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 until 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) all 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
Was through

Flower Tattoo:

Do you wanna go
For a walk?
You can hold my hand
We can laugh and talk
You can lead the way
Which way you wanna go?
Tell me all the things
I really wanna know
Hair is gold and her eyes are blue
I'm in love with the girl with the flower tattoo
With a t-shirt, sneakers
Some faded blue jeans
A pocket in the back
Ripped from the seams
She really doesn't care
What they hear and see
What they think about her
What they think about me
Hair is gold and her eyes are blue
I'm in love with the girl with the flower tattoo
And if I wrote the perfect song
You know I'd name it after you
Hair is gold and her eyes are blue
I'm in love with the girl with the flower tattoo

Punk As Fuck:

Look out for your chances
To try to get away
When voices scream inside your head
Just turn your amp up all the way
'Cause all the lights are black lights
Except when they turn gray
I flicked the switch
I made my choice
I'm gonna change it all today
'Cause I know that I can take them on
'Cause I know that I can take them on
Want to find a way out
Just get me out of here
We're up another rung now
Well this is my wonder year
Burning up inside
In my body and my mind
Well after all this work I've decided this is my time
'Cause I know that I can take them on
'Cause I know that I can take them on
And I'm not sorry that it's done
And I'm not sorry that I won
Because I've cried my last tear
Because this is my freaking year
Look out for your chances
To try to get away
When voices scream inside your head
Just turn your amp up all the way
'Cause all the lights are black lights
Except when they turn gray
I flicked the switch
I made my choice
I'm gonna change it all today
I know that I can take them on

Burning Heart:



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 - hates his job
Used to know why - now it's just because
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
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
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

Right Or Wrong:

Under the sky
You see me walk alone
You wonder why
I honestly don't know
Decisions to be made
I see the path
Is it the way?
You're right or wrong
Which will it be?
You're right or wrong
How can I see?
You're right or wrong
How can I know?
You're right or wrong
Which way to go?
Awake at night
Thinking of all the things
I have to do
And things I should have done
Decisions to be made
I see the path
Is it the way?
You're right or wrong
How can I see?
You're right or wrong
Which will it be?
You're right or wrong
How can I know
You're right or wrong
Which way to go?
I know the answer's out there
If I keep looking, will I find it?
The answer's in the night
If I find it, what then?
What then?
You're right or wrong
How can I see?
You're right or wrong
Which will it be?
You're right or wrong
How can I know
You're right or wrong
Which way to go?
You're right or wrong
You're right or wrong
You're right or wrong

No Equalizer:

You want a perfect prefab world
Where the boy always gets the girl
But the world's not really like that
Where knights in armor slay the beast
And every peasant gets a feast
But I don't want a world that's like that
'Cause if the beast has a heart
And the peasant has none
Your equalizer's come undone
Now what's left to do
When every wish always comes true?
And what's great to me won't seem so great to you
There'd be no saints if every heart was overflowing
There'd be nothing to learn if everyone was all-knowing
Well it's a worthy crusade
But I won't cheer the parade
Of the equalizer
'Cause one hundred smiles
Make a frown mean more
There's no equalizer
Off the lines in factory
Cookie cutter mentality
Well the world's already like that
And I'm sorry if you don't agree but that's the point
It takes a bit of piss to put the spice in victory
Well it's a worthy crusade
But I won't join the parade
Of the equalizer
'Cause one hundred smiles
Make a frown mean more
There's no equalizer
You want a perfect prefab world
Where the boy always gets the girl
Well I don't want a world that's like that
And I'm sorry if you don't agree but that's the point
It takes a bit of piss to put the spice in victory
Well it's a worthy crusade
But I won't join the parade
Of the equalizer
'Cause one hundred smiles
Make a frown mean more
There's a hundred reasons why I hate a uniform

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
Well they all look so good
Just like my t.v. 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
And i'm looking for a different kind of girl...
Well they all look so good
Just like my t.v. said they should
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 want a different kind of girl!

Gruesome Gary:

I remember when we walked as one
And all the truths were known
And we were scrappers in the school yard fights
Talked tough 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
Now Gary was the school yard 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 someday
And 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!


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
Cause I want to be
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 I won't go down
I'm looking for some common ground
Or at least a rock so I won't drown
And if I could I'd be the one
Cause I want to be
Yeah I want to be
Yeah I want to be like superman
But its all in my mind
Can you dig it?
Who's gonna be the one to take
All the assholes us humans make?
I'm not gonna be the one to save you
When you don't even give a fuck
Wish I could be like superman
But all you can do is try to fly

Last Brigade:

Don't want to overthrow the day
There's got to be a better way
Don't want to hurt nobody
I just want to get away
Just want to close my eyes now
Wish the world would go away
This is the last brigade
The world looked into our eyes
And gave us promises and lies
They said we had the future
Look at what that means today
They said we were the future
So long as we played it their way
This is the last brigade
So we're gonna overthrow the day
But there's got to be another way
Now you don't like the system
But what's the system anyway
I don't want to march to any drums
I just want to find my own way
And I'm through with all the hate
This is the last brigade

Best Friends (The Outlets cover):

Wake up in time to get your call
Make sure this time we got it all
My best friend's always near me
She's been looking out for me
I need her and it's clear to see
My best friend's always near me
Enjoy the longest life we should be
With only her my life it could be
My friend knows why
When I've lost track
We'll never cry
We'll always laugh
For a stop and go
And I knew we would
My friend is always by my side
And it's so nice to be near her
Or just to call to hear her
These days are looking awfully good
We made it and I knew we would
My best friend's always near me
She's been looking after me
I need her and it's clear to see
My best friend's always near me
Enjoy the longest life we should be
(Like it should be)
With only her my life it could be
My friend knows why
When I've lost track
We'll never cry
We'll always laugh
For a stop and go
And I knew we would
Cause my friend is always by my side
And it's so nice to be near her
Or just to call to hear her
(Let's go!)
Hold on to me, hold on to me
Hold on to me, hold on to me
Hold on to me, hold on to me
Hold on to me
Hold on to me, hold on to me
Hold on to me, hold on to me
Hold on to me, hold on to me
Hold on

Hit Or Miss:

So you want to
Become a hero
Stop the world
Become a hero
We just can't find one anywhere
We can't find one anywhere
So you're thinking
You're a victim
Stop the world
Become a victim
Well, you can find one anywhere
You can find one everywhere
Life's just a hit or miss
Well all the time, just a hit or miss
Well sometimes you take a swing and miss
We take a swing and a miss
Well sometimes, we take a swing and hit!
Now you're thinking
About the future
Can you tell me
Where is the future
You just can't see one anywhere
You can't see it anywhere
Well we need to
Find us a hero
Can you tell me
Where are the heroes
Hey!
Who can clean up everywhere
Hey G.I. Joe, where are you now?
Life's just a hit or miss
Well all the time, just a hit or miss
Sometimes you take a swing and miss
We take a swing and a miss
Well sometimes, we take a swing and hit!
Well if I could count the times
That I looked up to the sky
And asked someone to save me
To save me
I really gotta know!
Life's just a hit or miss
Well all the time, just a hit or miss
Well sometimes you take a swing and miss
We take a swing and a miss
Well sometimes...
We take a swing and hit, yeah!

Bright Green Globe:

Aaah...
Aaah...
Hey!
Well the kids are burning
Now they got nowhere to go
In a spinning world of people
Ah, such a bright green globe
Where all the wise men have something wise to say
Well it's a fishbowl world of troubles
So wade in today
(Woah)
Nobody knows at all
(Woah)
Nobody knows at all
(Woah)
And I think I've tried it all
Except the things I won't try
Except the things I won't try
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah!
Staring at a sitcom
Now your braincells melt away
Walk into a bookstore and see
See Rush Limbaugh's face
And maybe I'm stupid
I believe in heaven too
But who's paying the full ticket prices?
It sure as fuck ain't you
(Woah)
Nobody knows at all
(Woah)
Nobody knows at all
(Woah)
And I think I've tried it all
Except the things I won't try
Except the things I won't try
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah!
(There's a road map in my head)
(There's a highway in my mind)
(There's a road map in my head)
(There's a highway in my mind)
But do you have a road map
That everyone can follow?
Aaah...
Aaah...
Nobody knows it all

Goodnight Song:

Look at you sleeping there
I couldn't love anyone
Or anything more
You truly are my
Angel from heaven, so
Thanks, God
Wish I could tell you how
Much I love you
A thousand times a day
But I hope
That you can see it
In my eyes
Every moment that we're awake
And every minute that I dream
I dream of you
God that sounds like such a used line
But fuck it
It's true
Now most of my words are social
The human condition that we all share
And I'm not very good with love songs
But I just saw you sleeping there
And I didn't want to wake you up
But I feel us so strongly right now
I love you
Et cetera
Je t'aime aussi
Et cetera
Et cetera
Et cetera
Et cetera
Et cetera
Thank you for being so great
And thanks for being my friend
I know it's the
Same for you for me
When you wake up
Let's make out
Let's make out
Let's make out

1944:

Somewhere, a pen is busy with hate tonight
Jaded eyes and cynics
Bring me down
Somewhere, a kid is playing his heart out tonight
But he'll get nowhere
With the Berkeley in-crowd
Well put-downs are so easy (Put-downs, put-downs)
(Put-downs, put-downs)
Like a novel without a soul (Put-downs, put-downs)
(Put-downs, put-downs)
And every executioner wears a hood
When it's time for heads to roll
Well they're just like new dictators
Trying to tell us what to love
Well their opinions, they can take and shove
Somewhere, young rebels will meet up tonight
Somewhere, skateboarders and straight-edgers will unite
They don't need no magazine that's filled with hate and lies
Get enough from the world around them
They're young but they are wise
But negativity's easy (Put-downs, put-downs)
(Put-downs, put-downs)
You just fire and walk away (Put-downs, put-downs)
(Put-downs, put-downs)
And it's the armchair generals who
Who live to fight another day
Well they're just like new dictators
Trying to tell us what to love
Well their opinions, they can take and shove
Well if this was 1944, they'd be pointing their guns at you
Cause every fascist, left or right, has a fucked-up set of rules
But do they really think the kids are such fools?
Or do they even care?
Somewhere
Somewhere
Somewhere (somewhere)
Somewhere, somewhere
Somewhere, it's somewhere

500 Miles (The Proclaimers cover):

When I wake up
Yeah, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who wakes up next to you
When I go out
Yeah, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who goes along with you
And if I get drunk
Yes, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who gets drunk next to you
And if I haver
Whatever that means
I'm gonna be the man who's havering to you
But I would walk 500 miles
And I would walk 500 more
To be the man who walked a thousand miles
To fall down at your door
When I'm working
Yeah, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who's working hard for you
And when the money
Comes in for the work I do
I'll pass almost every penny on to you
When I come home
Yeah, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who comes back home to you
And if I grow old
Well, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who's growing old with you
And I would walk 500 miles
And I would walk 500 more
To be the man who walked a thousand miles
To fall down at your door
Surrender
Surrender
When I'm lonely
Yes, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man
Who's lonely without you
When I'm dreaming
Yes, I know I'm gonna dream
I gonna dream about the time when I'm with you
And if I get drunk
Yeah, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man that gets drunk next to you
And if I haver
Whatever the fuck that means
I'm gonna be the man who havers next you
And I would walk 500 miles
And I would walk 500 more
To be the man who walked a thousand miles
To fall down at your door
And I would walk 500 miles
And I would walk 500 more
To be the man who walked a thousand miles
To fall down at your door
Surrender
Surrender
When I'm lonely
Yes, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man
Who's lonely without you
When I'm dreaming
Yes, I know I'm gonna dream
I gonna dream about the time when I'm with you
And if I get drunk
Yeah, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man that gets drunk next to you
And if I haver
Whatever the fuck that means
I'm gonna be the man who havers next you
And I would walk 500 miles
And I would walk 500 more
To be the man who walked a thousand miles
To fall down at your door
Surrender
Surrender
When I'm lonely
Yes, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who's lonely without you
I'm gonna be the man who's coming home...
'Cause I would walk 500 miles
And I would walk 500 more
To be the man who walked a thousand miles
To fall down at your door
Surrender
Surrender
Surrender

Radio Ragga:

Oh Rodney won't you play this song tonight?
O 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
Now let the truth be told
The only salvation for us tonight is to turn on the radio
Tonight
Oh Rodney won't you play this song tonight?
O 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 hero still came through

In A Big Country (Big Country cover):

Come up screaming, come up screaming
I've never seen you look like this without a reason
Another promise fallen through, another season passes by you
I never took the smile away from anybody's face
And that's a desperate way to look for someone who is still a child
In a big country, dreams stay with you
Like a lover's voice fires the mountainside
Stay alive
I thought that pain and truth were things that really mattered
But you can't stay here with every single hope you had shattered
I'm not expecting to grow flowers in a desert
But I can live and breathe and see the sun in wintertime
In a big country, dreams stay with you
Like a lover's voice fires the mountainside
Stay alive, stay alive
So take that look out of here, it doesn't fit you
Because it's happened doesn't mean you've been discarded
Pull up your head off the floor, come up screaming
Cry out for everything you ever might have wanted
I thought that pain and truth were things that really mattered
But you can't stay here with every single hope you had shattered
I'm not expecting to grow flowers in a desert
But I can live and breathe and see the sun in wintertime
In a big country, dreams stay with you
Like a lover's voice fires the mountainside
Stay alive, stay alive, stay alive
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