Down By Law


Independence Day:

Well the kids hit the stands and the shit hit the fan
Too much security but not enough maturity
The band took the stage
The kids were in a rage
All the goons were terrified - they knew they were gonna pay
Every young heart in the house that night
Beat a million beats
Clenched fists and a little fright
No one knew who threw the first
But after that it just got worse
We said all we had to say
We did what we had to do
We meant every word we said
You can't stop a riot til its through
They tried to stop the show
We wouldn't go away
For once every voice screamed together for a day
Don't worry about me, mom and dad
Cause i'll be o.k.
What could I do but join the fight and pray?
We said what we had to say
We did what we had to do
We meant every word we said
Broken bottles, broken bones, and the night was through

Cheap Thrill:

I didn't think that there was something wrong again
Now it looks like it's that time again
It's all a puzzle where one piece never fits
It's all a game that I just can't win
Everything was fine until you changed your mind
Now it looks like it's that time again
The door is open and I see your back again
You've had your fun and now you're gone
I always thought that what we had was true
Now that you broke my heart guess I was wrong
Well it's looking like it's that time again
Now it looks like it's that time again
Everything was fine until you changed your mind
Now it looks like it's that time again
All the others I understood
Summer romances I knew would end
But this time I thought it would last
Without a warning it's become the past
When am I going to get the last laugh?
I didn't think that there was something wrong again
Now it looks like it's that time again
It's all a puzzle where one piece never fits
It's all a game that I just can't win
Guess it was all a cheap thrill

All American:

Combat boots and a scratched up record
Signed by the hero of long ago
A pair of Vans and some torn up blue jeans
This is his world, that's what he knows
He's gonna find a girl who thinks like he does
Gonna grow older but never old
Heard his first punk song when he was 16
Minor threat I think it was
24 now, he hates his job
Used to know why, now it's just because
He's gonna find a girl who thinks like he does
Gonna grow older but never old
He's following a different drum
For him these are the years of gold
Skates a lot, he likes the older wheels
Big and green with independent trucks
Had a girlfriend, they broke up last week
She said his friends were useless fucks
In high school the teachers thought he was stupid
But he got A's when he wanted to in class
He's watching out for the football jocks
So far they haven't kicked his ass
He's gonna find a girl who thinks like he does
Gonna grow older but never old
He's following a different drum
For him these are the years of gold

Hell Song:

All around the world i've seen the right wing on the streets
Boots and braces or three-piece suits; it's all the same to me
Fists and fury sound street frustration
In every nation commerce calls the tune
Take a left turn for inspiration; there's just a few more smiles
But all you see is blue suits and red ties on both sides of the aisle
The left said things were gonna change now
Things were gonna be so much better
Hah
And like the leaves from an autumn sky
The promises keep falling
Every young man needs a reason
To fight for glory, not for treason
Don't think you missed your calling
Can you hear it? 
Well they all sound the same
And then they say you're gonna fall in line and march in time with me
Hah
Who's gonna lead now?
Well in so many minds, black and white words read red white and blue
Top gun dreams in stars and stripes, where promises come true
But what you see is what you get
And what I see is more of the same
And like the leaves from an autumn sky
The promises keep falling
Every young man needs a reason
To fight for glory, not for treason
Don't think you missed your calling
Can you hear it? 
Well they all sound the same
And then they say you're gonna fall in line and march in time with me

True Believers:

You're looking at kids saying its all junk
Looking at me just another punk
But we're not gonna take it from you no more
You say its all stupid, wasting our time
Never saw the reason, never heard the rhyme
Well we're not gonna take it from you no more
No, we're not gonna take it from you no more
And you could not believe
All the things we told you
You went out and fell for
All the lies they sold you
65 punks on the street tonight
Moods pretty heavy
There's gonna be a fight
Cause they're not gonna take it
No, not no more
Policeman come and chase us away
But we'll be back with more to say
Cause we're not gonna take it from them anymore
No, we're not gonna take it from them no more
And you could not believe
All the things we told you
You could not believe how fast they sold you
Waking up feeling like shit
I don't mind no not one bit
Coz i'm not gonna take it from you anymore
And you would not believe
All the things we told you
You went out and fell for all the lies they sold you
True believers stand true today
They don't give a damn what the people say
Cause they're no gonna take it
No, not no more

Counting Crows Must Die:

Counting Crows must die
Counting Crows must die
Counting Crows must die
Like to punch them in the eye
All that crap I hate so much
Everything about them sucks
Boring hippy rip-off shit that sucked in the first place
Counting Crows must die
Counting Crows must die
Counting Crows must die

Giving It All Away:

Now you see it, see it everywhere
All around the world they're giving it all away
So many faces slaving for someone
If you hate your job then you're giving it all up
And television feeds an empty mind
40 channels but what have we got?
Seeing adventures can be so unkind
When it seems like you never took your shot
Well you were gonna write your own ticket
You were gonna write your own ticket
A&R man says he'll make us rich
Promises of giving so much away
Well promises are easy to find
Like selling umbrellas on a rainy day
But what's a value here or there my friend?
Values won't keep you warm in the end
Your independence is all very nice
But bed and breakfast always comes with a price
Yeah, you were gonna write your own ticket
you were gonna write your own ticket
Those tickets aren't so easy to come by
Tickets aren't so easy to come by
Tickets aren't so easy to come by
Listen, you've got it all
You've got it all
You're givin' it all away
See that man? He's working hard for it
Hates it, lonely, giving it all away
Got a bright new car and he's staying late for it
Cause if he don't they'll take it all away
See that girl? You'd do anything for her
She's all get, no give, and still you stay
See that girl? You'd do anything for her
She's all get, no give, and still you stay
What's a value here or there my friend?
Values won't keep you warm in the end
Your independence is all very nice
But bed and breakfast always comes with a price
Yeah, you were gonna write your own ticket
you were gonna write your own ticket


Gruesome Gary:

I remember when we walked as one
And all the truths were known
And we were scrappers in the schoolyard fights
Talked tougher on the telephone
But there was always one big guy who feared nothing and no one
His name was Gary and he looked so mean
He wasn't a lot of fun
When he walked by, you got the fuck out of the way
Gary was
Was the top cat in his day
Everybody said that he'd get his someday
Now Gary was the schoolyard bully
Didn't have a lot of friends
He had kids do his homework for him
Stupid til the end
On graduation day he stood the tallest, and he got his degree
He couldn't add two plus two
Let loose on society
When he walked by, you got the fuck out of the way
Gary was
Was the top cat in his day
Everybody said that he'd get his one day
Well, I swear to this day that I still see his face
When I have a bad dream at night he's the monster to my right
Now gruesome Gary met his match at a young and tender age
He got a whipping at the mall one night, and the police took him away
The town cheered and the geeks all jeered, but i'll just make a bet
Gary will live on in infamy, he was the meanest guy you ever met
When he walked by, you got the fuck out of the way
Gary was
Was the top cat in his day
Everybody said that he'd get his one day

Radio Ragga:

Oh, Rodney, won't you play this song tonight?
Oh, radio, can you save my soul tonight?
Cause we saw you standing there
Please don't deny it
Waiting for the show to start
I left feeling low
Did you feel the same way I did?
Alone with a broken heart
So, radio radio, get us through the night
When pop heroes go down without a fight
500 parkas were in the house tonight
Looking good and feeling right
Cigarettes were burning bright
That dance hall it was out of sight
Time to set this place alight
But let's be honest now
Yeah, let the truth be told
The only salvation for us tonight is to turn on the radio
So, Rodney, we need you tonight
Oh, Rodney, won't you play this song tonight?
Oh, radio, can you save our ship tonight?
And now I guess the night is done
There's nothing's left open and no place for fun
So we turn on the radio
Light a fuse cause i'm about to blow
The streets are empty
My heart is heavy
So slowly I will go
By the neon lights of the city glow
500 parkas were in the house tonight
Looking good and feeling right
Cigarettes were burning bright
That dance hall it was out of sight
Time to set this place alight
But let's be honest now
Well, let the truth be told
The one last chance for us tonight
Is to turn on the radio
Oh, Rodney
Just pick one out for me
Make it loud and hard and fast
Play the songs that we love
Cause the modern world just kicked our ass
Just pick one out for us
Make it loud and fast and true
Play the songs that we love
When the heroes still came through
Rodney, Rodney
Don't touch that dial

Attention: Anyone:

Please bother me
I got time
I can't believe that the way things about me
I want to be your boyfriend, anyone

Superman:

I'm gonna knock down every wall (I find)
Gonna spit out bullets
Gonna be a hero (the super kind)
Can you dig it?
Cause someone needs to clean things up
Before things get much worse
And if I could i'd be the one
If i could be the one
Yeah I want to be
Yeah I want to be like Superman
But I can't seem to fly
Now life can be a drag sometimes
No matter how hard you smile
People pushing drugs, they're looting and killing
Those are roads that I won't go down
I'm looking for some common ground
Or at least a rock so I won't drown
I'm gonna be the one
I'm gonna be the one
Well, I want to be
Yeah, I want to be like Superman
But its all in my mind
I want to be
Yeah, I want to be
Well, I want to be like Superman
But i can't seem to fly
Can you dig it?
Who's gonna be the one to take
All the assholes us humans make?
Like Superman, like Superman
Cause someone needs to clean things up
Before things get much worse
If I could i'd be the one
Cause I want to be
Yeah, I want to be 
Well, I want to be like Superman
But it's all in my mind
I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be Superman
Can you dig it?
I'm not gonna be the one to save you
When you don't even give a fuck
Like Superman, like Superman
But all you can do is try to fly

Post Office Lament:

Waking so damn early well
This jobs become a living hell
More letters than the eye can see
I fell this pressure inside of me
Got my bullets, got my gun, I got my rifle
Got my bullets, got my gun, I got my rifle
Supervisor stares me down
But he'll be begging when I come around
All the coworkers that I hate
They're gonna suffer the same damned fate
Got my bullets, got my gun, I got my rifle
Got my bullets, got my gun, I got my rifle
Everyone thinks that i'm the quiet guy
Boy are they in for a big surprise
And if we all go down in a hail of lead
Well, this job sucks we're better off dead
Got my bullets, got my gun, I got my rifle

Ivory Girl:

See the girls in the summer sun
They all look so good
Long blonde hair and golden tans
Just like the other boys said they should
But i'm looking for a different kind of girl
(gotta go, gotta find that girl)
Yeah i'm looking for the coolest looking girl in the world
(gotta go, gotta find that girl)
Well they all look so good
Just like my TV said they would
But i'd trade them all for the ivory girl
Her skin is soft and white as snow
Not an ounce of tan
Green eyes and a mod haircut
She even likes The Jam
But i'm looking for a different kind of girl
(gotta go, gotta find that girl)
Yeah i'm looking for the coolest looking girl in the world
(gotta go, gotta find that girl)
Well they all look so good
Just like my TV said they would
But i'd trade them all for the ivory girl
I don't have to be a musclebound fool to show her i'm the fool for her
She doesn't mind when I get another tattoo she just asks me if it hurt
She likes modern art but she's not a snob
She's just smart and hip and that is cool
She dresses like a girl and not like Madonna
That's the kind that makes me drool
She doesn't look like Cindy Crawford
She doesn't have a modeling deal
But i'd take this girl in a heartbeat
She's beautiful and she's fucking real
Cause i'm looking for a different kind of girl
(gotta go, gotta find that girl)
Yeah i'm looking for the coolest looking girl in the world
(gotta go, gotta find that girl)
Well they all look so good
Just like my TV said they should
But i'd trade them all for the ivory girl
They all look so good
Just like my TV said they would
I'd trade them all for...

No Has Beens:

Sitting in my room
Come to take me away
Me worry?
What problems?
I've seen them come
And i've seen them go
And I feel happy when I don't know
I'm so glad
I'm seeing you
And I know that you will see it through
Cause you love your music
And I do, too
20 years
And you're not the same
They've all lost their faith
But I believe in change 
I'm so glad
I'm seeing you
And I know that you will see it through
Cause you love your music
And I do, too
But maybe it's silly
Here's a thank you song from me to you
And i'll keep listening
As long as you stay true
So here's a thank you song to you

Kevin's Song:

Mohammad is a little boy
Growing up in a violent world
Heard the guns when he was five
And above the smoke he saw the flag of Israel unfurled
So what is he to think
And what is he to do?
Who set the drumbeat that he's marching to?
Now Kevin he was just a lad
His brother left never to return
They said he joined the I.R.A.
And then they shot him down
Now Kevin burns
So what is he to think?
And what is he to do?
Who set the drumbeat that Kevin's marching to?
Cause gunfire means funeral pyres
And then little boys pick up guns
Battles rage for blood and country
Which they always will
Until they're home
Until they're home
Well, I am just an American boy
I only know what I see or read
I see boys dying for a home
They're dying for a chance to breathe like you and me
So what are we to think?
And what are we to do?
Who set the drumbeat that they're marching to?
Grab a gun, toy soldiers, no home to call your own

True Music:

Well ouch! Last night I was bitten by the bug of success
They said your record's doing great, maybe it can even do better yet
So we made a video, but I must admit it wasn't me
Smiles and lies from the suits and ties that light the big blue screen
Well, I must admit for just one day
I let all that bullshit get in the way
But I won't do it again
I just want to play true music
Well the reviews have been great, and I thank all the scribes so sincerely
From the smallest to the biggest fanzines I love you dearly
And college radio I support you with all my might
Don't tell me what they say in Spin cause size don't make it right
And I must admit for just one day
I must admit for just one day
I let all the bullshit get in the way
But i won't do it again
I just want to play true music
True music, true music, true music
So don't call me about it on the phone
Don't ask me when we're going gold
I'm trying not to think about being bought and sold
Well some sell millions, some sell nothing at all
And i've done well, had success and stayed true through it all
But I never did want to own my own limousine
If music had a color, for me it wouldn't be green
Well I must admit for just one day
I must admit for just one day
I let all that bullshit get in the way
But it won't happen again
I just want to play true music
True music, true music, true music

Far and Away:

Well, I wish every day was a Friday night
With a long weekend straight ahead
And we all lived in shining castles
And there was no such word as dead
I'm far and away
But reality's harsh, and we're all going to die
No one's come back lately to tell us otherwise
So grin and bear it and enjoy what you can
Cause too many castles are built out of sand
No, More
I'm far and away
You try to sound a retreat
You can't sound a retreat
You spend so many nights wishing on a star
Til a cold wind reminds you that you're just right where you are
You try to avoid it, focus on what's real
But when the dollar is king, it's hard not to kneel
I'm far and away
And we all live life wanting more and more
Everyone's a player and everyone keeps score
And television with one-way vision
Shows you all the things that you haven't got
No, More
I'm far and away
You try to sound a retreat
You can't sound the retreat
Who's gonna sound a retreat
When it's out in the street?
It's all around you
It's everywhere you go
There's never enough to go around, anyway

Punks and Drunks:

Some came from the east
Some came from the west
But was the right time for these four
To be one of the best
Gonna gonna find a guitar man
Gonna gonna be a rock and roll band
No way out when its in your blood tonight
No way, no way
We knocked down a hundred doors
We'll knock down a hundred more
Never doubted what we shouted
Now we've evened the score
Now you're looking around this town
Looking to get out
But now i'm in for good
Guitar chords are ringing out
Yeah, they're in this thing for good
There's no way, no way, no way, out
No way, no way, no way, out
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