Even a Blind Chicken Finds a Kernel of Corn Now and Then


1998 Matador OLE159-2


Track listing:



Imagine my joy when I recieved an email from Joey Sheairs with an attachment containing the lyrics for this whole damn album. What a pleasant surprise.

Here they are, just about as I got 'em (we'll probably do a little editing, and add the lyrics for Violet, which Joey could, understandably, not understand. If anyone else would like to take a stab at that particular song, please send your results to elephant@cnw.com, and we'll be done here for a while).

Click on a song title for lyrics.

Back to the album list

(the rest here is from Joey)

SILKWORM
Even a Blind Chicken Finds a Kenel of Corn Now and Then
Lyrics
as grudgingly noted by Joey Sheairs (JoeDisarm@aol.com).
some of these were shamelessly taken from the silkworm site (heh).
but I patched them up, so it's not too shameless.
if these aren't correct, well, too bad.



DISC 1

Slipstream

Well I see the signs
Read inbetween the lines, yeah
You're looking down on me
Pretty pink champagne dresses
Cracklin like a water cress on you
Well you walk right by me
Yeah you walk right past
And can't you look me in the eyes?
Well I look at you but it never lasts
And you're pretty as can be
In those tight black corduroy pants
With bangles and bottles and bangles and beadss

Well I
Now baby don't you want or need a man like me?
Asking why
Hey honey take a look and tell me what you see
Well don't you think you could do a little bit better
Than being some kind of Sylvia Plath wanna-be yeah
You get so uptight unless you're high as a kite
But I think I know why you get
So caught up in that slipstream
You've been living your life like a silly little daydream
You're caught in that slipstream
And you're never gonna get out of there alive

You're life is such a drag
You got a military daddy that nag, nag, nag
Mom you've been dirting up and getting by
Getting high
You get so pissed and you don't know why
You've been doing your time in hellgate high
Well oh, you know that song with Steve Albini
You better learn to take it easy
Oh you know they used to call him "Albini the Weenie"
You should learn to loosen up and be free, yeah
Well, whoa you sure got a great couple of legs
Wasting away on all that German philosophy yeah
You got use 'em or you'll lose 'em
Gotta move 'em or lose 'em
But I think I know you why you get

So caught up in that slipstream
You've been living your life like a silly little daydream
You're caught in that slipstream
You know you're never gonna get out of there alive
You're caught in that slipstream
Your life is just a silly litte daydream
You're caught in that slipstream
I know you're never gonna get out of there alive
No, I don't think so
Why?
I don't think so


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Little Sister


Little sister says that I'm on fire
Little sister says I'm growing old
She sleeps alone so
She can see some vision
When I wake I see my blind ambition
Part of life it's part of growing older
Now I think that she's growing colder

I could lie to you but I need this tangled air
I'd be safe again to dream of you out there
When I see those burning laterns burn so bright
You know the fire inside could blow this horse tonight
I've got a perfect way to make look perfect
Now she needs something to feed this in between
Getting caught up in a way I cannot tell
Then again maybe for her it's just as well
Little sister says you're all you're cold
Open up your eyes

I see the bomb blow when I looked into your eyes
God will save us and as if he really tries
Do you know what's happening in these eyes
Can't stop her from happening this time
There's gotta be a way to look for a way
Gotta be a way to change today
Little sister says she's feeling naked
And I know that's what the vision made her say
Oh little sister says you're all you're cold
Open up your eyes
Your eyes
Just close your eyes
Your eyes
Those eyes
Your open eyes
Just close your child eyes


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Scruffy


It's a long fall down to that canyon floor
But it's too hard to make a plane to fly with
I guess I'll just jump
That's the hard way I know
It's a far cry from crime to suicide
But I need those wings to guide me
I think I might crash
It's the hard way I know

When you're this tanked you don't care who's driving
And you've got an excuse if you're being a geek
Just pass me that sour mash it's the hardest stuff I know
Well going downhill's a lot faster than climbing
But it makes me sick and skins my knees
I think I'd better tuck and roll
It's the hard way I know

Discovered that it's getting lost
Like I wouldn't say never I just might
Make my life a lot harder than it came

It's a long fall down to that kitchen floor
But all that trash will make a perfect mattress
I think I'll just go to sleep
It's a hard looking floor you know
I'll dream about love and the great divide
I'm upside down in a straight up singles' match
And I've been doing it the hard way I know

Every time my chances going
If i take it it works and i wait too long
I'm cleaned out like a fish
And I feel like I might die


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St. Patrick's Day


Take a drink as black as coal
Turn your world around again
They can try to bring me back
They couldn't tell me when
Those hands reach out to hold me up
On that special day
All eyes look to me
And they float away

Staring at the door
With her feelings on the floor
She takes a smile up off the shelf
She's waiting for the war
Those hands reach out to hold me up
On that special day
All eyes look to me
And they turn away

As they put you down the hole
We could be somebody else
You could look into those loosened eyes
If you look you'll see your face
And those hands reach out to hold me up
On that special day
All eyes look to me
And they float away
Hands reach out to hold me up
On that special day
All eyes look to me
And they float away
Welcome to St. Patrick's Day
Everything will float away
Welcome to St. Patrick's Day
Everything will float away
Everything will float away


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Homoactivity


I could never be like you
But that's alright
I can still pick you out like a star in the sky
You step in the front room
I'll step out in style
I think I'll hang out in the back room for a while

There's nothing I can say
And there's not much I can do that
Like Niagara Falls they're falling all over you
I can't talk to people who think I'm dumb
I just sit in the corner and suck my thumb
And try not to come unglued
You're no breeder

I could never be like her
But that's just fine
I can still pick you out like gold from a mine
The way you cross up to their feet
By a country mile
By the shape of your smile
You've got 'em beat
Line 'em up single file
There's not much I can say
And there's nothing I can do
Like Niagara Falls they're pouring all over you
And I can't talk to people who tell me lies
She's got one hand on the hem of her skirt
And another hand's on your thighs that I can see

Like the proverbial whore with a heart of gold
You're giving them things that you could have sold to me
But you're no breeder
You're just another friend of Dorothy's
Is she still an avid reader
Upon her knees


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Scrawl


First you take the incident
Blow it off blow it off
Straight to the gutter
It was time to die
Saw your father there
Mafia style mafia style
My friend a game he says everything is freestyle

Then we know she got eyes for you
Then we know she got eyes for you
Then we know she got eyes for you
Then we know she got eyes for you

First you took the incident
Blew it off blew it off
Straight to the gutter
It was time to die
Saw your father there
Mafia style mafia style
My friend a game he says everything is freestyle

Then we know she got eyes for you
Then we know she got eyes for you
Then we know she got eyes for you
Then we know she got eyes for you


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Three Beatings


Honestly she loves me
Honest I do
Honestly she loves me
Honest I do
Honestly she loves me
Honest I do
Honestly she loves me
Honest I do
Is she getting anywhere
Not getting anywhere
Not getting anywhere
Not getting anywhere
Come on
Come on
Come on
Come on
Come on
Come on
Come on

Tonight this rain knows where we're going
Tonight this rain knows where you've been
Tonight this rain knows where you're going
Tonight this rain knows where you've been
Honestly she loves me
Honest I do
Honestly she needs me
Honest I do
Honestly she loves me
Honest I do
And I can feel my heart and it's breaking
Honest I do
Not getting anywhere
Not getting anywhere
Not getting anywhere
Not getting anywhere
Come on
Come on
Come on
Come on
Come on

I can feel my heart and it's breaking
Tonight this rain knows where we're going
Tonight this rain knows where you've been
Tonight this rain knows where you're going
Tonight this rain knows where you've been
It's wet tonight
The rain
Knows where you're going
Tonight this rain knows where you're going
Honestly she loves me
Honestly she loves me
Honest I do
Honest I do
Tonight this rain knows where you're going


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Slow Burn


Like a puppy
Like a kitty
Like a little prayer
Yeah I told you
I'm with it like bullets in a gun
I'm with you
'Til the sun finally fades away
Leaving bare another day
Until the sky returns to gray
'Til we can shoot the moon

I've been standing around
With neither foot on the ground
I've got my blessing in disguise
I think I'll undress you with my eyes
Yeah that'll have to do
We've been side by side so long you don't even care
You can tell me to come but I'm already here
So here's to your health dear here's to you

I would probably follow if you'd follow me
Hey would you follow me like everything else I see
Baby you're a riddle coming on and on like a color tv
But to tell you the honest truth
I don't think it really matters very much what
If anything at all I get from your touch
Well you were the first one that I knew
I guess I should have learned
That trying to live without you would be like a slow burn
But I didn't know

I'm not your puppet
I say a little prayer for you
Whenever I'm not with you
I'm off into the sunset
I break into a run from you
Now your mind's gotten blown away
Take it all back for another day
Will you just stayed the same
For one instant
I blew it too
Yeah I blew it
Clean through
On me and you
Yeah well I didn't know
Which way to go
I guess I cut my own throat
I made myself the scapegoat
Yeah I missed the boat


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Our Secret


Every boy and every girl
All around the world
Lives in hope, lives in hope
One world and one time
One lonely
That's the secret, that's the secret

They will never
They will never
They will never give it up
They will never
They will never
They will never give it up

It's a secret but it's not holy
It's in the blood and it's in the atmosphere
One world and one time
One world only
That's the secret, that's the secret

They will never
They will never
They will never give it up
They will never
They will never
They will never give it up
We will never
We will never
We will never give it up
We will never
We will never
We will never give it up
We will never
We will never
We will never give it up
We will never
We will never
We will never give it up


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The Chain


Listen to the wind blow
Watch the sun rise
Run through the shadows
Damn your love, damn your lies

But if you don't love me now
You will never love me again
I can still hear you say that you would never break the chain
But if you don't love me now
You will never love me again
I can still hear you say that you would never break the chain

Listen to the wind blow
Down comes the night
Run through the shadows
Damn your love, damn your lies
Got to break the silence
Damn the dark, damn the light

But if you don't love me now
You will never love me again
I can still hear you say that you would never break the chain
But if you don't love me now
You will never love me again
I can still hear you say that you would never break the chain
And if you don't love me now
You will never love me again
I can still hear you say that you would never break the chain

The chain will keep us together
Listen to the wind blow
The chain will keep us together
Down comes the night
The chain will keep us together
Run through the shadows
The chain will keep us together
You don't love me now


Top of page


Inside Outside


Inside outside
Inside outside
Inside outside
All the time that we took head on
All the blood just from your head
I saw you there
You saw me too
And I cried
Every man has a time to live
Someone said you were mine to give
When I come in you'd better not be there

I knew you
What did you say to me
What did you say to me
What have you done for me?
I'm inside outside
What did you say to me?
I'm inside outside
What have you done for me?
I'm inside outside
What did you say to me?
I'm inside outside

Took me again down to your place
Now you put me in my place
I wouldn't want to be you
I believed even when you lied
Thought you were cruel every time you tried
Time is short
but not short enough for me

I knew you
What have you done for me
What did you say to me
What have you done for me?
I'm inside outside
What did you say to me?
I'm inside outside
What have you done for me?
I'm inside outside
What did you say to me?
I'm inside outside

All the time you sit and whine
All the blood just from your head
You should take a different road from me
I believed every word that you said
Did you think I was better off dead?
When I come in you better not be there
You better not

I knew you
I knew you
What have you said?
What did you say to me?
What have you done for me?
I'm inside outside
What did you say to me?
I'm inside outside
What have you done for me?
I'm inside outside
What did you say to me?
Here I am
I'm inside outside
Inside outside


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Shithead


What is wrong with my life
Why am I living in squalor
I used to be a boy genius
Now I drink and smoke and do nothing
I don't meet any girls
I feel like a waste of a life and a shithead
I have no future

All I want now is Sinead O'Connor's breasts and lips against me in my bed

I used to have things to do now I have nothing
My room is a pit and there's not a chance in a hell of me cleaning it
I used to write and draw and paint
Now I stare at the walls and procrastinate
There's nothing that interests me anyway

All I want now is Sinead O'Connor's breasts and lips against me in my bed

I like music but it's not worth a lot to me
And doing something new is not so important to me
All I want now is Sinead O'Connor's breasts and lips against me in my bed
In my bed


Top of page


Slipstream


Well I see the signs
Read inbetween the lines, yeah
You're looking down on me
The pretty pink champagne dresses
Crackling like a water cress on you
Well you walk on by me
Yeah you walk right past and
Can't you look me in the eyes
I look at you but it never lasts and
You're pretty as can be
In those tight black corduroy pants
Bangles and bottles and bangles and beads

Well I
Now baby don't you want or need a man like me?
Asking why
Hey honey take a look and tell me what you see
Well oh don't you think you could do a little bit better
Than being some kind of Sylvia Plath wanna-be yeah
You get so uptight unless you're high as a kite
But I think I know why you get

So caught up in that slipstream
You've been living your life like a silly little daydream
You're caught in that slipstream
And you're never gonna get out of there alive

You're life is such a drag
You got a military daddy that nag, nag, nag
Mom you've been dirting up and getting by
Getting high
You get so pissed and you don't know why
You've been doing your time at hellgate high
But oh
Hey, You better learn to take it easy
I wanna know
Hey honey, you better loosen up and be free now
Well, whoa you sure got a great couple of legs
Wasting away on all that German philosophy yeah
You got use 'em or you'll lose 'em
Gotta move 'em or lose 'em
But I think I know you why you get

So caught up in that slipstream
You've been living your life like a silly little daydream
You're caught in that slipstream
You know you're never gonna get out of there alive
You're caught in that slipstream
You've been living your life like a silly litte daydream
You're caught in that slipstream
You're never gonna get out of there alive
No, I don't think so
I don't think so


Top of page



DISC 2


Scruffy Tumor


I wish I could take this moment and freeze it
Cause it's the time when it's going my way
And my way's the only way to preserve our bliss
A beating heart, a pumping fist
I can taste your lips

And you know that sometimes I feel like taking my time
And you know if you don't like you can suck me
I'm in my prime
And in all that sucking you know that there's some hope
After all, don't we sing like angels when properly stroked?

And after I reject her at night with all my spite
And I see in the morning you know she's still my wife
And I get what I want you know like a fish with a broken fin
And then I'll hold the knife and feel the grease run down my chin


Top of page


No Revolution


Seeing him there when they took him away
Traitors sad when they took him away
He was a hero
But what has gone wrong?
He was a hero
Tell me, what has gone wrong?
He was a hero of the revolution
He was a hero of the revolution
He was a hero

Hearing their lies, just a mistake
Watching him die, another mistake
He was a hero
What good did it do?
He was a hero
So what good did it do?
He was a hero of the revolution
He was a hero of the revolution
He was a hero
So what good did it do?
No, no, no
He was a hero
Is everything gone?
He was a hero
Everything's gone
He was a hero of the revolution
He was a hero of the revolution
Yeah, he was a hero
Everything's gone
He was a hero
Everything's gone
He was a hero
Everything's gone
Everything's gone
Everything's gone
Everything's gone
No Revolution


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Eye Window


Well I see you breathing hard
My window in
Steaming up the air in your own backyard
My window in
I hold the chain back in my hand
And it felt like real gold
My window in
Turning into tin
My eye window in
Eye window

You killed me, I've been feeling dead
My window in
You ring red roses all around my head
My window in
I look both ways before I cross the street
I slipped notes beneath your door
My window in
Certain it's no sin
Baby you were my eye window in
Eye window
My window in
Eye eye
My eye window

You're want to eat me once again
Best be safe, don't pretend
I want to do you right now
As I'm sticking it in you put me down
I take a breath
Time and time again
I'm on top one of my friends
You know I'm doing wrong
And I'm living down, down, down

I'm not lonely
I'm just sick and tired
Of my window in
Looking at your fucking little eyes on fire
My window in
There's a scorch a passing over
I wonder will it ever end
My window in
The sun hits the sin, baby
My window in
Eye window
My window in
Eye window
My eye window


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Pearl Harbor


Going down to the bottom of the ocean
Going down to get some sleep
My eyes are burning, my eyes are white
My eyes are burning, my eyes are white
My mother's food gets me too well
I'm going down to get some sleep
My mind is starting to feel too well
Some day I'm gonna get old
You can say when but you won't say why
Coming down from the clear blue sky
Teach them all to hate the sun
And I

I'm gonna catch you early in the morning
I'm gonna catch you unaware
I'm gonna catch you early in the morning
I'm gonna make a memorial
I'm gonna catch you early in the morning
I'm gonna catch you fast asleep
I'm gonna catch you early in the morning
I'm gonna sink it, sink, say to you
You can say when but you won't say why
Coming down from the clear blue
Teach them all to hate the sun
And I
Somebody should push you
Back down where you came from
Somebody should push you
Back down
Somebody should give you a big suprise
And I won't ever let that happen again

I'm gonna catch you early in the morning
My hands are burning, my eyes are white
I'm gonna catch you early in the morning
I'm gonna catch you fast asleep
I'm gonna make a memorial
You can say when but you won't say why
Coming down from the clear blue
Teach them all to hate the sun
And I
You can say when but you won't say why
Coming down from the clear blue
Teach them all to hate the sun
like the father, like the sun
And I

Somebody should push you
Back down where you came from
Somebody should push you
Back down
Somebody should give you a big suprise
And I won't ever let that happen again
And I won't ever let that happen again
And I won't ever let that happen again
I won't


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Motel Blues


In this town television shuts off at 2
What can a lonely rock-and-roller do?
Beds are big, sheets are clean
Your girlfriend said you were 19
Styrofoam ice buckets full of ice
Come up to my motel room and treat me nice

Don't want to make no late night New York call
Don't want to stare at those ugly grass mat walls
Though chronologically I know you're young
But when you kiss me in the club you get my tongue
I'll write a song for you
I'll put it on my next lp
Come up to my motel room and sleep with me

Well there's a vinyl in the drawer, don't be afraid
I'll put up a little sign to warn the clean up maid
There's lots of soap and lots of towels
Nevermind those desk clerk scowels
I'll buy you breakfast, they'll think you're my wife
Come up to my motel room and save my life


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Around a Light


Violence brewing violence brewing
I can feel it in me yeah
The sun's sure hot
Violence is brewing
And I can feel it everywhere
Got half into the winding road
And I remembered I was told
To slow yourself into a spin
And no matter what they want
I've been spinning
I can't win and
I've been hanging all around a light

The sun's sure hot
Lilacs are blooming
I can smell them on you dear
Now what you been doing
I've been stewing
I haven't seen you for a couple of years
I laid into the highway's curve
What I had what I swerve
I looked my eyes beyond the path
And I dip and wonder why
I've been spinning
I can't win and
I've been hanging all around a light

It calls you there
To no one and to there
Around the bend
When you get drunk you look so great
But it's too late outside
I've been wishing
There was someone who remembered me
And did not wonder why
Or what terrible luck
I've been spinning
I can't win and
I've been hanging all around a light
Around a light


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In the Bleak Midwinter


In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow
In the bleak midwinter, long ago

Our God, heaven can't hold him, nor earth sustain
Heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ

Angels and archangels may have gathered there
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air
But his mother only, in her maiden bliss
Worshiped the beloved her angel kiss

What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my, my part
What I can I give him
I can give my heart
I can give my heart
I can give my heart


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Incanduce California


She's running away
She's running
She's running away out there
I ain't leaving till I'm falling down
What has gone wrong
The way I'm working it won't be long
She's been taken away

I came back here today
I came back here
Yeah I came back today
I tried to return
Right now I ain't leaving till I'm falling down
What has been done
The way I'm working it won't be fun
She's been taken away

Around here all the people go
What do her friends say
It's clear we all know that you're gone to stay
You're gone to stay, yeah, away
Well she's not coming back
She won't come back
She can't ever go home again, oh no
Don't pretend to be true anymore
That won't even up the score
I don't need evidence, this is presidence
She's been taken away
Around here all the people go
Around here all the people go why
Around here all the people go
What do her friends say
It's clear we all know that you're gone to stay
Around here we all know that you're gone to stay
Around here we all know that you're gone to stay
And it's clear that you're gone
And it's clear that you're gone
You're gone


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Insider


Got a dangerous background
And everything you dream of
Yeah you're the dark angel
Don't show when you break up
And I'm the one who'll never know
And I'm the one left in the dust
Yeah I'm the broken-hearted fool
Who was never quite enough

Fickle of deception
It's a hall of strangers
It's a cage without a key
You can feel the danger
And I'm the one who outta know
And I'm the one you couldn't trust
I'm the lonely silent one
Who was never quite enough

I'm an insider
I've been burned by the fire
And I've had to live with some hard promises
I crawl
I'm an insider

I bet you're his masterpiece
I bet you're his self control
Yeah you'll be his legacy
His quiet world of white and gold
And I'm the one who outta know
And I'm the one you left to rust
I'm not one of your twisted friends
I'm the one you couldn't love
And I'm an insider


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Hangman


Hey hangman take these heads from me
Swing them from your money tree
Hear me laughing in my sleep
These heads are yours
They're yours to keep
Please don't skip the last detail
Rewards are yours beyond the pail
And if you're stripped just look around
Your wrists are shackled to the crowd

Hangman is your passenger
Hangman is your passenger
Hangman is your passenger
Hangman is your passenger tonight

He hits the road with one of his hands
And one of his hands holds the bible
Looks at the road with one of his eyes
And one of his eyes will watch the driving

Hangman is your passenger
Hangman is your passenger
Hangman is your passenger
Hangman is your passenger tonight

Can I take this rope from you
Swing them from your money tree
Adjured on the judgement call
You lost your bet
You lost it all


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The Smoochy Life
(Note: you might notice some vocals buried deep in the mix, like under the solo for example. as a result of the mix, they aren't here. only timmy knows them for sure)


I want to be with you
Everybody thinks I'm screwed
But if they only knew who
When I got to the restaurant
It was getting dark
Everyone had reservations
I couldn't even park
It's my time
What I find is it's gonna be alright yeah
My time

There's a spot behind my ear
Everybody thinks I'm queer
But I don't care no
When I got to the zoo, man
It was raining hard
Hey man, he was crying to amuse you
Bought a guitar
It's my time
What I find is it's gonna be alright
It's my time

Playing in the dark, I'd listen
Tick, tick, tick
And the stars above cold glistening
And it made me sick, sick, sick
We are two different drummers
Beating different drums
We will follow distinct paths
Until the time comes
Well it's my time
What I find is it's gonna be alright
Well I find you
It's my time
It's a smoochy life


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Scruffy Tumor


I wish I could take this moment and freeze it
Cause it's the time when it's going my way
And my way's the only way to preserve our bliss
A beating heart, a pumping fist
I can taste your lips

And sometimes you know that I feel like taking my time
And you know if you don't like you can suck me
I'm in my prime
And in all that sucking you know that there's some hope
After all, don't we sing like angels when properly stroked?

I could take it all over now with my knife
I'd love to see how you'd enjoy the refugee's plight
And I always cut with the knife with all my might
And in the morning I see that you're still my wife


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