy and contempt; just mood and music...
Arjen Ordeman recommends:
Dark Drives, Life Signs (LP)
by The Ballantynes
for lovers of northern soul...
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A Real Fine Mess
by The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer
I approve the groove...
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canadian singer-songwriter extraordinaire...
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