when the years collide

i hope the boats in your harbor town bring you good news
good news
thought i’d write you to know that i’ve missed you around since you had to move
had to move away

i remember the year to the month to the day
when you did choose, we all choose
our own little plans to be taken away
from the friends we’ll lose, we all lose because

we need our space to breathe
we need to know that we’re alive
but as the city sleeps
we’ll all come home when the years collide

though we rarely refer to the people we were
when we’ve worked so hard to be who we are
i look to those nights drunk on Christmas tree lights
we were true kings armed with cups and cards

as a snow fell we’d tell stories past
and before we’d know it
we’d be back home in a basement below all that snow
our smiles just glowing
like the lights on the trees and your rosey red cheeks
it’s just so good to see you and i’m not afraid to show it
because it’s been too long and i hate when you’re gone
so let’s drink until it’s dawn because it comes before we know it

and maybe this year was a good one after all
because now we’re all here

eighty eight keys

she said “eighty-eight keys, yeah that’s all you need
when you don’t know what to say you just play what you mean
and when you don’t know what to do, do what you need
to find your eighty eight keys”

see there was this girl who did as she pleased
but she’d do anything to see me play the eighty eight keys
she had it all, she was cute as could be
she said “i’ll stick around if you sing to me”

but when the world spun around that’s when she had to leave
because there were bigger things ahead in the life she’d lead
i thought i played it all wrong or my voice was too weak
i said “what’s the point in these stupid keys?”

and when there’s places to go and there’s people to see
then i suppose that it was easy to forget about me
and when she left this town and the emptiness peaked
i found my eighty eight keys

i said “oh i swear i’ve got it in me
if you could hear me out
i could sing to you forever
and i’m starting now
oh no, you’re too far to listen
but if you could hear me now
i would sing to you forever
and i’m starting now”

far too gone

it’s two am
i’m finished packing up the van
the bar is next to empty and you can barely stand
i played the songs that built a summer
i sang the words not mine but clever
and through it all will you dissever 
that you’re still in my eyes?

we take a ride
i keep the river at my side
the window is your best friend until i switch to park from drive
the truck plays discs that you created
to store the time associated
with when we thought that we could make it
so am i still in your eyes?

i get you home
and though we both will sleep alone
in the morning you’ll remember what you’re far too gone to know
with sharpie ink i stain your hands
that things don’t always go as planned
will five words make you understand
that you’re forever in my eyes?

you remain more beautiful
than the day we came to be
i remain as foolish as
the day gone over me

i always said that music was the way
to put strength into my words
to put strength into anything
it’s all that i can do is hope and pray
this gets to you
it’s all that i can do is hope and pray
i get to you

the information age

i hate the information age
the reckless integration of a world gone crazy
given over while its all the rage
and i can’t stop at all

she’s living for the modern age
the differentiation of a girl gone crazy
same old lines on a brand new stage
but i can’t stop at all

so i’m tearing up the plain white page
because her stupid deformations are all making me crazy
turn around now before your conscience strays
but i can’t stop
no i can’t stop
no

and i hate the information age
the reckless integration of a world gone crazy
turn around now before your conscience fades
but i can’t stop
no i can’t stop
no

don’t stop because you’ve not yet given her up
i gave but it’s not quite ever enough
i know that she’s not yet ever been loved
i know, i know

but i won’t fall down not for any amount at all
gone underground i’ll be the hero when this falls
these ideas bounce right back from mirrors on the wall
i’ll sneak around new and innovative ways to tear me apart

and you lie to me
propagate your images for others to see
yeah you lie to me
and i’m never quite sure who you’re trying to be anymore

down with grace

it’s no secret that the girl loves drama
but it’s never been kosher to say
you’d best be leaving cause there’s gonna be trauma
no ones getting out of this
you’re not getting out of this today

fancy that, a problematic attraction
as though the worse it gets the bigger her eyes
fact to fiction she’s surpassed my attrition
and i won’t snuggle anymore with her lies
in contradiction to her harmful conviction
she will never stand alone in these crimes
with friends like you, she’s got accomplices too
but this would end if you would just leave her side

i was unaware that she knew everything
i was unaware that i could hate
i was unaware i was accountable for the things she did
and i was unaware that i’m not safe
no i’m not safe with her
no i’m not safe anywhere

congratulations, seems she got what she wanted
but it’s appalling she’s so happy to see
a girl in shambles from accusing preambles
and a boy insisting love is naive
it may be possible that nothing is sacred
but how vicarious the life that she’s chose
church on sunday to an abortion come monday
because vicarious comes as vicarious goes

i was unaware that you’d say anything
i was unaware that i could hate
i was unaware i was accountable for the things you said
and i was unaware that i’m not safe
no I’m not safe

it’s no secret that the girl loves drama
but it’s never been more clear than today
imagination leads to imminent trauma
no ones getting out of this
you’re not getting out of this today

the world’s greatest fadeout

she dreams when she sleeps
i know cause i’ve watched her thoughts collide with the sheets
they tangle in the blankets and they tangle in me
and the pictures from her mind seem to render me entwined in the life she’ll lead
and now i can’t breath

cause it’s been far too long
and it’s not about the love or not it’s about right and wrong
when you’re no longer distracted by the wood piling on
to the fire that will rage to my effigy on stage to a moral crowd
i heard them scream so loud

and here’s what they’ll call the world’s greatest fadeout
my heart turns to sand but her hour glass was frozen
and the time that it spans is the time that it takes
for me to learn from my mistakes but i never will
i can only stay still

but when misappropriation takes on a four letter word
it seems there’s little left to do but just watch the days unfurl
you swear she’d find a better life if she’d only see
that you’re dragging her down by not setting her free
you can’t push her around while you take what you need

and when the past won’t stay gone
you try to forget her buy you’ve remember too long
there’s nothing worse than living with what should have lived on
there’s nothing worse than living when you should have just stayed still

and here’s what they’ll call the world’s greatest fadeout

blow me a holloway

the nights fall fast like curtains to her stage
and they’re leaving with every claim she’s made
it’s all underground, she swears the show doesn’t go on
but time and again her audience proves her wrong
it’s time for the end when their trust proves gone

when love is misplaced, its steps aren’t easily retraced
but their fingers point fast at me to blame
it’s a tragic cast, but she insists that she dies last
so lay quiet, let her tragedy unfurl
but if i play the villain, then who takes home the girl?

no damage
the world’s still turning isn’t it?

tear me down to attain control
tell me i’m illogical
say i’m wrong just to keep me close
i know what’s right but i can’t let go

the only thing that’s more perfect then the wind
is that after the calm it comes back again
to blow me away

and i swear that you’ll do better
in the latter of september
and before you know that it’s over
you’ll be rockin’ out in october

night

beyond the nodding heads and the bright light beams
they sing it back and the words strike me alone
and they don’t know

what i told you as i took the stage
that i can’t do another day
and oh
but no one knows
that i sing alone

in a couch cold war you take your stand
soft skin under helpless hands
and oh
what no one knows

you say “no one’s ever been this close”
but i could not feel more alone with you
but you can’t know
that i sing alone

i sing alone

ryan t. coke

she’s good to go
but i’m hanging on to something
i don’t even know what it is anymore
i’m holding down hope, i’m holding down anything
but its gone for sure

i’m phoning it in
i’m phoning in for someone
the phony within’s spilling out on the floor
a bowl of punch downed in an unfinished basement
passed out i’ll be ignored

she’ll take what she deserves

it’s not who you are
it’s who you’ve become
you’d throw out the world
if i said it was done
it’s not who i am
it’s who i’ve become
i gave up the world
just go

a new haircut, a new style and
some new teeth for the same smile
and am i too late to save this
when a clutch design can’t stop a reckless kiss

it’s two o’clock, i’ve got papers due tomorrow
should be racing the clock but i sit at my piano
and you wanna talk but i can’t bare to see you
so i’ll pray to the thought that you’ll finally get what you deserve

she’ll take what she deserves

i’m feeling down down while you’re living it up
and i’m giving over while you’re giving it up
and i’m getting chills while you’re heating it up
so take what you need
take what you need
go

wish upon a plastic star

and she deserves someone else
to walk her through her plastic hell
i can’t do this i need help
i have given up on myself

and she can’t fall asleep these nights
wondering what’s on my mind
but i can’t bare to let her know
that i have never let you go

the days fly past, the nights crawl slow
i’ve shown her all i dare to show
and i won’t sleep but i’ll still try
when plastic stars sing lullabies

could you come home?
i’ll show you what i’ve done
could you come home?
come see who i’ve become
could you come home?
i know that its been years
could you come home?
tell me what i’m doing here

awake under a plastic sky
this ceiling’s seen a thousand lies
but truth could come with one more try

satellite song

rotate the world traverse those silly circles Kepler made
to reference the universe, our viewpoint never stays the same
and down here on earth it seems the people stray in much the same way
but satellite i sing tonight i hope you never change

new ideas are formed and new stars are born everyday
when you show the world to me you paint it in a perfect way
and satellite, your path, your flight is such a sight to see
i’m on the ground when you come down i hope you come to me

reverse the world rehearse a way to slow the moments down
this time machine provides the means to turn the earth around
and satellite when you’re in sight your signals all surround me
your beauty spans above the land and all the weight that grounds me

and these ideas they storm the frontlines of my everyday
when you’re in my world i see a star that shines in everyway
and if i could be the destination where you aim to be
then i’d stop the world and find the girl who shows the starts to me

i hope that you know that somewhere out there is your biggest fan
and i am yours

i dream i can fly up to you satellite
see the look in your eyes, the one that makes me crazy
must we say goodbye when you streak through the sky
see the world through your eyes, just one look makes me crazy

i hope that you know that way down here i’m your biggest fan
yes i am yours

safety nets

a phone call turned contract
to leave this world on contact
no stay on the line
but her family’s a crisis
and these are her devices
please stay on the line

and i’ll be yours
if you’ll be mine
two safety nets entwined

you could drink that bottle
you could down those pills
but its not the mixture
it’s the world that kills
you can turn those pages
they’re in black and white
and they speak of heaven
this is hell tonight

it eats you alive
i know

from a family
oh crisis
but she’s got her devices
she’ll stay strong

i need you alive
i know

and its worth you holding on
because its so worth holding on to you