Additional Singers:
First United Church of the Cosmic Smorgasboard -
N.Y. and S.F. Chapters
Release Date: 1974
Duration: 66:52
Label: Rhino/Bearsville
Catalog Number: R2CD 71108
The original LP was released as a Double LP (despite the critical '70s energy shortage of vinyl) and included a computer generated poster containing the names of those who sent in their postcard from AWATS. The poster was a black and white image of Todd based on the cover photo.
How about a little fanfare, fanfare?
The visitors were never seen They missed my monologue between But I think you know The letters came, the letters went The last reply was never sent But I think you know I can't explain what's in my brain That tells me where to go But I think you know For I would draw a diagram To signify the things I am But I think you know And in the end it all boils down A useless bit of running 'round 'Cause I think you know And love I send to you my friend But never tell you so But I think you know
instrumentalSpoken: No, no, no! A Little more humanity, please!
Who's that on the racks again? A portrait of a crazy man Trying to make a living off an elpee's worth of toons A picture of a soul in pain Trying to change the world with an elpee's worth of toons There's something at the heart of it that's simply awful A man who makes a living off a plastic waffle Sweat is forming on my brow Not a thing can help me now My life is on the line for an elpee's worth of toons I can see the write-ups now The multitudes are crying for an elpee's worth of toons A man would simply have to be as mad as a hatter To try to change the world with a plastic platter What's your problem, sonny? What's your problem, son? I want to change the world.
A million old soldiers will fade away But a dream goes on forever I'm left standing here, I've got nothing to say All is silent within my dream A thousand true loves will live and die But a dream lives on forever The days and the years will go streaking by But the time has stopped in my dream We all have our everyday hopes and fears And you'll find no exception in me But that doesn't get me through a sea of tears Over life's biggest tragedy You're so long ago and so far away But my dream lives on forever I guess I believe that I'll see you one day For without it there is no dream You're so far away and so long ago But my dream goes on forever And how much I loved you you'll never know 'Til you join me within my dream
Love unrequited, robs me of me rest, Love, hopeless love, my ardent soul encumbers, Love, nightmare like, lies heavy of me chest, And weaves itself into my midnight slumbers. When you're lying awake with a dismal headache and repose is taboo'd by anxiety, I conceive you may use any language you choose to indulge in, without impropriety; For your brain is on fire, the bed-clothes conspire of usual slumber to plunder you: First your counter-pane goes, and uncovers your toes, and your sheet slips demurely from under you; Then the blanketing tickles, you feel like mixed pickles, so terribly sharp is the pricking, And you're hot and you're cross, and you tumble and toss 'til there's nothing 'twixt you and the ticking. Then the bed-clothes all creep to the ground in a heap and you pick 'em all up in a tangle; Next your pillow resigns and politely declines to remain at it's usual angle! Well, you get some repose in the form of a dose, with hot eye-balls and head ever aching, But your slumbering teems with such horrible dreams that you'd very much better be waking; For you dream you are crossing the Channel, and tossing about in a steamer from Harwich, Which is something between a large bathing machine and a very small second class carriage, And you're giving a treat (penny ice and cold meat) to a party of friends and relations, They're a ravenous horde, and they all come on board at Sloane Square and South Kensington Stations. And bound on that journey you find your attorney (who started this morning from Devon); He's a bit undersiz'd and you don't feel surpris'd when he tells you he's only eleven. Well you're driving like mad with this singular lad (by the bye the ship's now a four wheeler), And you're playing round games, and he calls you bad names when you tell him that "ties pay the dealer"; But this you can't stand so you throw up your hand, and you find you're as cold as an icicle; In your shirt and your socks (the black silk with gold clocks) crossing Sal'sbury Plain on a bicycle: And he and the crew are on bicycles too, which they've somehow or other invested in, And he's telling the tars all the particulars of a company he's interested in; It's a scheme of devices, to get at low prices, all good from cough mixtures to cables (Which tickled the sailors), by treating retailers as though they were all vegetables; You get a good spadesman to plant a small tradesman (first take off his boots with a boot tree), And his legs will take root, and his fingers will shoot, and they'll blossom and bud like a fruit tree; From the green grocer tree you get grapes and green pea, cauliflower, pine apple and cranberries, While the pastry cook plant cherry brandy will grant, apple puffs, and three corners, and banburys; The shares are a penny and ever so many are taken by Rothschild and Baring, And just as a few are allotted to you, you awake And with a shudder despairing You're a regular wreck, with a crick in your neck, and no wonder you snore, for your head's on the floor And you've needles and pins from your soles to your shins, and your flesh is acreep, for your left leg's asleep, And you've cramp in your toes, and a fly on your nose, and some fluff in your lung, and a feverish tongue, and a thirst that's intense, And a general sense that you haven't been sleeping in clover; But the darkness has pass'd, and it's daylight at last, and the night has been long, ditto, ditto my song, And thank goodness they're both of them over!
instrumental
It's the last ride Our little game is over It's the last ride It's time to take you home And we can't cry 'cause we seen it coming No use running, take it slower It's a dangerous drive I'm afraid to arrive But I strive to survive More a fool than alive I thought I knew just everything I had it made and I could coast But I turned away love when I needed it most It's the last ride My little game is over It's the last ride It's time to take me home And I can't cry 'cause I seen it coming No use running, take it slower And the road rolls around And turns through the town The depression drips down And glazes the ground Horizons east and skylines west The moon, the sun, and all the rest The loving son, the faithful wife The burnt out wreck of a poor man's life The father, son, and holy ghost They all turned away love when they needed it most It's the last ride Their little game is over It's the last ride It's time to take them home And they can't cry 'cause they seen it coming No use running, take it slower
I remember, I remember What life was like in the yard 'Cause you can't ever think about dying And it just makes a person get hard I keep wondering if my friends feel like I do I don't know how someone could stand it To go through what I'm now going through So every night we party And every night we get too high And I put myself so close to death 'Til I think that I ain't gonna die And I realize just a little Why sometimes I like to feel like dirt It's the only thing in this day and age That can make me feel close to the earth But if I ever get to heaven If I ever reach that door I will listen why I had to go through this life Why they just couldn't take me before But everybody's going to Heaven 'Cause already we've all been through Hell We're gonna laugh all night and cry all day Watch the big monkey do the King Kong Reggae A Cadillac and a Chevrolet Watch the big monkey do the King Kong Reggae The president of the U. S. A. Watch the big monkey do the King Kong Reggae Everybody fall down on your knees and pray Here comes that big monkey doing the King Kong Reggae
I wanna see your number 1 lowest common denominator You're so hot! What choo got? On the outside I'm a good boy Let me inside 'cause I'm full of joy I don't want to shock you but I'm an electric eel How's that make your denominator feel? Think I'll surprise her I can always depend on my great equalizer I wanna grind, lose your mind I kissed you once, but will I kiss you again? Be certain with sex and you'll always have friends Your glands wanna freak, your hands wanna speak And your mind slips away at the peak Recitation (A Poem of Love) Time stops - the light goes on A thundering head and no body Washed up and woke up on the beach, seaside breakfast A tender egg on white sand Legs long and tan without a break, even to the neck Suddenly, simultaneously, an eclipse and a snowfall Flakes melt instantly on the shoulders like wet silver Burning little holes all the way to the marrow Puckered flesh like avocado sags into a green pool All the birds leave turquoise ruts across the Velveeta sky It's time to scream I wanna be your number 1 lowest common denominator
Is that you? Look who's on the skids this time Bitchin' 'bout her place in line And all you really want is attention 'Cause you're like every other girl uptown Who wants to ride her face around And wave about that power you have to put me down And so I'll tell ya To see you like this is nearly tragic But it's like Ruby says our dreams have magic But I know useless begging won't help me Yes it's you You leave me nothing left to say 'Cause I thought that we'd return one day Together to a great sphere of knowledge But that would never do for you 'Cause you thought you knew a thing or two But you don't even know what is and isn't true And so I'll tell ya I was a fool that's why I got burned But in all that time there's one thing I learned And that is useless begging won't help me
instrumental
Izzat love what I feel when you're in my arms Make me die before I'd do you harm When you're lost I will lead you home If you're cold, you know I'll keep you warm Am I wrong? Or izzat love when I dream there is no one else In the end, who's your friend? Just myself Izzat love to forget my pride To conceal how it feels deep inside Am I wrong? Or izzat love? Izzat love to forgive all those things you've done If you go still you know I'm the one Only love, love alone can survive Deep inside I believe it's alive Am I wrong? Or izzat love?
It's like a normal Times Square day on 42nd Street I feel like trashing some windows and crunching some feet I watch society crumble and I just laugh (hee hee) They soon will see what it's like to be the other half But I'm trying Said I'm trying to forget And it ain't happened yet I musta woke up this morning with a bug up my ass I think I'll just haul off and belt the next jerk that I pass My old man says I'm just a stoned little punk But he keeps himself a pistol and he's always drunk I know Something's gonna give Pretty soon I know it Something's gonna give I wanna live I wanna mess thing whole world around Go on and poison all the water, use up all the air Blow your stupid heads off, see if I could care Put me down but don't blame me for what you did 'Cause inside everyone is a heavy metal kid I was a sweet little kid once Now I'm a full grown crank And when I die I'll probably come back as a Sherman tank I know that I could make this world so peaceful and calm If I could only get my hands on a hydrogen bomb
instrumental
Don't you ever listen? Don't you ever learn? The hand may find you It's time to take a turn You think this life is something strange You're ready for another change But don't you ever learn? Don't you ever listen? Don't you ever learn? The world is on fire Your body doesn't burn Kill yourself before receiving Something out of all this breathing Don't you ever learn?
Open your eyes and see The world I couldn't change for you Reach out your hand and take The world that will belong to you We were on our way to a better day And the spirit was in us all But as time went by we fell by the wayside Maybe you'll be the last to fall You are the only ones There is nobody left but you You are the chosen ones There is nobody else to choose Back when I was young, my hope was strong But the time blew it all to hell If I thought I knew what was good for you I would have gone and done it for myself Worlds of tomorrow Life without sorrow Take it because it's yours Sons of 1984 I can still see the great panorama of hate Being cleansed by our loving hands But the brothers broke stride, the sisters cried Now you have to start all over again
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