Honorable Blue

ARPEGGIO (LUMBERJILL)

Words & Music by Brent Johnson & Brian Johnson

If she ever had a holiday

If she ever sewed the threads

If she ever had a way to stay

This is where the story ends

CHORUS:

All the day

All the known

All the way

All alone

Oh, the days are going by so quick

Come back now, honey

Oh, the days are going by so quick

Come back now, honey

If she ever had a hideaway

If she ever sewed the threads

If she ever had a way to say

This is where the story ends

CHORUS

This is not my fault, son

This is not my problem

BLEAK STREET

Words & Music by Brent Johnson & Brian Johnson

Tear it down

And watch it burn 

Hear that sound 

’Till your head turn

Sticks and stones may break your bones

But words can really hurt you

I know you will stand alone 

’Cause I will soon desert you  

CHORUS:

Tear it down

Save it for a rainy day

Watch that sound

Will there be a price to pay?

And I know now

Everything will fade away

And watch it burn

If I could jolt

You back again

You’d stand on your toes

March back and pretend

If everybody went away

And danced along the ocean

I know you would have your day

And be your heart’s devotion

CHORUS 

CELLOPHANE LIGHTS

Words & Music by Brent Johnson & Brian Johnson

Verse: C Am Em G

Chorus: Dm C E7 Am

Dm C E7 Am G

Melissa

There’s some trouble in my head

I want it gone

So I can live on

Live without you

Though I don’t want to

I don’t want to

Live without you

CHORUS:

Forget the world that made you

And leave the girl who hates you

You should hate her, too

Forget the world that made you

And leave the girl that hates you

You should hate her, too

Cellophane lights on cellophane nights

Were all you could give me

And the color seeps through, like I’m talking to you

And all you do is forgive me

You yearned for me then, like the greatest of men

But I must have betrayed you

I betrayed you

I must have betrayed you

I betrayed you

How could I betray you?

CHORUS

My knees

Fall down

And you’re gone

CHILD, I SAY

Words & Music by Brent Johnson & Brian Johnson

See the days of yore

Like a cattle call

See the fates we laid

And the spies we made

And then 13th Avenue

Becomes 14th Avenue

And the train’s on time

Beneath a holy line

CHORUS:

Sing in the dust, I can’t forget it, boy

I cradle to the world

Sing in the dust, I can’t forget it, boy

I cradle to the world

See the jokes we made

And the graves we laid

And the spies all came

For a rescue strange

And then 14th Avenue

Becomes 13th Avenue

And the train’s on time

Along the holy line

CHORUS

DADDY’S ON THE MILKBOX

Words & Music by Brent Johnson & Brian Johnson

Unruly boys and unruly girls

Who bob their heads

And cut their curls

Some Maker’s Mark

Inside of them swirls

And they make their way

Through this sexed-up world

Then the call comes in

On a Monday morn

Seems daddy’s on the milkbox

Since the day they was born

So send out the guards

Call MacArthur to arms

They’d hear nothing if they’d heed

All of mother’s alarms

So the cry comes down

From the top of the stairs

They’re all lacquered in stickiness

And just over there

There’s young-haired girl

Over a curly haired boy

So they’ve found their way

To a brand new joy

See, it’s nobody’s tune

But it’s somebody’s song

Unruly boys and unruly girls

Who make their way

Through this screwed-up world

If they don’t settle down

They’ll be a story to tell

And they’ll soon have a milkbox

To bid their farewell

It’s nobody’s tune

But it’s somebody’s song

THE FATE OF CALIFORNIA

Words & Music by Brent Johnson, Brian Johnson, and Andrew Lord Chandler

Capo 7

Verse: Em

Chorus: G A7 D7 Em

I know what you’re thinking

Everything’s a mess of what we’ve done

And I know you’ve been drinking

Singing hallelujah ‘till you’re gone

The caravan is crazy

But everybody knows which way to go

And I know that you’re lazy

Everybody else has told me so

CHORUS 1:

And I, I see you waiting in the kitchen

Screaming out your daddy’s name

Mama knows it’s all the same this time

And I know your dreams are never, ever wishing

For the fate of California is slowly going crazy in your eyes

Goodbye

If everybody’s wants to

We’ll gather in the woods at half past dawn

We’ll make a mess of all this

Screaming hallelujah at the sun

The caravan is crazy

But everybody knows he had to die

And the information’s hazy

But this is where the body’s meant to lie

CHORUS 2:

And I, I see you standing in the hallway

Saying everybody loves you

But nobody just loves you how you are

And I know your dreams are waiting in the doorway

For the fate of California is slowly, slowly dying in your arms

Goodbye

FEW

Words & Music by Brent Johnson, Brian Johnson, and Josh Berger

Verse: D A Bm A

Pre-Chorus: A7 G D

A7 G D

Chorus: D Bm A

We met on the bench

Like the closest of friends

Sitting out on the edge

Like a couple of kids

That night in the park, babe

Lingered on in the dark, babe

Babe …

CHORUS:

Few are like you — I know that

Few are like you — that’s old hat

Few are like you — ever still

Well, I will

Move on the years

Other benches appear

But I walk on

None could do what you’ve done

It wasn’t the trees, babe

Or the rustling leaves, babe

Babe …

CHORUS

That night in the park, babe

Lingers on through the dark, babe

Babe …

CHORUS

I will …

THE HARVEST

Words & Music by Brent Johnson & Brian Johnson

Out in the fields

Making a killing

High on your heels

The ones you call home

And you don’t know me

Faces own me

Faces that are black and balmy

The ones that you left alone

CHORUS:

And you don’t want a place to die

Faces want to see me cry

Singing in the daylight, I can’t prophesize

Singing in the night time, I can’t apologize

Come on

And all God’s children

Will wake in silence

The days they sleep in

The nights they creep in

You don’t know me

‘Cause you can’t show me

The way life owns me

Give in, give in, give in, give in, give in

HELLCAT MAGGIE

Words & Music by Brent Johnson & Brian Johnson

Well, she step like a spider all over the room

She slink slow down

And she bite like a tiger, bend like a spoon

She slink slow down

With silver claws and a mouth that roars

She spreads her weight around

And you never know when she’s doing it again

Her gaze will graze you down

Hellcat Maggie, scale across the sky

And sing my soul

When she does her doubled-barreled finger

It’ll please you blind

When she does her little-baby linger

It’s such a dirty mind

With an elevator walk and a snake-oil talk

Her sisters will kiss ya tonight

And her breath is brash, and her teeth, they gnash

But no man will dare to mind

Hellcat Maggie, scale across the sky

And sing my soul

MARIGOLD

Words & Music by Brent Johnson & Brian Johnson

Verse: C walkdown

D F Fm

Chorus: C E7 Am D7

C E7 Am F Fm

Marigold

Through the summer

Through the rain

Marigold

Will live forever

Despite the strain

And all tomorrow’s parties

Turning every single other girl away

Other girls

They will flutter

And they will fly

But every single other girl

They will wither

And they will die

And all tomorrow’s parties

Singing far too loud to ever fade

CHORUS:

And I feel you all the time

All the time

I feel you all the time

Come back again

Marigold

Through the summer

Through the rain

My marigold

Will always be there

Just the same

And all tomorrow’s parties

They’ll be waiting, they’ll be waiting

CHORUS

MR. HOLY ROLL

Words & Music by Brent Johnson, Brian Johnson, and Andrew Lord Chandler

Mr. Holy Roll

Got a ticket to my soul

And a bank account

To my brain

He lives across the yard

And he’s staring at me

Don’t know what he want

Don’t know what he see

CHORUS:

Spare your dreams

For a window by the sea

Spare your dreams

For a window by the sea

Spare your dreams

For a kingdom by the sea

Spare your dreams

For a kingdom by the sea

An Atlantic City bus

Broke down in front of us

And we walked out to watch

God knows what

And Mr. Holy Roll

He had nowhere else to go

So he took his hand in mine

And just laughed

CHORUS

NERVE DAMAGE

Words & Music by Brent Johnson & Brian Johnson

Verse: C D Cadd9 C

Chorus: E G B Em

Hello you, I can’t be sure

If you’ll play along, or hit the door

If you’ll go to my town, or chez le amore

She’s an itty, bitty girl in a messed up world

With her teeth on fire and her flag unfurled

Hello you, I’m sure you’ll say

Hey, baby doll, life’s a cabaret

You see the black girls that you drive insane

She’s an itty, bitty girl in a messed up world

With her teeth on fire and her flag unfurled

CHORUS:

Hello you, I’m waiting there

Through the fog and for nowhere

And if she’s gone, I can’t compare

Goodbye, hello

Hello you, why can’t it be?

You’ve got a good thing, baby, but you go and get away from me

I know what you’re gonna say, but I’ll never where you’ll be

She’s an itty, bitty girl in a messed up world

With her teeth on fire and her flag unfurled

CHORUS

I was happy in a haze of a drunken hour

And heaven knows, I’m happy now

I’m happy now

NO ONE EVER LAUGHS AT THE SUN

Words & Music by Brent Johnson & Brian Johnson

No one’s born in Santa Monica, babe

No one’s born in Hollywood hospital, too

I’ve been here on business, baby

But everybody waits in the queue

No one ever wipes their mouth ’till they’re done

No one ever wears a smile unless they’re gone

Strike it down to business, baby

The road is only gonna see you

CHORUS:

No one ever laughs at the sun

No one ever laughs at the lonely one

No one ever laughs at the sun

But I do

I do

Everybody’s crying like they know the score

Everybody’s crashes through, but they don’t know the door

Strike it down to business, baby

No one’s ever gonna love you

CHORUS

Strike it down to business, baby

Hollywood is waiting for you

SHAKEN DOWN

Words & Music by Brent Johnson & Brian Johnson

Verse: C G C G Am E Am

Chorus: Dm G C A7

I don’t know

If we could have a real show

Every day

Everything’s the same way

CHORUS 1:

Shake me down

Nice and slow

Kind of like it always seems to go

I don’t know if you will change

Maybe you are still the same

Blink and bind

If you really want a good time

’Cause every single Sunday

You will have it all ways

CHORUS 2:

Shake me down

Nice and slow

Kind of like I never meant to go

Everyone may sing along

I don’t even know the song

Janie comes again

Washing off her hands

Washing up again

CHORUS 1

CHORUS 2

THE SHALLOWEST HAND

Words & Music by Brent Johnson & Brian Johnson

Dream lover

Won’t you come and take me away

Where your love can’t bind you

And your heart can’t blind you

And turn you away

Dream lady

Crawling at the edge of my seams

I could try to tempt you

But I would only keep you

Away from me

CHORUS 1:

The shallowest hand won’t bite my tongue

But the shallowest love lingers on

You can fight your virgin wars

But tell me who are you fighting for?

Dream lover

What’s it like to still miss me?

When you wake up kissing

But only end up listing

Your tasteless schemes

Dream lover

Do you even dream?

After kicking me in

And running me thin

Do you even dream?

CHORUS 2:

The shallowest hand won’t bite my tongue

But the shallowest love lingers on

And you can fight all your virgin wars

But who the hell are you fighting for?

STAY AWAY FROM THE DOORMAN

Words & Music by Brent Johnson & Brian Johnson

When the streets are aligned

With the factory kind

You wait in a line

Screaming your heart downtown

You’re life is a mess

And you think you know best

So you lay ’em to rest

Screaming your heart downtown

CHORUS:

Caught in the mystery rain

Dressed up like cellophane

Even your heart knows pain

You think you’re alive

CHORUS

We think you’re a lie

STORMY WEATHER

Words & Music by Brent Johnson & Brian Johnson

Stormy weather

Sullied along the Seine

Keep on your ends, my fellas

Umbrella masquerade

I don’t know what they’ll tell ya

Life is a daisy chain

Keep on your ends, my fellas

Tell Stella to stay

CHORUS:

I can see the whipping post

Brighter still and louder than most

Keep your eyes out on the coast

The summer’s here to stay

Stormy weather

Sullied along the Seine

Keep on your ends, my fellas

Umbrella masquerade

TONGUE LASHER

Words & Music by Brent Johnson & Brian Johnson

Sad to say

I’m already on your case

Sad to say

Yours is such an ugly face

CHORUS 1:

I need you

Girl, you’re eating up my skin

And I feel you

You’re the one I can’t begin

Run away

Dance the colors of the wind

It’s fine, okay

’Cause I’m the fool who let you in

CHORUS 2:

And all that money

You’ve been spending in your time

It will cost you

Everything is doing fine

It’s hard to say

Hard to say

Say what you want

What you will

What you want

What you will

CHORUS 1:

I need you

Girl, you’re eating up my skin

And I feel you

You’re the one who’s running thin

TRIGGER FINGER

Words & Music by Brent Johnson & Brian Johnson

Verse: B G#m

E C#m

F# B

Chorus: G A F# Bm

F# B

She’s got her finger on a trigger

And she holds the gun

She’s got that trigger on her finger

She’s the only one

She wants her heart back, baby

She wants to sleep inside

She’s gonna linger on that finger

Until you come abide

‘Cause she wants something real

And someday she’ll know

Someday she’ll know

Maybe

Baby

And all the neighbors and the papers

Right outside her door

They reek of flavor, bad behavior

On a bedroom floor

She wants to cripple something

She wants to ripple one thing

May all the labor that she favors

Bow to something more

But she’s got knots of steel

And someday she’ll know

Someday she’ll know

And all she yearns for yet

She guess that she can get

But what’s left inside her head

When all the blood has left?

Baby

Maybe

TURNKNOB

Words & Music by Brent Johnson & Brian Johnson

Seeping down, you don’t want to be

Your heart down there ain’t hollow, darling

Life is lived in the springtime

And way downtown, you’re sunshine

There’s no need now to be solo

And if I jump back onto to the trail

I would just be catching your tail

Because the cheapest wine in the pail

Is the quickest one to go stale

And if I look real hard, I just might find

Twenty thousand pages of a real good time

You’re sad doll, baby, with your dress slung down

Pass around your number, and they’ll come around

On the windowsill of your penthouse

Baby, oh

I can see you pressing him down now

And I swear — now, I just don’t care

I was stepping back on the trail

But the weather, baby, is bound to hail

There’s no need now to be so low

Darling, oh

And with a lipstick kiss on their hands

You will lead them to promised lands

Of martinis, satin and jam

And the well-pressed suits of a man

But if I look real hard, I just might find

That passion is a fashion you’re inclined to buy

You’re a sad doll, baby, when the man you want

Is the one who isn’t in your arms

THE VAMPIRE OF HANOVER

Words & Music by Brent Johnson & Brian Johnson

Verse: D A F#m

Pre-Chorus: Bm A

Chorus: F#m A

See how the water’s cool and calm tonight

Spy a little closer, and you’ll find

Not very far beyond my door

A dozen bones have washed up on the shore

My world is wide and waiting

Come and play

You’ve got a lot to give

And I will take

So keep it coming, keep it coming all day

Allow me now to let you in my home

There are some fears that some boys never know

But mine’s a place for you to stay, my dear

It’s just the last you’ll see at all, I fear

My dear, you’ll see, I fear

And all you fools who fawn for better lives

Will soon be mine to dine with every night

Oh, Mr. Policeman, yes, please come inside

I’ve only got a couple things to hide

I see you walking quickly past my stove

There are some fears that only some men know

AFTERNOON SWEAT

Words & Music by Brent Johnson & Brian Johnson

Capo 2

Verse: F Fm C

F Fm C

E7 Am D7 G

Chorus: E7 Am

E7 Am

G G7 Am

G C

Joan, she waits

Pontificates

Standing on the ledge

As if she’s lost her edge

And I know wrong

Singing different songs

So another tomb

Annihilates the groom

CHORUS:

Lying on the easy bed

As if she’s gone and lost her head

It’s so gone

Lying on the easy chair

As if she’s standing over there

You’re so gone

So gone

In the afternoon

Joan, she smiles

Like a little child

So the mantle breaks

With everything she takes

And I know wrong

Singing different songs

So another groom

Annihilates the tomb

CHORUS

CHILD, I SAY

Words & Music by Brent Johnson & Brian Johnson

See the days of yore

Like a cattle call

See the fates we laid

And the spies we made

And then 13th Avenue

Becomes 14th Avenue

And the train’s on time

Beneath a holy line

CHORUS:

Sing in the dust, I can’t forget it, boy

I cradle to the world

Sing in the dust, I can’t forget it, boy

I cradle to the world

See the jokes we made

And the graves we laid

And the spies all came

For a rescue strange

And then 14th Avenue

Becomes 13th Avenue

And the train’s on time

Along the holy line

CHORUS

FEW

Words & Music by Brent Johnson, Brian Johnson, and Josh Berger

We met on the bench

Like the closest of friends

Sitting out on the edge

Like a couple of kids

That night in the park, babe

Lingered on in the dark, babe

Babe …

CHORUS:

Few are like you — I know that

Few are like you — that’s old hat

Few are like you — ever still

Well, I will

Move on the years

Other benches appear

But I walk on

None could do what you’ve done

It wasn’t the trees, babe

Or the rustling leaves, babe

Babe …

CHORUS

That night in the park, babe

Lingers on through the dark, babe

Babe …

CHORUS

I will …

HIDING FROM THE SUMMER

Words & Music by Brent Johnson & Brian Johnson

Capo 3

Verse: C Cadd9

Chorus: G F C

See Mary Anne

She caught the train

Knows where I am

It’s not the same

Sleeping on the job

Working really hard

Marry what you must know

CHORUS:

I know you’re fading

Keeping on and hating

You’ll just erase the headroom

Sleeping in the bedroom

KICK MY LOVE AROUND

Words & Music by Brent Johnson & Brian Johnson

Where are you

My lonesome friend?

Fast and loose

And stuck again

The holy dove

You drag around

Never makes a sound

I opened up

You closed me down

Wide awake

Not safe and sound

You picked me up

And dropped me down

To kick my love around

I’ll be dead

By the time

You settle down

And don’t change your mind

But I’ll be there

Laid on the ground

To kick my love around

KICK THE STONE

Words & Music by Brent Johnson, Brian Johnson, and MadMardigan

There’s a house

By the lake

Where lives a man

Who is dressed in grey

CHORUS 1:

Kick the stone

At his face

“Good morning, dear”

He will say

“Good morning, dear

Life’s a valiant parade”

CHORUS 1

You better run

Get away

The house is haunted

And you’ll drift away

CHORUS 2:

Kick the stone

Now he’s dead

THE LIE ESCAPE

Words & Music by Brent Johnson & Brian Johnson

Evening falls

On the dark night, dear

I hear my voice turn into fear

I pace around

My cell at night

I hear my voice turn into fright

When evening calls

To the lie, lie, lie escape

If you call me up again

I’ll be there waiting every now and then

The stock exchange lights up at night

I hear my voice turn into fright

CHORUS

MR. HOLY ROLL

Words & Music by Brent Johnson, Brian Johnson, and Andrew Lord Chandler

Mr. Holy Roll

Got a ticket to my soul

And a bank account

To my brain

He lives across the yard

And he’s staring at me

Don’t know what he want

Don’t know what he see

CHORUS:

Spare your dreams

For a window by the sea

Spare your dreams

For a window by the sea

Spare your dreams

For a kingdom by the sea

Spare your dreams

For a kingdom by the sea

An Atlantic City bus

Broke down in front of us

And we walked out to watch

God knows what

And Mr. Holy Roll

He had nowhere else to go

So he took his hand in mine

And just laughed

CHORUS

NERVE DAMAGE

Words & Music by Brent Johnson & Brian Johnson

Hello you, I can’t be sure

If you’ll play along, or hit the door

If you’ll go to my town, or chez le amore

She’s an itty, bitty girl in a messed up world

With her teeth on fire and her flag unfurled

Hello you, I’m sure you’ll say

Hey, baby doll, life’s a cabaret

You see the black girls that you drive insane

She’s an itty, bitty girl in a messed up world

With her teeth on fire and her flag unfurled

CHORUS:

Hello you, I’m waiting there

Through the fog and for nowhere

And if she’s gone, I can’t compare

Goodbye, hello

Hello you, why can’t it be?

You’ve got a good thing, baby, but you go and get away from me

I know what you’re gonna say, but I’ll never where you’ll be

She’s an itty, bitty girl in a messed up world

With her teeth on fire and her flag unfurled

CHORUS

I was happy in a haze of a drunken hour

And heaven knows, I’m happy now

I’m happy now

ONE-EYED CITY

Words & Music by Brent Johnson, Brian Johnson, Andrew Lord Chandler, and MadMardgian

Come on down to the one-eyed city

I’m on my way

Come on down where the grass is pity

Every day

I’m on my way

There’ll be hell to pay

Come on down to the one-eyed city

There’s ghosts sleeping on my toes

You know what I mean

There’s ghost sleeping on my toes

You know what I mean

I’m on my way

There’ll be hell to pay

Come on down to the one-eyed city

SAVVY ROW

Words & Music by Brent Johnson & Brian Johnson

Verse: Am

Chorus: C Am F Am

C Am F Am D7

Bridge: F G Am

Sally G, Jesus walk with me

Down the street again

I’ve got debts that I cannot pay

And the rent again

CHORUS:

I know, you know

Selling gifts at the corner store

I can’t be brave

Seven times, now I can’t behave

Again

Sally G, Jesus talk to me

On the radio

I’ve got debts that I cannot pay

And a way to go

CHORUS

BRIDGE:

You don’t know where to go

You’re face lines in the snow

You don’t know where to go

Sally G, Jesus stalk with me

All the blood I let

I’ve got debts that I cannot pay

And a cigarette

CHORUS

BRIDGE

STAY AWAY FROM THE DOORMAN

Words & Music by Brent Johnson & Brian Johnson

When the streets are aligned

With the factory kind

You wait in a line

Screaming your heart downtown

You’re life is a mess

And you think you know best

So you lay ’em to rest

Screaming your heart downtown

CHORUS:

Caught in the mystery rain

Dressed up like cellophane

Even your heart knows pain

You think you’re alive

CHORUS

We think you’re a lie

THE STEAM

Words & Music by Brent Johnson, Brian Johnson, Andrew Lord Chandler, and MadMardigan

She’s never gonna dance again

Her feet were her only friend

And I don’t know, I can’t bear it at all

She’s never gonna sneak away

Desecrated on a TV tray

And I don’t know, I can’t bear it at all

CHORUS:

She knows what she wants to be

Educated in the steam

She’s never gonna dance again

And she knows what she wants to play

Every day is yesterday

She’s never gonna dance again

TONGUE LASHER

Words & Music by Brent Johnson & Brian Johnson

Sad to say

I’m already on your case

Sad to say

Yours is such an ugly face

CHORUS 1:

I need you

Girl, you’re eating up my skin

And I feel you

You’re the one I can’t begin

Run away

Dance the colors of the wind

It’s fine, okay

’Cause I’m the fool who let you in

CHORUS 2:

And all that money

You’ve been spending in your time

It will cost you

Everything is doing fine

It’s hard to say

Hard to say

Say what you want

What you will

What you want

What you will

CHORUS 1:

I need you

Girl, you’re eating up my skin

And I feel you

You’re the one who’s running thin

TV STATIONS AGAIN AND AGAIN

Words & Music by Brent Johnson & Brian Johnson

Verse: E A B

Chorus: B A B A B A G E

Her eyes like violets

And shooting rays

All that violence

On TV trays

She’s in love with TV stations

Crying over situations again

Every day, she wakes on

TV’s on the mend

Throwing on her makeup

She rolls out again

She’s in love with TV stations

Crying over situations again

CHORUS:

She falls back again

Batten down the win

Every day’s an endless dream again

Honorable Blue

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About Me

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

The Clydes 8-27-14