Lyrics
Four Legs Good
1. gone gone gone
it was up hill both ways to school
through 12 foot drifts our lives were measured
heel to toe and soul to shoe
we had 15 brothers and 15 sisters
all those empty mouths to feed
we had to stop the oldest from eating the youngest
or nobody here would ever succeed
succeed in wondering (just wonderin')
what the hell you're doing here
the future is where it's at but it won't be here for years
you keep on waiting (just waiting)
for the real thing to come along
but when it finally gets here you're gonna be... gone gone gone
your sitting there in a living room chair
your dentist comes in and you prepare
to meet the pain no one can bare
rusty tools in hand and no drinks to spare
on a frosty morning you awake in your bed
your horse is sleeping beside your head
you sneak out to the buggy plug it into the shed
and wish they'd invent the car instead
the only thing good about the good old days
is they're gone gone gone
yes they're gone so shut up and lets move on
everyone pines for a simpler time
but the world keeps turning on
you hear it everyday and it's a popular wine
that it's gone gone gone
you keep on hoping (and praying)
everything's gonna work out right
you can only live in the past if the future is out of sight
you keep on waiting (just waiting)
for the real thing to come along
but when it finally gets here you're gonna be... gone gone gone
2. mariachi song
his wife shakes change that's given for relief
passers by are giving alms instead of eyes
they're out there entertaining for their lives
this is the way it's always been
when she sleeps he takes on her dreams
in a sightless world the one eyed man is king
the next generation lost in space
until they find their busking place
his father was a famed mariachi
when father gave mother a wedding ring
mother gave his kids the chance to sing
when he gets tired his wife takes over
smaller arms crank the same tune a little slower
he'll exchange the change for a midday comida
then he'll take his arms back to his senorita
the ghosts from the old town always look the same
they wear a mask instead of a name
and though he cannot see the future's face
he know it's coming fast to take his place
you wake up to the music through the streets
three kids with accordions and their bare feet
it's the family's plan to make it through the year
semana santa blessings in their ears
3. four legs good
you can hear the cows by the slaughter house
laughing and talking and singing tunes
trying to convince you to eat tofu
well the sheep can all vote to be vegetarians
but if the wolf don't agree they ain't gonna win
it can take a lifetime to change a mind
but first need a mind to change in time
and it's sad sad sad
four legs good two legs baaaaad
and it's bad bad bad
they have a brain they want it back
the skin may be tough but the inside is sweet
there's a head to each set of feet
and relatives make a meal complete
don't forget that you are what you eat
and if you're good you're gonna get big treats
how'd you like to eat a family tree
everyone's equal under the sun
but some are more equal than some other ones
if you got four limbs two ears and eyes
you'll look just the same as some other guys
look out if one day they organize
there are more of them than there are fly's
and yes i know that it's only meat
but how would you like to eat soup from my feet
4. don't become a man
this new lost cause that you've found it may not be your last
after a while the pain will ease, after a while
you'll parade your new teeth and your gender free smile
so don't show your hands no don't make plans
don't show your cards don't become a man
trade in your clothes they will not fit to your new build
what was once straight now curves all over it
you'll learn to talk from both sides of your mouth
you'll learn to walk and they'll know that you've come out
everyone said that you learned how to swim
at the shallow end of the gene pool
everybody said just jump right
well you didn't wanna look like nobody's fool
you'll act real cool you'll take up golf and lift some weights
buy an SUV and wear bad slacks up at the lake
it's not your fault, don't take it bad, it's not your fault
it's not too late - to not become a man
6. charlie territory
no one's speaking your language
and it's complete chaos
and you're on the lookout for those guide book bandits
but then everyone is smiling
up and down those garbage strewn highways
from the back of this truck
it's look the only heartaches are coming my way
and it's Charlie territory
but now it's Charlie's Grill
well he's feeding all the sons and daughters
of the GI's who first came to kill
there's bamboo stilt houses
and little kids are waving
uxo's off the jungle paths
and fences made from old bomb casings
and the landmine victims
they're a magnet for your change
but there isn't enough that you can give
to bring back those limbs again
we all watched that grizzly footage
when we were just little kids
the far away flames of a tv war
through rose coloured news reel clips
now it's me who's hiding in the jungle
escaping the place that I live
and now you're floating down the mekong
you think how can they be so happy
when they ain't got nothing but they
must have something that we're all lacking
7. holidays in space
we all reach for the stars looking for the brightest row
but fate seldom cooperates and time never stands still
now i'm stuck up here on this scientific tread mill
hey hey hey everything is so far away
hey hey hey night just turned back into day
hey hey hey we're rotating at a resounding speed
hey hey hey i can't wait to get back on my feet
slept on the milky way woke up had a meteor shower
i cleaned out my brain morning seems to come once an hour
the man in the moon looks different from way up here
i drew the short straw and they locked me up in this biosphere
some say it's lonely out here in the atmosphere
but i haven't missed humans yet
cause there's a seven eleven just this side of heaven
and you know it doesn't get any better than that
i can get all of the news one light year in advance
i know when it's time to leave i won't really want to go
i don't even miss t.v, the satellites are the local shows
i know what it's all gonna be like when i get down
i'll be assimulated into the borg of my home town
hey hey hey please don't take me away
hey hey hey i'm so used to be alone all day
in all this time i've spent i've only got one regret
hey hey i haven't even seen the enterprise yet
8. marching over the bones
when all our enemies are buried neck deep in the sand
we'll bring our armies home marching over the bones
hoodlums are throwing stones lets all agree to disagree
we'll bomb their bungalows and burn their factories
and make some more heroes and march them over the bones
our flags will fly (over the bones)
our anthem will play
many will die some will be saved
mothers will cry others will pray
if there's a conscience on this earth
won't someone loan a dollar's worth what is it worth
marching over the bones it's dangerous here at home
round up the refugee's and in five years pay them off
with plaques for apologies stuck in over the bones
grease up the war machine simulcast it on t.v.
roll dice across a board and take another piece
and start another war playing over the bones
the dawn will break (over the bones)
the sky will crack (over the bones)
with players in place borders in tact
there's no more free space to give back
marching over the bones victory is close at hand
when all our enemies are buried neck deep in the sand
bring our armies home marching over the bones
9. lips like secrets
they whisper like rain upon a summer lawn a summer love
put me into your hands you wanna stop but my heart runs
your voice inside my ears like words made out of bubble gum
you're the wheat and i'm the chaff
you're the clown and i'm the laugh
and if that laughing bird don't sing
you're still a part of everything
collector's bi-peds photographs
they never lie they come from the past you're next to last
you're the bridge and i'm the creek
you skip across me in bare feet
always pick the flattest stone
we're a whole team on our own
water's laughing on the shore
toothy grins that say give me more of your candy store
wanna go for as spin inside your grin
looks like so much fun from the outside in
i'll be standing in line till the end of time
to spend a minute with you inside of your mind.............
we're a country with two names
a two way street on a one way lane
we're the weeds you pick at night
but love our flowers in the light
highschool memories forget those days
postcards old friends they sail away n.f.a.
11. someone else
when he thought he'd made the grade growing up got in the way
saw the city lights approach didn't see his home town go
he left those angels in the snow
putting on his leather suit his second face was in the mood
to go along with all the boys that's how he got that bad tattoe
the past is just a losing bet it follows close and never forgets
a shadow of who we are a grey scale of a silouette
you just can't help admitting the truth
cause you know there's nothing like it that you've ever used
you were never you you were always someone else
you were never you you were always someone else
baseball and paperbacks
and camping trips we'll do
i'll buy an old blue cadillac
and drive it up to you
he never suffered the fool but in this town that's all they knew
growing up straight and tall doing time at the mall
tomorrow's a myth away today smell's like yesterday
the future is who are make a wish upon a star
