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Beija Flor’s “The American” (2007) Unsigned
LIFE OF A SALESMAN
S. VAN KAMPEN
I’M ALONE; YOU’RE ALONE, LETS BE
ALONE TOGETHER. I’VE MADE MISTAKES;
I'VE DONE THINGS WRONG, BUT YOU
WERE NEVER A MISTAKE, THOUGH I DID
YOU WRONG.
WHEN I LEFT YOU IN THE EARLY HOURS
WITH MY TEETH CLENCHED TIGHT, AND
OUR OPINIONS SOURED,
YOU’RE CRYING EYES, YOUR WIDE EYED
EYES, YOUR LOVELY EYES YOUR
REMINDING EYES, OF GOOD TIMES EYES,
YOUR CRYING EYES.
THESE CLOUDS CURL ROUND, THESE BC
PEAKS, THIS FOREIGN LANDSCAPE, THAT
ONLY MY EYES, CAN SEE. I THINK UP
THOUGHTS, I’D LOVE TO SHARE, BUT
YOUR NOT HERE, BECAUSE YOU’RE
THERE, YOU’RE THERE.
THOSE EYES.
I’M ALONE; YOU’RE ALONE, LETS BE
ALONE TOGETHER.
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WAY OF LIVING
S. VAN KAMPEN
BOY YOU GOT A WAY OF LIVING. I COULD
LEARN SOME THING’S FROM YOU. WHEN
IT COMES RIGHT DOWN TO LIVING. I
COULD LEARN SOME THINGS FROM YOU.
ROCK BACK AND FORTH ON THE PORCH
WITH MY DEAR BESIDE ME, GAZE AT THE
FIELD WITH A PIECE OF THE FIELD
PINCHED IN MY TEETH, SWAY WITH THE
BREEZE ON THE WHEAT AND THE TREES
THAT FEED ME. I MISS THE BITTERSWEET
MEMORIES OF STREETS AND BEEPS
BEHIND ME.
IT TOOK SO LONG FOR US TO HEAD WEST.
WEST OUT TO THE FEET OF ALL THE REST
OF OUR LIVES, OUR SIMPLE SHALLOW
LIVES. NOW ALL WE CAN DO IS FALL IN
LOVE WITH EACH OTHERS EYES.
WAKE AT 5 AM AND STROLL DOWN TO THE
BAKERY. TAKE THE HOTTEST LOAF FROM
THE GIRL FROM THE PENITENTIARY. SHE
TALKS ABOUT A SECOND CHANCE AND
THOUGHTS OF A NEW ROMANCE, I GET
HER. SHE WAS DOING TIME JUST LIKE I
AM DOING IN THE CITY.
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ORANGE LIGHT
S. VAN KAMPEN
ORANGE LIGHT, ORANGE CITY NIGHT. I’VE
CALLED ON YOU TO START A FIGHT. AND
YOU COME ON DOWN, WITH YOUR GUNS
AND YOUR BOMBS, BUT ALL I HAVE GOT
ARE MY WORDS.
SWEETHEART DON’T CRY, THE WORLDS
FULL OF LIARS.WE CAN’T MOVE DOWN,
SO LET’S MOVE ON HIGHER.
I HOPE THAT YOU MISUNDERSTAND ME
AND THAT YOU DON’T EXPLOIT MY MY
GOOD NATURE. CAUSE WHEN THINGS GO
WELL, WE’RE UNSTOPPABLE, AND THE
ORANGE LIGHT TURNS IN TO EUPHORIC
YELLOW.
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THE BIRDS
P. VAN KAMPEN
LISTEN TO THE CHORUS OF THE BIRDS
WHO MAKE THERE HOMES HERE. THE
TREES THAT HOUSE THE BIRDS BEND AND
SWAY, IN THE ENDLESS DAY.
ON THIS GRASS I FELL IN LOVE WITH YOU
WHEN I WASN'T SUPPOSED TO. ONE LONG
WALK THROUGH CEMETERY HILL IN THE
FREEZING COLD. THE COLD.
I WAS READY TO WAIT FOR A LIFETIME
FOR YOU TO COME TO. THAT SAD KIND
OF LOVE THAT WAS SO SAD IT HAD TO BE
TRUE.
ENDLESS TALKS OF PEOPLE FROM THE
PAST THAT WE GREW TIRED OF. HOW WE
USED TO MAKE THE EVENINGS LAST AND
LAST, AND LAST.
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SUNNY BOY
S. VAN KAMPEN
MARCH 8TH, 2003, YOU SAVED MY LIFE.
PURPLE HANDS, PURPLE FEET YELLOW
EYES.
I ASK THE DOCTOR, “WHERE’S HIS
BREATHING?” DOCTOR TURNS TO MEET
MY EYES, “HIS LUNGS ARE STILL INSIDE…”
AND THEN I START TO CRY.
TEN SHORT FINGERS, TEN SHORT TOES.
AN INSTINCT TO RUN OFF AND PLAY. HIS
MOTHER CALLS HIM OVER, “NO LLORES,
MI AMOR!”
YOU SAVED MY LIFE, YOU SAVED MY LIFE,
YOU SAVED MY LIFE, YOU SAVED MY LIFE.
YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN ME A YEAR
BEFORE. YOU SAVED MY LIFE, YOU SAVED
MY LIFE, YOU SAVED MY LIFE.
YOU LOVE EVERYTHING I LOVE MY
DARLING. DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST
SONG I SHOWED YOU? “BLACKBIRD
SINGING IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT”
“LET’S GO BUY SOME MONEY FROM THE
STORE” “NO I WANT SOMEPING ELSE”
“FIX IT WITH YOUR TOOLS DADDY!” “LETS
READ ABC.”
LETS ALL GO TO LONDON’S ZOO, YES I
HOPE YOU WILL COME TOO, YOU’RE AS
HANDSOME AS YOUR MOM IS PRETTY,
YOU’RE MY BEST FRIEND, BABY BUDDY.
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DEAR JON
S. VAN KAMPEN
I’VE TRIED SCREAMING, I’VE SCREAMED
SILENCE. I'VE FOUGHT FOR PEACE AND
I’VE SETTLED ON VIOLENCE.
IT’S TAKEN SO LONG TO FIND THE RIGHT
SONG AND NOW THAT ITS HERE,
TOMORROW IT’S GONE. SO CONSIDER
THIS MY FINAL ADDRESS, MY FINAL SWAN
SONG. TOMORROW IT’S ALL GONE…
WHAT’S IN TORONTO? WHO’S IN
MONTREAL? HOW IS IT IN VANCOUVER?
I WANT IT ALL.
I DON’T WANT TO TRY ANY MORE, MORE,
MORE, MORE AND MORE NO, I DON’T
WANT TO TRY ANYMORE.
THE SUN RISES UP IN THE EAST SKY FALLS
TO ITS PLACE WITH YOU.
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WHAT ITS LIKE
S. VAN KAMPEN
DON’T STAY MAD, JUST PLEASE STAY, I’LL
LOVE YOU EVERY SINGLE DAY. STAY.
I SWEAR NOW I CAN CHANGE. I’M
CHANGING EVERY SINGLE DAY. STAY.
THE RING ON YOUR RING FINGER FROM A
BOY ON A RAINY DAY. STAY. HE IS THE
SAME BOY DARLING. THAT BOYS JUST
SCARED OF EVERYDAY. STAY.
I’VE GOT A PHOTOGRAPH, A DETAILED
PHOTOGRAPH OF YOU, IN MY MIND, AND
WHAT IT’S LIKE, TO BE ALONE.
ALONE.
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WE GREW TOUGH
S. VAN KAMPEN
LIFE IS SHORT, TOO SHORT TO WASTE TO
SHORT TO WASTE TO SHORT TO WASTE.
A GIRL COULD MAKE THAT LIFE GLOW
BRIGHT, THAT LIFE GLOW BRIGHT THAT
LIFE GLOW BRIGHT.
WE GREW TOUGH WITH BARELY ENOUGH
BUT WE ALWAYS HAD OUR BROTHERS. WE
GREW TOUGH WITH BARELY ENOUGH BUT
WE ALWAYS HAD OUR SISTERS. WE GREW
TOUGH WE GREW TOUGH WITH BARELY
ENOUGH, BUT WE ALWAYS HAD OUR
MOTHERS.
WE COULD BE SO COMPLETE
THE YARD IS BORED THE YARD IS QUIET
THE YARD IS QUIET THE YARD IS QUIET.
WE COULD MAKE THAT YARD BREAK FREE,
THAT YARD BREAK FREE THAT YARD
BREAK FREE.
WE GREW TOUGH WITH BARELY ENOUGH
BUT WE ALWAYS HAD OUR BROTHERS. WE
GREW TOUGH WITH BARELY ENOUGH BUT
WE ALWAYS HAD OUR SISTERS. WE GREW
TOUGH WE GREW TOUGH WITH BARELY
ENOUGH, BUT WE ALWAYS HAD OUR
FATHERS.
WE COULD BE SO COMPLETE
I’VE GOT SO MUCH MORE LOVE TO GIVE,
I COULD SPREAD IT AROUND THE WORLD.
WE GREW TOUGH. WE GREW TOUGH. WE
GREW TOUGH. WE GREW TOUGH.
WE GREW TOUGH WITH BARELY ENOUGH
BUT WE ALWAYS HAD OUR BROTHERS. WE
GREW TOUGH WITH BARELY ENOUGH BUT
WE ALWAYS HAD OUR SISTERS.
WE GREW TOUGH. WE GREW TOUGH.
WE GREW TOUGH WITH BARELY ENOUGH,
BUT WE ALWAYS HAD EACH OTHER.
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FIREHOUSE
S. VAN KAMPEN
SHE STAYS, WHEN HELL ON EARTH SETS
IN FOR ME. THINGS CALM QUITE QUICK,
WHEN SHE DECIDES NOT TO LEAVE. WHY
ARE YOU SO EASY TO MISS, WHEN YOU’RE
GONE? WHY DO YOU ACT SO SWEET WHEN
I AM ALONE? WHY CAN’T YOU JUST DECIDE
TO STAY AND LIE WITH ME?
MY HOUSE IS A FIREHOUSE. THERE’S
ALWAYS SPARKS A-FLYING THESE SPARKS
ARE ALWAYS CHANGING, LOVE ANGER
HOPE CONFUSION.
WHEN YOU COME HOME LETS FALL IN
LOVE AGAIN. LET’S KISS ALL DAY AND
FORGET ABOUT RENT. LET’S STAY UP LATE
AND SING AND DANCE, SING AND DANCE,
AND DANCE AND SING.
DON’T GO
DON’T GO
YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL, BUT I WON’T HELP
YOU PACK. IT JUST SEEMS LIKE LOVE IN
ALL THE RIGHT PLACES. I WON’T LET YOU
GO. I WON’T HELP YOU PACK. IT JUST
SEEMS LIKE LOVE IN ALL THE RIGHT
PLACES.
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UNDER THE WAVE
P. VAN KAMPEN
DEVASTATION. SECRETS HAVE BEEN
WASHED AWAY. I CAN SEE THERE FACES
UNDER THE WAVE.
DEHYDRATED CHILDREN WITH NOWHERE
TO GO. GUNSHOTS SHATTER THE SILENCE
AFTER THE STORM.
HOW COULD WE ABANDON OUR OWN?
HAVE WE FORGOTTEN OUR POOR?
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POOR MAN, RICH CITY
S. VAN KAMPEN
POOR MAN, RICH CITY, STRONG BACK.
BAD TOWN, GOOD WOMAN, THROWN
DOWN HER TOWERS KISS THE CLOUDS
GOODBYE.
RE, REFLECT GODS SPLENDOR DOWN THE
SUN BOUNCES OFF THE MISER’S
WINDOWS TO CAST WARMTH DOWN, TO
THE GUTTER.
THE PEOPLE FROM THE EAST COAST SING
AND DANCE, ON THE SEMI ARID OILFIELDS,
“TONIGHT WE GO OUT! TONIGHT
WE GO DOWN TOWN!” THE PEOPLE FROM
THE WEST COAST SING AND DANCE, ON
THE SEMI ARID OIL FIELDS, “TONIGHT WE
LEAVE THIS HOLE IN THE WALL, THIS
HOUSE CAN BARELY HOLD US ALL,
TONIGHT WE’RE GOING TO SHOW THEM
ALL.”
WE THE PEOPLE LIVE ON THE EDGE OF
BARON FARMS AND TREELESS STREETS,
WE COMMUTE IN ON RICKETY BUSSES TO
CLEAN OUT THE TOILETS OF OIL HEAD
OFFICES. WE WANTED TO BUY, BUT
SETTLED ON RENT, TO ENSURE OUR
CHILDREN’S TUITIONS ARE SPENT WERE
HIP AND WERE CHIC CAUSE WE LEAN TO
THE LEFT, SO PAY NO ATTENTION, WE
WON’T SPEAK A BREATH.
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THE AMERICAN
S. VAN KAMPEN
NO ONE CAN LIKE AMERICAN, I KNOW.
DON’T LOSE HOPE MY SWEET MARY-ANNE,
I KNOW… I’M COMING HOME SOON, SOON
I HOPE. I’M COMING HOME SOON, SOON
I HOPE. SOON I KNOW!
THESE TWO HANDS KILLED FOUR HEADS
LAST NIGHT, ALONE. TWO HEADS YOUNG,
AND TWO HEADS OLD, MY OWN, TWO,
HANDS, MY OWN TWO HANDS, SCRUBBED
BLOOD FROM A CHILD. BLOOD FROM A
CHILD. SCRUBBED BLOOD FROM A CHILD.
BLOOD FROM A CHILD.
I CALLED HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME IN
YEARS, BUT THE PHONE JUST RANG, JUST
RANG CAUSE NOBODIES AROUND.
I CALLED HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME IN
YEARS, BUT THE PHONE JUST RANG, JUST
RANG CAUSE NOBODIES AROUND.
EVERYBODY HAS RODE INTO TOWN. RODE
INTO TOWN.
I CALLED HOME FOR THE FIRST IN YEARS.
THE PHONE RANG AND RANG, CAUSE
NOBODIES THERE. NO BODY CARES WHAT
I’M DOING, WHAT I’M SEEING, OR WHAT
IT’S LIKE TO TAKE A LIFE. LIKE A FEATHER
IN MY CAP, OR A NOTCH IN MY BELT.
NO ONE CAN LIKE AMERICAN, SO DON’T
LOSE HOPE MY SWEET MARY-ANNE.
Beija Flor: “The Quiet One and the Lonely One” 2005
The Quiet One
All my life i've tried I’ve tried my best,
To act best,
Best is just a mask.
Drill onto my temples with your,
Flesh, that won’t drill.
Penetrate barren lands.
You’ve got confidence,
Yes you do,
How about passing some down. X4
Numbers,
Don’t
Lie X2
Oh no, he’s done it again
One time two times without warning.
Slipped off, a false chart of birds it seems this owl has flown ya.
Oh no, Just look it again One time two times without warning
Slipped off, a false chart of birds, it seems this owl has flown ya,
Oh kid your doing great,
I too was once your age,
Oh kid you’ve defeated the odds.
“No sir, I'm odder than odd!”
All my life I've tried I’ve tried my best,
To act best,
Best is just a mask.
Drill onto my temples with your,
Flesh, that won’t drill.
Penetrate barren lands
You’ve got confidence,
Yes you do,
How about passing some down. X4
The Lonely One
Winter came while you were away.
I started riding again on the mild days,
While foxes observe and make strange remarks,
“What’s that click that clicks, cutting up the dark”
You should have seen, seen my sun.
Falling down for you to show,
On my way down to my son,
And all he knows is so far away,
Where did you go my love,
When the sun went away,
Hang on to my love,
Hang on to it for another day,
Whos that man who comes home every day at three,
When does he awake, is it when were all asleep.
And so I ride on home, and tears stream down my face.
I call you on the phone, wont you come rescue me?
It rings, rings rings rings, on the phone
Oh my lord, I cant sleep without you by my side,
So ill hide, hey hey hey, hey hey hey,
I can try to run and hide but I cant stay away,
.I said hey hey hey hey hey hey hey,
I can try to run and hide but I cant stay away I said hey.
Winter came while you were away.
I started riding again on the mild days,
While foxes observe and make strange remarks,
“What’s that click that clicks, cutting up the dark”
You should have seen, seen my sun.
Falling down for you to show,
On my way down to my son, son, son, son
And all he knows is so far away hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey
Northern Fights
My old man’s got ways
Showing me day to day
Though he’s not with me
Advice is always free
And now I finally know
What suffering is, how I’ve been spoiled
Giving up, all that I know
Take time, if you got it easy don’t cry,
Or you’ll break
Like I broke
Yes you’ll break
Like I broke.
Sun stay down, let me sleep
On frozen days and lonely streets X2
My old man’s got ways
Showing me day to day
Though he’s not with me
Him Himself He
This engine, sounds tired of slowing down,
Then speeding off squeeling tires
She needs some tender loving care to get her up and running
Rise up dear,
Deaths gone from hereX2
This woman, shes tired of slowing down
then speeding off she needs some
she needs some body who will make her smile
I don’t feel that’s my talent
Rise up dear,
Deaths gone from hereX2
I love my car,
She loves me too,
And though she knows,
I tell her still
This man dear, hes tired of slowing down, then speeding off lies
He needs some space to find whats going on with him himself he
Him himself he
Him himself he
Sophia
Speechless Sophia
I know you can hear that I understand
Your cries are sincere but
You don’t have to fear the world in your hands
You can rely on lessons in life
Through errors of mine
Faith like a child,
Don’t drown your smile
In tears that I cry
I’m looking for one breath of air
In puddles of mocking despair 2X
What was mine, I lost in time
Memories to which I am blind
On the breeze fly melodies
And I cry for the ghost by my side
This is home, stars made of chrome
Silver moon hangs her head low
Western winds tangled with chills
Push on by past ignorant hills
I’m looking for one breath of air
In puddles of mocking despair 2X
Sometimes I’ll walk through halls
Of the past
Search for reference to dreams
That I left
There’s the ice where I slid off the path
And the gravel where I rest my head
Sometimes I’ll walk through halls
Of the past
Search for reference to dreams
That I left
I’m looking for one breath of air
In puddles of mocking despair 2X
Miss May
In a small town in a strange place enveloped in mist,
On a tall hill in a small house there lives a seamstress,
Called May, sweet old May, at the end of days
Once she was married but lost him too young
Never she carried a daughter or son,
Oh May, Sweet old May at the end of her days
So one by one she claimed them here sons,
An army of children she stole from the town
Oh May don’t stray at the end of your days
Her children grew older and changed what they knew,
About families and brothers and what was all true
“Oh mother oh mother know how can it be,
that all of my brothers are different than me?”
So one by one, they marched into town,
but when they arrived found nobody around
see, the families had left their grief stricken town
and much like miss May, knew families they found
Oh May, at the end of your
Days, don’t stray X5
Operdomo
Operdomo, you said you’d always love me
Operdomo, and that there’s nothing above me
Operdomo, sometimes you drive me crazy
Operdomo, sometimes I think you hate me
When we try my dear,
To kill each other,
Don’t go thinking that means
Were not lovers
Stop it, drop it, make it go away
Seems like, again, were ready to break itX4
Operdomo, you said you’d always love me
Operdomo, and that there’s nothing above me
Operdomo, sometimes you drive me crazy
Operdomo, sometimes I think you hate me
When we try my dear,
To kill each other,
Don’t go thinking that means
Were not lovers
You got it, I can’t grasp it,
Got it Got it
You got it got it got it got it
You got it, I can’t grasp it,
Got it Got it
You got it got it got it got it
Take Care Carolina
Take short roads and explode,
I’ll watch you,
Take down countries and oceans
You know my name,
You’ve screamed it a thousand times,
Please don’t leave me behind,
Don’t let me disappear
Take black roads,
With yellow to guide you,
Don’t deviate,
Call me when you get there
You know my name,
You’ve screamed it a thousand times,
Please don’t leave me behind,
Don’t let me disappear
You’ve got so much,
Don’t give up, and give in
Dip your hands in every coast that you meet,
Float away from, from the lives of the dead ones
Don’t let me catch you old and gray regretting your days
And float, float down,
And show me what I’m missing,
Please show, me what I’m missing
Please show, float down
You’ve got so much; don’t give up and…..
Dip your hands in every coast that you meet.
Float away from the lives of the dead ones
Don’t let me catch you old and gray
Regretting your days, float down float down
Float down
Traffic
Empty parking lot
And were unsure whether or not
The static that hangs in the air are words
Were hearing or making up
The sun is an aging paper plate
Weighed by a dome of yellow paint
I am confusions patron saint
And album of photographs taken to late
In slow motion the traffic will shout
Bottled water in dirty hands
In slow motion the traffic will shout
Bottled water in dirty hands
Now you’re caught in a cloud
And a clockwork invisible sound
Colored flags in a battle
A race for truth
Were all losing and dropping out
The sun is an aging paper plate
Weighed by a dome of yellow paint
I am confusions patron saint
And album of photographs taken to late
In slow motion the traffic will shout
Bottled water in dirty hands
In slow motion the traffic will shout
Bottled water in dirty hands 2x
What can I say, you don’t understand
Were all actors, a game in your head
And our feet are all made of lead
It’s a dream you’ve got to forget
Clean
Hey, you’re a real go getter
Soul shaker, heartbreaker,
Look what life’s done with you oh oh yeah
yeah, oh yeah,
Get down in the dirt and smile
Yeah, oh yeah,
Choke on what you’re made of
You’re trash, the one who makes my city suck,
My tax. Oh oh yeah
yeah, oh yeah,
Get down in the dirt and smile
Yeah, oh yeah,
Choke on what you’re made of
You’ve got nothing
To shake a stick at
You’re scalping your tickets to hell
Take it, this shotgun and get out of my town,
Cause know one will miss you, my money won’t feed you,
In case, you never come out clean
You’ve got nothing to shake a stick at now, in case you don’t come out clean
So get off the phone, get off the phone, get off the phone, get off the phone, now, in case you don’t come out clean.
Clean clean clean clean
You’ve got nothing to shake a stick at now, in case you don’t come out clean
So get off the phone, get off the phone, get off the phone, get off the phone, now, in case you don’t come out clean.
Clean clean clean clean
You’ve got nothing to shake stick at today
All I’ve ever know, and all it takes to…….
Honey Boy
Its hard to drive,
When tears cloud your eyes,
And its hard to puch,
When you pull me in.
It hard to be tough,
When we brush cheeks,
Mine so bristly and your so sweet
Its hard to scream at your
big brown eyes
When you run from me,
don’t you run from me.
When I become, what I despise
I hate myself today, I hate myself today
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