Most of these are songs that are/have been performed by Uncle Bonsai, Electric Bonsai Band, and/or Mel Cooleys, but, for some reason, haven't made it to compact disc or cassette. A couple, however, can be found on current releases; some might never be recorded; some were released on "Apology" and/or "Primal Urges," but I didn't feel like rewriting the links. Enjoy!

All The Real Cowboys Are Gone
Mel Cooleys

All the real cowboys are gone
Even the ones on TV
Rode through the sunset
And out of the backlot
With studio shoes on their feet
 
Trade in the saddle-sores, turn in the gun
And fade like the paint of the sun
All the real cowboys are dirty and done
All the real cowboys are gone


Anne Can Keep A Fish Alive
Uncle Bonsai
Unreleased

Anne can keep a fish alive

Anne can keep a fish alive

Anne can keep a fish alive

I don't know how she does it

She also keeps her friends around

Also keeps her friends around

Also keeps her friends around

I don't know how she does it

 

Her house is always clean and bright

House is always clean and bright

Her house is always clean and bright

I don't know how she does it

 

She really seems to love her kids

Really seems to love her kids

Really seems to love her kids

I don't know how she does it

 

Anne knows when she's had enough

Anne knows when she's had enough

Anne knows when she's had enough

I don't know how she does it

 

She likes her job the way it is

Likes her job the way it is

Likes her job the way it is

I don't know how she does it

 

She gets along with family

She gets along with family

She gets along with family

I don't know how she does it

 

I don't know how

I don't know how

I don't know how

I don't know how

 

Anne can keep a fish alive

Also keeps her friends around

Her house is always clean and bright

Really seems to love her kids

Anne knows when she's had enough

Likes her job the way it is

She gets along with family

I don't know how she does it

Another Pretty Girl With A Guitar 
Mel Cooleys

Look what's heading up the charts
This is how the whole things starts
Half the power, twice the parts
This must be the queen of hearts
Someone saw her in a bar
That's where all the good ones are
Another pretty girl with a guitar
 
Stand around just looking bored
Grab another big award
Nothing ever untoward
Fighting with a plastic sword
Here's another shooting star
This one's sure to make it far
Another pretty girl with a guitar
 
Look at how the bigwigs fight
Grab the bait and take a bite
Same discussion every night
How'd she get her skin so white
 
Height of fashion, black on black
All emotions off the rack
With everything that she might lack
She'll need someone to watch her back
Never mind the repertoire
Fish eggs still are caviar
Another pretty girl with a guitar
 
Sing a note with lots of air
Fix 'em with a vacant stare
Hide behind a mess of hair
That's a look that's really rare
Get that man a new cigar
Buy another fancy car
Another pretty girl with a guitar


Buddha Boy
Electric Bonsai Band
from "Primal Urges"

Buddha had to make a decision
Was it just a question of faith
Everyone with vision could see, he had a lot on his plate
 
So Buddha, in his awkward position
Knew he couldn't leave it to fate
'Cause it's easier to start a religion than to lose all that weight


The Diaper Song
Electric Bonsai Band
from "Primal Urges"

There's a diaper in the sink
There's a diaper on the chair
There's a diaper in the freezer
We are never unprepared
Every corner, ever closet
Every cupboard in the place
Has a diaper waiting just in case

There's a diaper on the TV
There's a diaper underneathe
There's a diaper in my briefcase
Stuck between the briefs
There are diapers down the hallway
For as far as eyes can see
But Emma likes to pee on me
She will hold it in for hours
For the opportunity
Emma likes to pee on me


Dog at the Gates of Hell
Electric Bonsai Band
from "Primal Urges"

Didn't I get you everything you asked for
Didn't I always answer to your call
Didn't I take your side
In every single fight
Wasn't that my duty after all

Didn't I always greet you with a smile
Didn't I try my best when you were blue
Didn't I always come
When you were on the run
Even though I'd lost a step or two

Is this the way you treat your loved ones
Is this the moment when you go too far
Some people say you shouldn't treat a dog this way
Yet here we are

Didn't I mark the path when we were walking
Didn't I always chase those squirrels away
Didn't I sit and wait
When you were working late
Didn't I usually hold it in all day

Didn't I lick your feet and warm your pillow
Didn't I learn your stupid little tricks
Didn't we have some fun
When I was really young
And didn't I hold my tongue when I was fixed

Is this the way you treat your loved ones
Is this the moment when you go too far
Some people say you shouldn't treat a dog this way
Yet here we are

And I know there has to be a doggy heaven
'Cause I've spent my time down here in doggy hell
With a life on all fours, worth one seventh of yours
And a million other doggy butts to smell
Maybe I will hold the leash in doggy heaven
Maybe you'll enjoy the horsemeat and the crumbs
Maybe you'll think of me with fond memories
As you face eternity without your thumbs

I'll show you how to treat your loved ones
This is the moment and we've come so far
Some doggies say I wouldn't treat a cat this way
Yet here we are, here we are
I heard you say that every dog will have his day
And here we are


Don't Worry Baby
Uncle Bonsai
Unreleased 2005

I'll sit here in this rocking chair

Just like I used to do

Though the diaper days are gone

I owe this much to you

After all those classes

Did we make too big a fuss

Could it be what brought you back to us

 

Maybe you were pushed too soon

I've heard of stranger things

Sent you out into the world

With undeveloped wings

Maybe you're just tired

And you need a little rest

Now that you've climbed back into the nest

 

Don't worry baby

Your mother's waiting

Your father's happy

That you're never going to leave

Don't worry baby

Don't worry baby

 

Sorry 'bout the basement

It's the only space we had

All your stuff's in storage now

I did it for your dad

I'll try to make it better

Shake the worry from your head

I've left your jammies folded on the bed

 

Don't worry baby

Your mother's waiting

You're father's happy

That he needs to intercede

Don't worry baby

Don't worry baby

 

I recall a little prince

Went off to slay the dragon

Seeking to control his destiny

All those years I said you needed

Something to fall back on

How was I to know you'd fall on me

 

Don't worry baby

Your mother's waiting

Your father's happy

There's another mouth to feed

A little mothering

Might help you to suceed

Don't Worry Baby

Don't Worry Baby

 

We turned your little room into a den (Don't Worry Baby)

Didn't know that you'd be back again (Don't Worry Baby)

Glad to see you're sleeping through the night (Don't Worry Baby)

.....Everything'll be all right......

Drunken Paul Revere
Electric Bonsai Band
from "Primal Urges"

I am up here in this tower
I am ready with the light
They will see my work in Charlestown
Should the British come tonight
And all this waiting makes me tired
But the whiskey keeps me warm
And a sip or two will calm me
Just before the British storm
 
And it's one if by land
Two if by sea
How many people
Are counting on me
One if by land
Two if by sea
Lamps for the Sons of Liberty
 
I've been waiting here for hours
How I wish my horse was here
They can take away my saddle
But they'll never get my beer
I don't know if they are coming
I don't hear the sound of feet
And I could just as easily spot them
From the tavern down the street
 
And it's one if by land
Two if by sea
Three if they're coming
By some other means
If they come through the marsh
Is that water or earth
How many lamps is that worth
 
So I'll make my way to Medford
And I'll try to keep it down
But I don't realize when I'm shouting
'Til I wake the whole damn town
If I'm no good at keepng secrets
You can blame it on the brew
But if they jail my ass in Concord
Someone else will make it through
 
And it's one if by land
Two if by sea
Three if they're coming
By some other means
Four if it's hopeless
Five if they're late
Six if they're making us wait
 
I will row across the river
I will plot the perfect course
I will take some grapes to snack on
And some oats for Larkin's horse
I have memorized the shortcuts
That has been my claim to fame
'Cause once a map's unfolded
It is never quite the same
 
I am sleeping in the stable
I can hardly feel my skin
If Ben Franklin would invent it
I could use some aspirin
And I don't believe I made it
Though I think I'm not alone
If I start to spin this story
Someday I'll be in a poem
 
And it's one if by land
Two if by sea
How many people
Are counting on me
One if by land
Two if by sea
Lamps for the Sons of Liberty


The Fish is in The Freezer
Uncle Bonsai
Unreleased

The fish is in the freezer

We're waitin' for the ground to thaw

The fish is in the freezer

We're waitin' for the ground to thaw

Morning in December

The coldest day I ever saw

 

The fish is up in heaven

At least, that's what my mother said

The fish is up in heaven

At least, that's what my mother said

There used to be another

But every fish I owned is dead

 

Oh there's a place I know

Where all the dead fish go

Out in the fertile ground

Where all the cats hang out

 

The fish once had a brother

Boy fish are the first to go

The fish once had a brother

Boy fish are the first to go

We buried him in summer

No one said I told you so

 

Oh if I just knew why

All of the good ones die

The soul of the family

Falls from the family tree

Falling away from me

 

The fish is in the freezer

I promised that I wouldn't cry

The fish is in the freezer

I promised that I wouldn't cry

The coldest day of Winter

I never got to say goodbye

Flesh vs Flesh
Electric Bonsai Band
from "20 Seconds of Pleasure"

Flesh against flesh
Bodies that shiver
Make me surrender
'Til the night meets the day
Make me confess
With lips that still quiver
Make me remember
Make me carried away
 
Turn out the lights
Draw all the curtains
Tear me to pieces
'Til I can't take no more
Fingers so tight
Bodies so certain
Follow the crease
'Cause you've been there before
 
Take me to dinner
Take me to town
Take me to heaven
Lift my feet off the ground
Like a moth in the darkness
Being drawn to the light
You'd be nice to come home to
On a cold winter's night
 
Sheets that still cling
Bodies that linger
Don't move a muscle
'Cause it's almost like pain
Don't say a thing
Don't lift a finger
Every new motion
Starts it over again
 
Make me an offer
Make me perspire
Make me a martyr
Make me burn with desire
I won't put on the airs
And I won't put up a fight
'Cause uou'd be nice to come home to
On a cold winter's night
 
We can shut out the noises
We can shut ourselves in
Just the sound of our voices
Just the feel of the skin
If the spirit is willing
But the body is weak
You can take me to bed
We'll make our own kind of heat
 
Shake out the sheets
Take out the laundry
Break out the glasses
And we'll make out ok
Take to the streets
Take to the country
Take me tonight
And we'll get carried away
 
Wake with music
Wake me with wine
Wake me tomorrow
Make me know that you're wine
I'll be there in the morning
With a strong appetite
'Cause You'd be nice to come home to
On a cold winter's night
Like a moth in the darkness
Being drawn to the light
You'd be nice to come home to
On a cold winter's night


Forty Second Song For David Wilcox
Electric Bonsai Band
from "20 Seconds of Pleasure"

All of the women in the front row
Think that my songs are for them somehow

Beautiful women in the front row
I'm married
I'm really married
I'm really married now
 
All of the women in the audience
Think I can see them within the crowd
Beautiful women in the darkness
I'm married
I'm really married
I'm really married now
 
Beautiful women I see on the sidewalk
I'm not really looking at you today
You stay on your side, I'll stay on my side
I'm minding my business and on my way
 
All of the women on the planet
Think that I'm taking an extra bow
Beautiful women I am what I am
And I'm married
I'm really married
And I have children now'


Grim Parade of Cat and Mouse
Uncle Bonsai
Unreleased

And so the years went on and on

Another cat another dog

Another marker on a lawn that's getting crowded

We changed the paper, cleaned the bowl

We kept it warm, we kept it cold

We did whatever we were told, no doubt about it

 

So we found the perfect name

And we taught them all to stay

The way we got them to obey was simply stunning

We learned to love their little songs

We taught them all to run along

If they had learned to run away they'd still be running

We were picture perfect people to come home to

We were loving and we loved them all to death

 

You shoulda crawled

You shoulda run

You should've flown

You shoulda swum

You shouldda seen when you came in

We were the killin' kind of kin

This is where the end of you begins

 

So it all begins again

The wagging tails and floating fins

Pairs of claws and every paw they ever had

A grim parade of cat and mouse

Moving through our little house

Birds of feathers, balls of fur from mom and dad

If they had only kept the color they came in with

Not as peaceful or as pale as when they left

 

You should've fled

You should squirmed

You shoulda climbed

You shoulda wormed

You shoulda seen when you came in

It was a b-line to the bin

This is where the end of you begins

 

There were pets we never loved who kept on breathing anyway

We left them high, we left them dry, they wouldn't die

But the ones we raised like children, that we clung to every day

They dropped like flies

 

You shoulda begged untainted meat

You shoulda shaken off those chains

You shoulda rolled out of the street

You shoulda stayed away from trains

You should seen when you came in

Or when we named you Anne Boleyn

That though our love was genuine

This was no place for Rin Tin Tin

This is where it ends...

To make it through the thick and thin

You shoulda had some thicker skin

This is where the end of you begins

How Hard Is Love
Electric Bonsai Band
from "Primal Urges"

How hard is love
After all this time
I can feel you breathe
You know how I feel
Maybe this is all
All that love should be
How hard is love
 
How hard is love
Resting side by side
Hand in hand we wait
Time can move so slow
Maybe time will show
What we'll always be
How hard is love
 
Once we were alone
Now we never part
Even when we part
We are not apart
Once you held my hand
Now you hold my heart
 
How hard is love
Watching as you dream
I can hear your thoughts
Time is standing still
Maybe time is all
All we really need
How hard is love
 
Once we were alone
Now we never part
Even when we part
We are not apart
Once you held my hand
Now you hold my heart
 
How hard is love
People come and go
Watch them as they fade
You will still be here
Always in my reach
Easier than air
How hard is love


I Awoke In Iowa
Uncle Bonsai
from "Apology"

Life passing by
Staring up at the sky
In a corn field as high
As an elephant's eye
Though I don't know why
An elephant might be in Iowa
 
I don't recall
Ever feeling this small
Eye on the ball
As it slows to a crawl
Surrounded by all
Of this merciless sprawl they call Iowa
 
Here's to the plow
Here's to the plowers
Here's to the quilting
For hours and hours
Here's to the tractors
The children can drive
Here's to the churches
That keep us alive.........
 
How does it feel
Standing out in a field
With the women who kneel
At the thought of chenille
I'm nothing but veal
And I'm hardly a meal here in Iowa
 
There's Mrs Mullins
And Mrs. Brown's rooster
There's Mrs. Billington
Bradford and Brewster
The Fullers and Fishers
Are worried 'bout frost
There's Mrs. Rosenberg
She must be lost
 
Now, I fell asleep to the sounds of the subway
The pizzas and pretzels and cabbies and crime
I fell asleep to the glow of excess
Of a greater Grand Central, a good Guggenheim
I fell asleep in the land of the famous
Ain't that Jerry Seinfeld, Ain't that Robin Byrd
But I opened my eyes and my ears to the strangest
Most deafening silence that I've ever heard
'Cause when I awoke
When I awoke
I awoke in Iowa
 
It's hard to ignore
The God at the core
While pacing the floor
Of the general store
Who could be bored
Touring this vortex called Iowa
 
Here's to the pious
Here's to their pity
Here's to the wonders
Of Iowa City
Here's to the prayer group
That everyone joins
Here's to the skyscraping
Sights of Des Moines
 
Now, I fell asleep in the city of angels
With buildings that buckle, and sidewalks that burn
I fell asleep to the trail of exhaust
And fabulous people where ever you turn
I fell asleep in the land of the large
Angelika above me and stars left and right
Then I opened my eyes to an infinite number
Of stars that have kept me awake half the night
'Cause when I awoke
When I awoke
I awoke in Iowa
 
Somebody pinch me 'cause I must be dreaming
How can one survive with so massive a dose
All of the bushytailed locals are beaming
If this isn't heaven it's awfully close
Of all of the places that made an impression
Always an hor d'oevres and never a feast
Here in the heartland the heart learns its lesson
If those were the lessor, than this is the least
 
I fell asleep to the mochas and lattes
The coffees and cafes, the beggars and books
I fell asleep to the traffic and taxes
And stadiums every which way that you look
I fell asleep in the land of the outsider
Isn't that A-Rod* who's ready to leave
Then I opened my eyes to the shock of the sun and
A cultural wasteland you wouldn't believe
'Cause when I awoke
When I awoke
I awoke in Iowa

*was "Junior" when written last year!

Iowa Apology Song
Uncle Bonsai
from "Apology"

Ames has got the Hilton Colliseum
Cedar Rapids has an art museum
The Blank Park Zoo is full
Of friendly animals
It doesn't cost a lot to go and see 'em

Herbert Hoover came from Iowa
John Wayne also came from Iowa
A giant sign in Corning
Says Carson comes from Corning
He helped them build a brand new cinema

Oh Gopher, Gopher went to congress
Gopher seemed so honest
Gopher really cared
Don't you know that Gopher
Spurned the Hollywood Hills
Now he works for Goodwill
He's a millionaire

West Bend has a rich and varied past
The Grotto and Sod House are unsurpassed
If you go to Johnstone you'll
Find the Camp Dog swimming pool
And you can see it as you motor passed
Next time through I'll stop for more than gas


I Like Girls
Uncle Bonsai
from "Plain Brown Wrapper"
and "Myn Ynd Wymyn" (Cassette Only)

He said that I was lovely
He was quite the stereotype
And he moved a little closer
'Cause he felt the time was ripe
For a bit of conversation
For a little show and tell
Just a friendly confrontation
With a little love to sell
 
Oh,
I said Oh,
I said oh, no, no
 
He said that I was something
As he tried to persevere
And he offered me a cigarette
And sounded so sincere
With the bitter taste of romance
And the sweet smell of success
He was talking more and more
'Bout less and less
 
And Oh
Won't you say it isn't so
Thought I'm flattered by the interest
There is something you should know
While to you it's just like swine before the pearls
I like Girls, I like Girls
 
He said that I was special
That he thought I understood
And he talked about a boyfriend
That he left in Hollywood
He was sure in his demeanor
So secure in his desire
And he said the grass is greener
When you're on the other side
 
And Oh
Won't you say it isn't so
Just a little indecision
Could destroy the status quo
Though you say you like the way my moustache curls
I like Girls, I like Girls
Though it sounds to you like treason
I don't have to give a reason
I like Girls
 
Some people have a problem
With the way some people dress
With the way some people walk away
From people in distress
They can see the walking wounded
They just a social nudge
And the people who are worried
Are the ones who shouldn't judge
 
I was standing by the counter
He was standing by my side
And we drank our drinks in silence
Then he turned to say good bye
And I never really worried
If we'd ever meet again
I went off to find a woman
He went off to find a man
 
And Oh
Won't you say it isn't so
It's so nice to meet a person
who can let his feelings show
Though you say that there are all kinds in this world
(He likes Girls)
I like Girls
And you don't believe I listen
But I know what I am missin'
I like girls


I Love You, I Love You, I Love You, I Love You, I Love You, I Love You, I'm Trying To Read
Uncle Bonsai
from "Apology"

Love is
Love is talking
Love is talking like a human being
 
I could stand the silence if it had some meaning
I could take the violence if it added spark
If these fits of caring weren't so demeaning
I could stand you staring in the dark
I can feel you staring in the dark
 
Love
Love is
Love is smiling
Love is smiling when the punch is low
 
I could stand the pressure if you didn't need me
I could take the pleasure with a grain of salt
I would lose the anger if you didn't feed me
With the constant pangs of fear and fault
 
I love you, I love you
I love you, no really
I love you, please trust me
Must we keep repeating
I love you, I love you
Just call my machine
In between when you see me
And when you've been seen
'cause I love you, I love you,
I love you, I love you, I love you,
I love you, I love you, I love you
 
Love
Love is
Love is hoping that the
Door won't slam
 
I could stand the flowers if the thorns would stick me
I could stay for hours if you'd let me bleed
I could bring you closer if you'd show some hunger
You're just so much younger than I need
 
I love you, I love you
I love you, I love you
I said it, I love you, I'm trying to read
I love you, I love you
I love you, I love you
I'd love you to stay and I'd love you to leave
 
Oh, he's so sensitive
He's so sensitive
He's so sensitive
That's what the other girls say
You can see in his eyes
That there's love in his eyes
So I look in your eyes
And the love's in the way
 
I love you, I love you
I love you, I love you
I love you, I love you
I love you
It can't be more clear
Yes, I love you, I love you
I love you, I love you
I'd love you much better
If you weren't here
 
I could stand the chanting if I spoke the language
I could take the ranting if the time was right
I'd be sympathizing with your cries of anguish
If you'd only sleep at home to night
 
Oh, he's so sensitive
He's so sensitive
He's so sensitive
That's what the other girls say
You can see in his eyes
That there's love in his eyes
So I look in your eyes
And the love's in the way
 
I love you, I love you
You heard me, I love you
I love you, I said it
I'll say it again and
Again and again
And I love you, I love you
I love you, I love you
Now when will this end
 
'Cause I love you, I love you
I love you, I love you
I love you, I love you
I love you, I love you


I'm Not The Girl
Mel Cooleys

What did I do to deserve you
Was it really just the luck of the draw
Was I the one that you wanted or the first one you saw
And what did I do to unnerve you
Was it really just the taste of the wine
Was I the one that you wanted or the last one in line?
 
Maybe if I was bolder
Maybe if you were older
Maybe I'd share my shoulder
Maybe if hell was colder
 
Don't cry on me
I'm not the one
For sympathy
My work is done
Don't cry on me
I'm not the girl
 
What did I do to distract you
Was there any other way to get by
Was I the one to awaken that look in your eye
And what did I do to attract you
Was it something that I shouldn't have said
Was I the one to see no chance that romance is dead
 
Maybe if I was sinking
Maybe if you stopped winking
Maybe I'd share my thinking
Maybe if I started drinking
 
Don't cry on me
I'm not the one
For company
I'm on the run
Don't cry on me
I'm not the girl
 
I'm not the one to hold on to
It's your overactive imagination
I'm not the one to hold on to
I've got lots of things to do
I don't pretend that I want you
There must be somebody else who'll listen
Someone who doesn't mind reminiscing
Someone who knows what a catch she's missing
 
Don't cry on me
I'm not the one
For reverie
I've had my fun
Don't cry on me
I'm not the girl
 

If God Went To My High School
Electric Bonsai Band
from "Primal Urges"

If God went to my high school
Do you think he'd bring his lunch from home?
Would loaves of bread and soggy fish-sticks
Leave him sitting all alone?
 
Would he join the chess club
Or would he try debating?
Wouldn't every woman stand in line
If God said he was dating?
 
If God went to my high school
Would the teachers make him show his work?
And doesn't knowing everything
Wreak havoc on the grading curve?
 
If God went to my high school
Do you think the coach would leave him in?
With God at starting quarterback
We'd finally have a chance to win
 
'Cause everyone will back away
When God steps back to toss
Tell me who is gonna tackle God
And throw him for a loss?
 
If God went to my high school
I bet everyone would know his name
He'd ace the SATs
And get a scholarship to Notre Dame


I Owe You An Apology
Uncle Bonsai
from "Apology"

I knew a boy who said that happiness was lethal
I think I might have spoke of him before
I used every word I knew to say that, all things being equal
We are really not so different at the core
Piling on the syllables just trying to find some new twist
Sometimes more is more, sometimes it's less
All those minutes wasted finding words to rhyme with hubris
That's a lot of baggage, I confess
 
Suzy has a baby and another on the way
Charlie still makes sandwiches, I heard he might be gay
Johnny is successful, at everything he does
Doug is still a never was
 
I knew a girl who thought that every man was evil
I'm sure I've sung about that once or twice
I could have told you more but I was never fond of sequels
Maybe I should take my own advice
Happily ever after seemed so right for exploitation
Looking back it seems a little cold
After what I'd have to call a really long vacation
Somehow I have softened, so I'm told
 
I apologize for speaking out of turn
And for all the bridges that I might have burned
If I made any kind of impact, that wasn't meant to be
I owe you an apology
 
I knew a girl who said no love would ever fill her
I guess that she was lonely for a while
But you can sing about diseases, you can sing about a killer
Just as long as you can sing it with a smile

K-Mart isn't Kmart now, it's called the Giant K
Love Boat is in dry dock, may it sail another day
Olivia Newton John is still a very peppy girl
I have been to Disney World
 
I appreciate the kindness and concern
It would take too long to tell you what I've learned
All I really wanted was this opportunity
I owe you an apology
 
 
You know that it doesn't take a genius
To make some money singing 'bout a penis
There is nothing like shameless merchandizing
And I'll say I'm sorry when I'm through apologizing
 
More than the success for which I've yearned
I wish I earned a lot more than I earned
But that's not why I brought you here, although it isn't free
I owe you an apology
I'll apologize again if that is what you want to see
I owe you an apology
 
I knew a boy who said that happiness was lethal
I think I might have spoke of him before


I Would Come Back
Uncle Bonsai
Unreleased

So all those years of therapy
Came crashing down upon you
And you think you really got what you deserved
Is there any point in wondering
Where all those dreams have gone to
When your family traditions are preserved
 
Now I know you need protection
From those things that never happened
And I know that there are drugs to keep you sane
But if I could make us better
I'd go back in time and tap in to
The little things that fill us with such pain
 
I would come back as the girl who screwed you over
I would change your history
'Cause if anybody needs a four leaf clover
It's the boy you used to be
I would do anything to change that circumstance
I would come back as that girl
I would come back as that girl
If I come back as that girl
We'd have a chance
 
I used to think that children
Were the only thing that mattered
After all was said and done they made you whole
And I wonder 'bout a family
When all the kids have scattered
Is it distance that gives children some control
 
Now I know you get defensive
When I bring up your defenses
And I know that there was love in every curse
But if there was one solution
That would bring you to your senses
Don't you think I'd try it now before we're worse
 
I would come back as the mother that you needed
I would choke off that assault
'Cause if there's one thing that should have been repeated
It's that you were not at fault
I would do anything to warn you in advance
I would come back as that girl
I would come back as that girl
If I come back as that girl
We'd have a chance
 
How can I argue
With somebody who won't argue
There's a history that scarred you
That you've kept behind a curtain
Try to remember this
Out on the precipice
Through all this dreaded bliss
The one thing certain
 
I would come back as the woman that you married
I would be your greatest friend
'Cause the only way to share this load we've carried
Would be to do it all again
I would do anything
I would do anything
I would do anything to save this whole romance
I would come back as that girl
I would come back as that girl
If I come back as that girl
We'd have a chance


It Starts with a Boat
Uncle Bonsai
Unreleased

It starts with a boat
There's always a boat
It starts with a suitcase, a brown pair of shoes
And an old overcoat
No family behind
No family ahead
We move on with the clothes on our backs
And the hats on our heads
 
It's starts with a boat
There's always a boat
It starts with a leap, a spot on a map
And a handwritten note
A silent goodbye
All eyes to the sea
We will throw ourselves into the world
And a new history
 
We've been wandering thousands of years and we're wandering still
We will challenge the darkness with faith, take our lives in our hands
We will always remember the past and that ignorance kills
And like veins on a leaf we will spread ourselves over the land
 
It starts with a boat
There's always a boat
It starts with a prayer, a family to save
And a knot in the throat
A family adrift
A family afloat
There's no telling where it will end
But it starts with a boat


JFK
Mel Cooleys
The Winter Concert CD

I don't remember JFK
Or when the Beatles came to Shea
You said you did the twist
You said it went like this
I don't remember yesterday
 
You used to cruise to pick up chicks
You said you travelled 66
I think that sounds just great
I'll take the interstate
I don't need cars to get my kicks
 
Do you remember golden oldies
Before they were golden oldies
Or Dick Clark before he started looking.......young
Do you remember Frankie Avalon
The way he led the rabble on
But never thought to give Annette the tongue
 
You cried when Groucho told a joke
And loved the way that Bogart spoke
I know just how you feel
They always seem so real
I see them selling diet coke
 
Do you remember 1966
When you discovered politics
And everybody marched against the war
You hippies and you heretics
You ended up with Tricky Dick
They don't come like that one any more
 
I know that Elvis was your king
And that you loved the way he'd sing
I know that's what you said
To me he's fat and dead
I don't remember anything
 
Can convince me you've forgotten
Puca shells and big bell bottoms
Saying things like feeling groovy and far out
Do you remember saying Daddy-o
And girls who dressed like Jackie-O
Can you tell me what that's all about
 
I don't remember JFK
I heard some pigs were in some bay
I think that sounds so neat
Too bad I don't eat meat
I don't remember yesterday


Just One Angel
Electric Bonsai Band
from "Primal Urges"

Every Sunday God wakes up to everybody's problems
All those voices asking for forgiveness
Half asleep he waves his hand to quickly mass absolve them
Wondering why he constantly relives this
I don't want to take that time away
From someone who might really need
A sign from God that day
 
Angel Michael on his knees
Trying to find the time to help us
I don't need such expertise
I could never be that selfish
Isn't there a minor angel
Not an angel one might miss
I can talk to, I can turn to
There to handle this
 
Sunday morning in the choir
I'm the one who's singing off key
By my bedside in the darkness
I will say my prayers so softly
Isn't there a lonely angel
Not an angel fully booked
I can call on, I can sing to
Someone overlooked

Just one angel
Just one angel
Angel only I can see
Just one angel
Just one angel
Watching over me
 
Sometimes when my heart is full
It makes me feel a bit frenetic
Fallen angel takes the bullet
Wouldn't that be so poetic
Isn't there a private angel
Unremembered, underused
Second angel, No one's angel
Someone God excused
 
Just one angel
Just one angel
Angel only I can see
Just one angel
Just one angel
Watching over me
 
All those days and nights
God slaved to give us creature comforts
Why would we have free will
If he thought we'd always call
Maybe it's a lack of sleep
That keeps him feeling vengeful
Maybe he'd be sweet and soft
If he could have his Sundays off

Just one angel
Just one angel
Angel only I can see
Just one angel
Just one angel
Watching over me


Let's Pretend We Never Met
Uncle Bonsai
Unreleased

Let's pretend we never met
Maybe I had missed my plane
Maybe you forgot your keys
And so you missed the morning train
So on that sunny afternoon in Herald Square
Neither you nor I had made it there
 
And let's take it one step further
For the sake of argument
Maybe someone else was passing by
And heard your compliment
And so flattered at the way you turned a phrase
Both of you went off to share your days
 
Now, she knows that isn't possible
She's just trying to explain
That if you had lost your keys
And she had missed the morning train
Maybe someone else would be her mate
Someone who does not believe in fate
 
Stay with me for this next part
Let's pretend you couldn't see
What I think I hear you saying
Is you'd find your way to me
With nothing like desire or diligence
But something like a sixth or seventh sense
 
It's another sign of wanting things too easy
It's like eating food off someone else's plate
Put a man who doesn't worry with a woman who can't wait
There's your perfect recipe for fate
 
Maybe that's a bad example
Maybe none of this is true
But if I understand your point
It doesn't matter what I do
I could leave you but I might as well just stay
'Cause I can't really leave you anyway
 
For the ones who shy away from exploration
Or find it just too hard to concentrate
Mix the cowardice of pining with the curtness of debate
There's your perfect recipe for fate
 
If you think it doesn't matter, that it's all some grand design
And that where and when are neither here nor there
Some butterfly just flaps its wings and suddenly you're mine
That seems even farther fetched than prayer
 
'Cause if I wasn't meant to be there
Of if you were somewhere else
If I was someone taller
If you weren't quite yourself
Don't you think we'd find a way we could relate
Maybe we would need a second date
Don't you think that we would truly hate
To think that we're in love because of fate


The Letter
Uncle Bonsai
from "Apology"

Judy has a tryout with the pep squad
I've been pulling strings all afternoon
She's following in footsteps
That were following in footsteps
I don't believe this day can end too soon
 
Billy has been fighting with the neighbors
Barry says it's boys just being boys
It's really not a crime
But I wish I had a dime
For every little thing that he destroys
 
Did you move again, I think you moved again
You must've moved again, the other notes I sent you were returned
And I couldn't find your number, no one has your newest number
It's no wonder every one is so concerned
 
Every Tuesday morning I go running
Barry says he thinks it's really cute
I wish he'd pay attention
'cause I don't have to mention
That I'm the one who sees his birthday suit
 
Did you hear the sorted details, all the really sorted details
Why the Millers and the Myers got divorced
Seems that there's no way of knowing through the comings and the goings
Just which progeny came flowing from which source
 
There's a barbeque at everybody's house tonight
There are people who would love to see your smile
There's a never ending flame
And there's a hotdog with your name
And we all hope that you can make it for a while
 
Mr. Keene retired from the classroom
He was really old when we were only five
They gave him a gold watch
But the way he smelled of Scotch
It's amazing that the guy is still alive
 
And everybody's talking 'bout the paper
Barry doesn't even want it in the shop
They raised the price five cents
Which doesn't make much sense (Which seems a little dense)
Since Garfield is no longer right on top
 
There's a chance to get together with the gang tonight
There are folks you haven't seen and never call
There's one store that's open late
And there's name tag by your plate
And we all hope that you can make it after all

Has it really been so long since we were sitting at that place
Do you remember what's his face and what's her name
And how about the family, I wonder 'bout your fam'ly
For the most part aren't families all the same
And I hope this letter finds you least as happy as I am
I've got more happiness than I could ever use
And I hope that you'll forgive me, I've been really really busy
And a form letter's the only way to cover all the news
 
There is someone doing something somewhere close tonight
There are faces that have never gone away
There are photos we can take
And there are memories at stake
And we all hope that you can make it back this way
There are pictures in a book
So we remember how you look
And we all hope that we can meet again some day


Mother to Mother
Uncle Bonsai
from "Apology"

From her father
To my father
Without any time to breathe
From her mother
To a mother
Almost nothing in between
From her mother
To a mother
She could never be that strong
From a mother
To a daughter
All that silence passed along
 
From a mother
To a daughter
All that history held inside
From a daughter
To a mother
I was never on your side
From a daughter
To a mother
These were choices I could make
From a mother
To a daughter
I won't make the same mistakes
 
From her father
To my father
From her mother
To a mother
From a mother
To a daughter
I could see it in your face
From a daughter
To a mother
You will always have a place


Mr. Nice
Uncle Bonsai
from "Apology"

Who's that you've got on your arm
Isn't that Mr. Nice
Did he open the door
Did he pull out the chair
Did he let you decide
Where you wanted to eat
Did he pick up the check
 
Did he kiss you goodnight
Did he just shake your hand
Mr. Nice always does
What's the best thing for you
And he'll never intrude
Where he isn't invited
He says it's a sign of respect
 
Everything's wonderful
Isn't it wonderful
Wonder of wonders
That's him to a T
Mr Nice loves you so
Mr Nice lets you know
Mr. Nice is as nice as can be
 
Wasn't that Mr. Nice
Buying you clothes
Did he pick out that dress
Did he patiently wait
While you tried it all on
Did he help you decide
Between pumps or highest of heels
 
Did he draw you a bath
While averting his eyes
Did he serve you some tea
Did he heat up the towels
Mr. Nice always tells
The most humorous jokes
He knows all the best people and deals
 
Everything's wonderful
Isn't it wonderful
He's so damn wonderful
It's hard to breathe
Mr Nice is still there
Mr Nice in your hair
Mr. Nice is as nice as can be
 
Maybe tonight will be different
He'll keep you out late
Or he'll say something crude
He could make an advance
He could step out of line
Even loosen his tie
It's the least he could do
Maybe he'll let down his guard
You'll discover the truth
About all of the women
He's left in his wake
That his name was a joke
He was given in jail
That would be something new

Who's that I saw by your side
Wasn't that Mr. Nice
Did you give him the boot
Did he drive you insane
Was he really that nice
Was it just a display
Did he drink to your health
 
Did he always defer
Did he take his sweet time
They all say Mr. Nice
Always waits for his turn
Was he none of the things
Could you give him my number
I'm willing to see for myself

Everything's wonderful
Isn't it wonderful
He's Mr. Wonderful
Don't you agree
Mr Nice is so nice
It's worth saying it twice
Mr. Nice is as nice as can be


Mrs. Rosenberg
Uncle Bonsai
Unreleased

Taking charge of her affairs
Brushing all her cares away,
Noticeably shaken,
Mrs. Rosenberg ventures out today
 
She headed down the cul-de-sac in slippers and a robe
Gold lame and faded pink chenille
Since the Maker chose the Mister to remove to higher ground
She didn't fuss about her sex appeal
 
No lipstick could be found to hide her differences besides
Most neighbors wouldn't see her from their pews,
Greeted by their second cars whose Jesus fish were standing guard
She accidentally kicks their Sunday news
Taking charge of her affairs
Brushing all her cares away,
Mrs. Rosenberg ventures out today
The Midwest sky had just supplied its season of complaining
When Rosenberg arrived in '51
She followed Mr. Rosenberg, but not the road ahead
Another girl thrown off the map by love
 
From one of many Rosenbergs became the one exception
Like something gone awry with crops that year
And though the neighbors softened like the ground when it's defrosted
She couldn't grow accustomed to it here
 
Just beyond the border
Just beyond the husks
Just beyond the rows and rows of years
Just beyond the order
Someone in the dusk
Mrs. Rosenberg slowly disappears
 
Her kids were grown and on their own and never thought to call
And if they did she opened up the wounds
And god forbid they'd just show up with grandkids in their arms
And more than just a post-card full of news
 
Their photos stocked the cardboard boxes underneath the bed,
Joining all the third or second kin
The remotest of relations with that look of indignation
They sent with her when she departed them
 
Someone warn the neighbors
Someone's on the run
Someone shift the tractor (it) into gear
Someone's in the acres
Someone get a gun
Mrs. Rosenburg's slowly (has) disappeared
 
Go tell Mrs. Rosenberg
Wherever she may roam
Someone ought to chauffer her
On her journey home
Back to where it started
Where her family belonged
Check the phone book in New York
A million Rosenbergs can't be wrong
 
Her neighbors spoke of God like he was sleeping in their den
And he wasn't seeing visitors that day.
They had their families and their churches and for this she envied them,
In Brooklyn she would have had the same
 
Mrs. Rosenberg was last seen as she trudged into the field
With just a broom, a spatula, and tongs
The farmers grew expectant when examining their yield
But Mrs. Rosenberg was really gone
 
Someone call the drug store
Someone needs her drugs
Someone's heading for the old frontier
Someone (Just) call her children
Maybe just call Doug
Mrs. Rosenberg's slowly (she's) disappeared
 
Someone check the silos, Someone check the crops
Someone check the obvious out here
Someone lost a widow, Somewhere in the stalks
Mrs. Rosenberg's slowly disappeared


New Math
Mel Cooleys

Maybe they were right
Standing at the board
Looking at a sea of vacant faces
Slicing up the pie
Angles everywhere
Putting decimals in their proper places
 
Draw another line
Add another "y"
Trying to pretend I couldn't hear 'em
You could do this blind
Try to show your work
Every day another useless theorem
 
It was all too fast
See you after class
I could never pass
New Math, New Math
 
Maybe they were right
Passing out the tests
Essay, true or false, and fill the spaces
x plus y is nine
y times n is sine
Do them all again in different bases
 
Listen to that tone
That's what I call drone
Filling up the air with useless babble
Bisecting that line
Memorizing pi
Trying to add oranges and apples
 
No use looking back
We could make a pact
I would always lack
New Math
 
And now we're two trains, two trains
Two trains on the same old track
And we are two trains, two trains
And I could change the path
If I could do the math
 
Maybe I was slow
Standing at the door
Listening to a tale that didn't matter
Looking in your eyes
Nothing in the air
Hanging on a stream of endless patter
 
Just another notch
Just another toy
Just another singer in the chorus
Never added up
Never multiplied
Only saw the trees and not the forest
 
Just the circumstance
Keep it in your pants
We might not get past
New Math
 
'Cause we are two trains, two trains
Two trains on the same old track
And we are two trains, two trains
And we could make it back
If we could do the math
 
We are two trains
Two trains
Two trains, no time to react
Yes we are two trains
Two trains
Look out for the crash
We can't do the math
 
Maybe they were right
Standing at the board
Looking at a sea of vacant faces
Slicing up the pie
Angles everywhere
Putting decimals in their proper places


No Such Think As An Original Thought
Electic Bonsai Band/Uncle Bonsai

I can only think of fourteen ways to say I love you

Even then, those fourteen ways are really trite

Still that's thirteen more ways than I really had to think of

But I went the extra mile to be polite

I could say I hate you, that would end it there

I could claim indifference but I don't think that's fair

I should read you poetry from all the cards I bought

Cause there's no such thing as an original thought

 

I could write a song or two it really doesn't matter

What's the diff'rence when I only know three chords

I could waste our time by coming up with some new rhyme

But even I'm a little tired of forcing words

I could beg to differ, I could try agreeing

I could sit and nod like any other human being

Maybe I should stick around and dance with who I brought

'Cause there's no such thing as an original thought

 

And the sky is really blue

And the sun's a ball of light

And the leaves are turning red

And the hill's are purple-ish

And the grass is sort of green

And the clouds are cotton white

And they call the wind Mariah

And the ocean smells of fish

 

I can only try to be the person that you yearned for

Even though I'm never sure what yearning brings

Maybe if I brought in some soliloquy by Auden

(Really, Auden wrote some very lovely things)

I could stop the clocks, Prevent the dog from barking

I could keep on circling, pretending that I'm parking

That's another lesson that I'm sure we've all been taught

'Cause there's no such thing as an original thought

 

I could say I'm sorry, That would be surreal

I would rather tell you how I think you ought to feel

All this really witty repartee could be for naught

'Cause there's no such thing as an original thought

I could say you're perfect, that deserves a mention

I could just pretend that I've been paying close attention

I'm not sure it matters if we're ever even caught

And there's no such thing as an original thought

No such thing as an original thought

 

One Hit Wonder
Mel Cooleys

Where'd you get that big belt buckle
Where'd you learn to move like that
Where'd you find those jeans
When were you last seen in a cowboy hat
Where'd you find that leather jacket
Where'd you learn to play guitar
When'd you write that song
Picking right along like a country star
 
So take the money don't look back
West to Nashville, dressed in black
There's a cowboy act to plunder
For a one hit wonder
 
Just a boy from New York City
Answering a cattle call
How'd you learn that walk
When'd you learn to talk with a southern drawl
How'd you get to ropin' doggies
From your days at Evergreen
When'd you close that book
How'd you get to look like a magazine
 
Just another glass half full
Anything looks possible
Here's a rope to pull you under
You're a one hit wonder
 
Take the pleasures as they come
Everything can come undone
Count the moments in the sun
No use counting after one
Things will never be this fun
Cling to every little crumb
There's no more to master
When you're out to pasture
 
Where'd you get the fashion lessons
Bolder patterns, golden curls
When did you lose weight
When'd you start to date all those younger girls
Weren't you the anal schoolboy
Couldn't stand the dirt and dust
Why the cattle drive
Couldn't you survive on the family trust
 
Enjoy your moment on the charts
Weaker stomachs, weaker hearts
Caused a temporary blunder
And a one-hit wonder
There's a higher power to thank
Put some money in the bank
There's someone new to steal your thunder
You're a one-hit wonder


Precious Mime
Uncle Bonsai
Unreleased

Will you walk

Will you walk

Will you walk

Into the wind

Will you walk

Into the wind

Just like you did

When we were happy

 

Will you slip

Will you fall

Take a trip

Make a call

There's a box

There's a wall

Will you talk

After all

 

You are mine

You are mine

You are my

Precious mime

Chairs to lean on

Stairs to climb

You are my

Precious mime

 

Will you walk

Will you walk

Will you walk

Walk on the wire

 

Will you crawl

All around

Will you swim

Will you drown

Be my love

Be my clown

Staircase up

Staircase down

 

 

You are mine

You are mine

You are my

Precious mime

Turn some pages

Learn to sign

Precious mime

Precious mime

 

I love how you look with the weight of the world on your shoulder

Look at the wonderful things you're pretending to do

Art, you and I know, is in the eye of the beholder

I'm holding you

 

You are mine

You are mine

You are my

Precious mime

Smell a flower

Tell the time

Cheers to you

Here's a dime

Precious mime

 

Ralph Kramden*
Mel Cooleys

(*Lyrics by Arni Adler)

I'm thinking of Ralph Kramden
And how'd he get so fat
And was he really threatening Alice
In their honeymooners' flat
What a crummy view of marriage
That I came to after that
Where the woman was sarcastic
But the guy was really fat
 
And what of Fred and Wilma
In their small suburban cave
Times were tough down in the quarry
And Fred was underpaid
Do they count among the happy
The Pebbles that they made
To roll around the naked floor
Of their small suburban cave
 
And it's all I ever learned
 
And all the missing parents
On shows like My Three Sons,
The Partridges and Bradys
Who never sang about the missing ones
I'll never figure what I saw
In all these lacking shows
Where parents come and disappear
And children never grow
 
And it's all I ever learned
 
I leaned into the static in my impressionable years
I meant to see between the black and white
I gleaned between the static in my impressionable years
All I ever needed was not to be a mother or a wife

And it's all I ever learned
 
I'm thinking of Ralph Kramden
And what's he gonna do
And would Alice sit and take it
If he really followed through
Would the country keep on watching
And would he get a second pass
To send her flying to the moon
To loud annoying laughs


The Baby's Head
Uncle Bonsai/Electric Bonsai Band

The baby's head is a hexagon

The baby's head is a hexagon

Nobody in here did anything wrong

But the baby's head is a hexagon

 

The baby's head is a hexagon

The baby's head is a hexagon

He's got all of his fingers, his toes are all on

But the baby's head is a hexagon

 

Everything else is just.........fine............

 

The baby's head is a hexagon

The baby's head is a hexagon

There are so many places to rest things upon

'Cause The baby's head is a hexagon

 

And now it's hard to gauge concern

There's so much inner rage to burn

I know it's such an early age to learn that life isn't fair

You could take one side or another

And you could take away it's brother

But the baby's head would still be a square

 

The baby's head is a hexagon

The baby's head is a hexagon

It's almost like something Picasso had drawn

I guess you could say that his features are strong

Hey, one of those facets is already gone

Now the baby's head is a pentagon

 

Oh, Hallelujah (It's not quite a miracle)

Oh, Hallelujah (His head isn't spherical)

Isn't it magical

Life was so tragical

Now we can start it up all over again

So raise up a flagon-full

For the hexagonal

We don't have to hang out

With losers like them

 

The baby's head is a pentagon

The baby's head is a pentagon

Those six-sided children will never belong

And our baby's head is a pentagon

 

The baby's head is a pentagon

The baby's head is a pentagon

The Reunion Song
Uncle Bonsai
from "Apology"

I didn't like you then
I didn't like you later
Come to think of it
I do not like you now
You said you were my friend
So why can't I remember
Anything but misery
When you would come around
 
I see you've got a drink
I see you've got a name tag
I see you've got an escort
That must have really cost
You say you really missed me
So why don't I believe you
I'm still stuck remembering
All the love not lost
 
Look at all the women that you never got to meet
Look at all the plastic on display
Look at all those athletes, so heavy on their feet
Look, there goes another bad cliché
 
I saw you in the lobby
I saw you check the mirror
I watched you pull your stomach in
That was really great
You look like you've been waiting
For this night to come forever
The letter sweater suits you
You're such a fashion plate
 
Tell me, don't you think it's kind of strange
The more things change, the more they stay the same
25 years later and they still misspell my name
I'm so glad I came
 
I know you had a dream
I know that dream has faded
I know that you've been holding on
To all you used to be
But we all make mistakes
Mistakes can last forever
Forever is the kind of thing
You get for hurting me
 
Tell me, don't you think it's kind of strange
The more things change, the more they stay the same
Men will come and men will go, I still have you to blame
I'm so glad I came
 
Look at all the women that you never got to kiss
Look at how their luck has never left them
Look at how bad choices that you made back then persist
Look at how those nights together all come down to this
 
I didn't say hello
I didn't reminisce
I didn't come to gloat about
Our lives and our careers
I really should be going
I saw the few I missed
I promise I will hate you
For another 20 years
 
Tell me, don't you think it's kind of strange
The more things change, the more they stay the same
All your best behind you, now isn't that a shame
I'm so glad I came
Nothing comes in handy like a little bit of fame
I'm so glad I came
 

Primal Urges
Electric Bonsai Band
from "Primal Urges"

There's a four on the floor
There's an overhead cam
There's port fuel injectors
That I don't understand
There's a boy on a mission
There's a girl at his side
There's a world of wonder waiting when they ride
 
There's a plan, there's a permit
There's a battle on the street
There's a pilot at the ready
Full of adolescent heat
There's a face in the window
Looking longer in the tooth
I can see the way his eyes
Betray the slightest hint of youth

There are boyhood reputations
In the vinyl bucket seats
There are childish inhibitions
That are almost obsolete
There's a tank full of allowance
And passion on the rise
I can see the primal urges in his eyes
 
There's a coupe, there's a caddie
There's a jaguar xke
A spider and a stingray
And a black 280z
There's a boy in a mustang
With a girl that he just met
I can see him in rearview
Singing little red corvette
 
There's a changing reputation
There's an image to create
There's the strangest new condition
When he finally finds a date
There's the taste of popularity
A hero at the reigns
I can hear the primal urges in his veins
 
One day you're the pilot fish
One day you're the shark
One day you're the bottom feeder
Such an easy mark
One day you're the young and restless
Peeking through the trees
Next day you're the new contestant
Begging for the keys
 
I got a poster of Farrah
And an urge to compete
I got a Schwinn with a buzzer
And a big banana seat
I got the taste of something better
And the smell of pine and grease
'Though I don't really know
My GTOs from ABCs
 
But I'll get my reputation
Even though I'm starting late
I'll look really cool in daddy's Delta 88
As the scent of desperation
Settles down the avenue
I can feel my primal urges coming through
I'll be in the in crowd
'Til they all get their tattoos
You can see my primal urges coming through


Running With Scissors
Uncle Bonsai/Electric Bonsai Band

I am sliding down the bannister again

I am waiting for a lesson to be learned

I am skating down the hallway

I am writing on the walls

And I'm running with scissors

 

I am waiting for a voice to cut the air

The first and second steps have always creaked

And I didn't really notice

That I didn't wipe my shoes

And I'm lurking in shadows

 

Stuck between what's good and what is good for me

I will always do what's perfect for the family

And I'm picking off the fresh fruit from a dying tree

Gently

 

I am standing where the piano used to be

I am counting all the height lines by the door

I remember every scar

Where the pictures used to be

And I'm looking for someone

 

I am gonna put my eye out

I am gonna write in ink

I will leave the water running

On the dishes in the sink

There is nothing left to stop me

From leaving on this light

And I will close this door forever

 

I am sitting where the liars always sat

I am seeing from a very different view

I am talking while I'm chewing

With my elbows on the table

And I'm using your voices

 

Houses sound so different when you're listening

Hard to hear it breathe without the arguing

Never really thought you might be leaving me

Empty

 

I am gonna sit on counters

I'll be standing on the brink

I will stare into this light bulb

And I'm never gonna blink

There is no one supervising

I'm all alone tonight

And I will close this door forever

 

You said if I left food out

We'd be overrun with ants

But I don't see a single ant or even worse an ant attack

And I'm not saying you were lying

But, again there are no ants

And all those years that I spent worrying 'bout

the ants I won't get back

 

I am visiting this resting place again

I am gathering the pieces

Under beds, behind the curtains

I am offering a blessing

I am chasing out the demons

I have entered without knocking

And I'm burying the hatchet

 

I am gonna talk to strangers

I am gonna smoke and drink

I will leap before I look

And I will speak before I think

There is no one here to show me

Wrong from right

And I will close this door forever

That's if I close this door

I will close this door forever

Scene of the Crime
Mel Cooleys

I've seen you in this house before
I've watched you change your point of view
You used to think the way I think
Dress the way I dress
Speak to me like I speak to you
 
I don't know where the time has gone
I don't remember turning old
I guess that always is the way
What was that you said
How'd you get this cold
 
I saw you come into this world
I saw you come into this home
I saw you fall into this fire
I saw you come into your own
 
Did someone tell you you should call
Did someone hold you to your word
I guess this really is the least
Anyone could ask
This is what I've heard
 
We wait like saints into the night
We hold our breath every noise
We lie awake with eyes so tight
Can not see the light
Can not hear the boys
 
I saw you come into this world
I saw you come into this home
I saw you fall into this fire
I saw you come into your own
I am the first to hear the news
But I'm the last to hear the truth
I am the one who holds the reigns
I am the one who cut you loose
 
I'm everything I can't believe
I am the finger on the phone
I thought that everything would change
Now I am the same
Now we are alone
 
We wait like everybody else
We watch as you become the same
You thought that you would break the chain
Here it comes again
Pass along the name
 
I saw you come into this world
I saw you come into this home
I saw you fall into this fire
I saw you come into your own
I am the first to hear the news
But I'm the last to hear the truth
I am the one who holds the reigns
I am the one who cut you loose
 
I saw you come into this world
I saw you run to somewhere new
I saw you try to shake the mold
And then I saw it all come true
You were the first to see me smile
Now you're the last to know what's true
I had the future in my hands
And then I gave it all to you


The Skiing Song
Uncle Bonsai

There are a million ways to fall
There are a million ways of flying
And I'm afraid I've found them all
Here at the bottom of the hill
I've got my back against the wall
And I believe I might be dying
I tried to run before I crawled
I'm at the bottom of the hill
 
There are a million feet of snow
There are a million people trying
They've got a million kids in tow
Here at the bottom of the hill
I am the fool who goes to slow
And I believe I'll soon be crying
I've found the only way to go
I'm at the bottom of the hill
 
See the girl with all the hair
She's putting on her fashion play
She looks exactly the same way
As all the others on display
You can bet that she'll be there
With all the girls who tease and spray
They comes out skiing every day
And never leave the main chalet
 
There are a million feet in line
There are a million people sighing
They've got a million friends to find
Here at the bottom of the hill
I am a man who's done his time
And I believe I'm through denying
That I've got drinking on my mind
I'm at the bottom of the hill


Skin Deep
Uncle Bonsai
Unreleased 2005

It's only skin deep

And fades with time

It's such a small leap

To cross that line

It's only flesh and blood

And makes me whole

My self control

 

So many layers

It's just one more

A spot or two there

Or three or four

It's only sleight of hand

And daily bread

My deepest red

 

And I'm alive, I am alive

If I survive this, if I survive

I will tear the page from history

Cling to every little victory

It will always be a part of me

 

I'll roll my sleeves down

That's not a sign

We have our crosses

This is all mine

It's only heart and soul

That pulses through me

My inner beauty

 

And I'm alive, I am alive

If I arrive here, if I arrive

I will keep it all a mystery

There is solice in the secrecy

There will always be this mark on me

 

No drug can take away this kind of pain

No family can cut through this disquise

And like a phoenix I will crash and burn again

But I will rise, and I will rise

 

And I'm flying

And I'm flying

And I'm waiting for the fall

After all, look around

What comes up

Must go down

 

Thank You For The Money
Uncle Bonsai

I never said you'd like it
Or even understand
I never lied about it
Being good or in demand
I never made you promises
Or gave you guarantees
And, God forbid, I never aimed to please
 
I built it for the masses
And the educated few
'Cause no one understands it
Like the little people do
I never really sold it
I only set it free
I know it isn't pretty but it's me
 
Thank you for the money
Though you should do the thanking
I should not be bothered by
This bitter bit of banking
Thank you for the money
Hope it's not too late
Now that I've got money
I'll create
 
I never thought of stopping
I knew that you'd come through
I always had a vision
Just like other artists do
And even if you hate it
I know you're glad it's there
And even if you're not, I don't care
 
Thank you for the money
Though you should be more grateful
I should not concern myself
With people who are hateful
Thank you for the money
Please don't make me wait
You give me the money
I'll create
 
No one said that art is pretty
Just that artists should be paid
Art like mine must be supported
Otherwise it won't get made
No one has the right
To try to save the world from this thing
If you give the people what they want
They won't know what they're missing
 
Thank you for the money
Though isn't that beneath you
How would you keep growing
If I wasn't there to teach you
Thank you for the money
Isn't money great
As long as you've got money
I'll create
Thank you for the money
Isn't money great
As long as you've got money
I'll create


That's My Boy
Electric Bonsai Band
from "Primal Urges"

Standing on the playground, staring into space
Frozen little snowman, mittens tied in place
Pull the left one down the right one smacks him in the face
That's my boy
 
Woke him up at seven, turned around and then
Woke him up at nine o'clock, he missed the bus again
Someone tell the principal we're gonna be good friends
That's my boy
 
Well, we can talk about potential
Talk about desire
Talk about the things that he does best
Best at all the things that you can't test
Lots of hidden talent I would guess
 
Something ate his homework, someone hid his shoes
Sometimes I think he's looking 'round for something else to lose
Someday he'll have everything, that would be big news
That's my boy
 
Who's that in the driveway raising money for the band
Fighting off a short attention span
Maybe there's a better way to get to Disneyland
'Cause he'll never sell a thing with all that chocolate on his hands
 
Some kids like to gamble, some kids like to steal
Some kids skip their classes just to have another meal
Maybe we can find a way to get those records sealed
That's my boy, that's my boy
If there ever was a little leaguer born to play right field
That's my boy


The Devil You Konw
Uncle Bonsai
Unreleased - 08/2005

I was looking for a moment I could taste

<