Concrete Blonde

How could you not love a band that named one of its tours the "Public Humiliation Tour"?

Most lyrics sites ignore Concrete Blonde, and the few sites and album liner notes that have lyrics listed usually have inaccurate lyrics listed. Johnette Napolitano's passionate delivery makes it difficult to make the words out at times; it took me an hour to get "Jesus Forgive Me (For the Things I'm About to Say)."

(Confession time: I did get lazy and take some of the songs' lyrics off a site. I corrected the errors that screamed at me, but some may still be lurking. End author disclaimer.)

In my humble opinion, Johnette Napolitano's at her best when angry, hurt, or sneering; sometimes she does all three at once.  The guitar work is warm or sinister and almost always reverberating.

I'm still bitter that I didn't have a VCR for that episode of MTV's 120 Minutes (sometime in 1993) that had Johnette Napolitano and James Mankey doing an incredible acoustic version of "Jenny I Read." Far as I know, it was never released on CD or audio cassette anywhere. Sigh squared. I know, I know, I should learn to let go.

The drummer who was a huge flake who never showed up that time and forced them to go acoustic is the same one who reunited with them recently, then got fired when he failed to show up for a performance date with absolutely no notice. At least Johnette and James are going on again, still.

Essential albums: Free, Bloodletting, Mexican Moon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lyrics Sampler ["..." on a line alone shows places where I snipped out lyrics;
(?) when I'm not sure what the hell she's saying but made a good guess]:


"Jesus Forgive Me (For the Things I'm About to Say)"

Oh, Jesus
Please forgive me
For the things I'm about to say

I killed you in my mind today
(I cut you up, I watched you bleed)
I killed you in my heart today
(For everything you did to me)
I murdered you a hundred times
(I shot you dead and never cried)
I killed you in my mind today
(I laughed and watched you die)
Screaming at me over fire
(Liar, liar, liar!)
I buried you with my desire
(Liar, liar, liar!)
I buried you so far below
(Liar, liar, liar!)
I hate to see you go
Ha!

Oh, Jesus
(Oh, my Jesus)
Please forgive me
(Oh, Lord, what am I thinking?)
Oh, Jesus
(Oh, my God)
Please forgive me
(What am I thinking?)

On my knees beside my bed
(Liar, liar, liar!)
I'm sorry for the things I said
(Liar, liar, liar!)
I've washed the sheets a million times
(Liar, liar, liar!)
I'm praying for my crime
Oh, yeah!

Oh, Jesus
(Jesus)
Please forgive me
(Please forgive me, yeah, oh)
Oh, Jesus
(Oh)
Please forgive me
(For everything I've done to you)

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!.... Uhnnnnnn.....

Oh, Jesus
(Oh)
Please forgive me
(I'm praying to you, oh, yeah)
Oh, Jesus
(I am)
Please forgive me
(I don't know myself)
Pray
(Now)
Pray
(Somehow)
Oh, Jesus
(Oh, Jesus)
Please forgive me
(Please... forgive me too)
(I killed you in my mind today)
Oh, Jesus
(Oh, Jesus, please)
Please forgive me
(Please, I don't mean it, I don't mean it, I...)
(I killed you in my mind today)
Somehow
______________________________________________________
"Heal It Up"

Feeling the fire
Under my feet
I was a liar
You were a cheat
Playing with knives, we were cut close to home
Close to the bone
You're so alone

Something to have
Something to hold
Something to share
So I've been told
Deep in your eyes you're one hundred years old
'Cause the years have not been kind to you, you know

Heal it up
Heal it up
Heal me up
Oh, heal me up
Heal me up

Feeling the pinch
Feeling the hole
Feeling the void deep in my soul
Feeling my, feeling so out of control
'Cause the years have not been kind to me, you know

Heal it up
Heal it up
Heal it up
Heal it up
Oh, heal me up
Heal me up

Heal it up
Heal it up
Heal it up
Oh, heal me
Oh, heal me
______________________________________________________
"Your Haunted Head"

The blackest eyes I've ever seen like moonstones shine
And all the while behind the dancing eyes the boy was crying
He creeps like ivy on the stairs
You know I liked him then
When we would sit and drink for hours and watch the sidewalks spin
Oh, baby

I don't wanna hear your secrets
I don't share your pain
I don't wanna know about the wrinkles in your bed
And I don't wanna hear about the ghost inside your haunted head
Inside your haunted head

Haunted
Head

Now, I don't need your tragedy
And I don't need your shame
You can't keep your promises
But you keep naming names
You lay those troubles out to me like a deck of playing cards
Well, don't you know that I can tell the kings and jokers well apart

Now, I don't wanna hear your secrets
I don't share your blame
I don't wanna hear about the wrinkles in your bed
And I don't wanna hear about the ghost inside your haunted
Ghost inside your haunted head

Haunted
Head
______________________________________________________
"Dance Along the Edge"

Sometimes we laugh like children
Go running hand in hand
I never felt like this before
I never will again
Sometimes we cry like babies
I hold you to my heart
I just can't stand to see you sad
It tears me all apart

And we're so afraid and it's such a shame
There is no reason we should doubt it
And the things we want to say we've never said
And we look away and it's all okay and never really talk about it
It's a shame the way we dance along the edge
Dance along the edge
Dance along the edge

We always seem so careful
We're always so unsure
Our past mistakes, they make us shaky...
Eyes on the door
When do we stop searching
For what we're searching for?
Then when it comes
We question love and try for more

And we're happy here but we live in fear
We've seen a lot of temples crumble
Some of flesh and blood and love under glass
Will we come undone?
Will we turn and run?
And will we know it when we find it?
It's a game the way we dance along the edge
Dance along the edge
Dance along the edge

And we'll walk the line and we'll do our time
For just as long as we've been given
And pretend like we don't hear the things they've said
Can we promise love?
Is it all too much?
And do our old souls still believe it?
It's insane the way we dance along the edge
Dance along the edge
Dance along the edge
______________________________________________________
"Cold Part of Town"

Dear darling,
Haven't seen you in awhile
Found some change in my pocket
I thought I'd take a chance and dial
I'm all right
Just right now a little down
'Cause it gets chilly over here
Oh, it's a cold part of town

Dear darling,
You were right about them all
When my luck went bad
They never came around or called
That's all right
'Cause I don't miss them anyhow
But it gets lonely over here sometimes
It's a cold part of town

Cold, cold part of town
Cold part of town

I'll go now
There's someone waiting for the phone
It's raining out
It's getting dark, and I'm alone
Can I call you?
And can I sometime come around?
Well, it gets chilly over here sometimes
It's a cold part of town
And it gets lonely over here sometimes
Cold part of town
And it gets lonely over here
Cold part of town
Cold part of town
(It's been awhile; can I still think about it?)
Cold part of town
(I know right where I am)
__________________________________________________
"Rain"

Rain
Thought I heard your footstep
Thought I heard the phone
Standing on the doorstep
Listening alone
And all I hear is
Rain
Thought I saw your headlight
Thought I heard your car
Shadows on the streetlights
Fogging up them more
And all I hear is rain
And things I tried to say

Tried as many times
This rain's
Falling from my eyes
These kinds of days
(I really miss you now)
Seasons have changed again
(I really miss you now)
I said your name
I wonder where you are
Watching the rain
And it makes me remember
Things I tried to say

Rain
Laughing at the window
Thought I saw your face
Only cloudy images
On my windowpane
And all I hear is rain
And things I tried to say
______________________________________________________
"Carry Me Away"

Today I went and bought myself a bottle
Like we used to do
Reminded me of you
Today I saw a train roll by the river,
Blowing off its steam,
Reminded me of me.
That's when I threw the bottle in the river.
That's when I started running for the train.
There's nothing that you need I can't deliver.
Carry me away,
Carry me away.

Make it seven-oh-nine California time
Whoever said it was a small world was either a liar or a fool
'Cause it's not true
And any promise we make is as easy to break
As the plastic people on a wedding cake
So says you
But you know, I do.

I hear you thinkin'
From far away
If you keep on lying and crying and trying and drinking,
I'm gonna carry me away,
Carry me away.

If you think about me
From far away,
I hope you find it with me or without me.
Carry me away (6x)
______________________________________________________
"Run Run Run"

You go crazy
You get tossed
You go running around
Just like you know you're gonna fall
He knows what you need, he
Knows how much, how much you want
Not familiar
Welcome in
Can't believe
That you let him introduce you as a friend
But you're always polite
In case you need him again
No not again
No not again

Can't believe the way I see
You run run run
Can't believe the way you bleed
When you run run run
Are you having fun?
Run run run

Hands are shaking
And your lips are cracked
You swore (that you swore) that you're never coming back
But it's one more time
It's only one more night
And once again you lost your fight
Fight, so fight a little harder

Can't believe the way you bleed
When you run run run
Can't believe the way you need
To run run run
Are you still as young as you started?
When you started to run?

Can't believe the way you need
To run run run
Can't believe the way you bleed
When you run run run
Are you having fun?
Run run run

Till you try (?)
______________________________________________________
"When You Smile" by Concrete Blonde

I dreamed last night I was born a hundred years ago
But when I woke up I was lost with only one place to go
When you smile, I don't know what to do
'Cause I could lose everything in a minute or two

It's not fair to put you against all the years behind me
But history kind of pales when you and you are aligned

When you smile, I don't know what to do
'Cause I could lose everything in a minute or two
And it seems like the end of the world
When you smile

Well there's never been a man who's been any more than bones in a sack
But it doesn't take much to hold the possibilities back

When you smile, I don't know what to do
'Cause I could lose everything in a minute or two
And it seems like the end of the world
When you smile

When you smile, I don't know what to do
'Cause I could lose everything in a minute or two
And it seems like the end of the world
Yes, it seems like the end of the world
Yes, it seems like the end of the world
When you smile
When you smile
When you smile
When you smile
______________________________________________________
"Little Conversations" by Concrete Blonde

The little conversation
Well, it's over very soon
And I watch in admiration
From my corner of the room

And they shine on you with starry eyes
And they rain a friendly storm
Like kids around a Christmas tree
And then you smile all nice and warm

These little conversations, if I try my very best
You know I never could say anything in twenty words or less
Somewhere sometime down the line
Someday I may confess
And tell you all, that's all

The little conversation
Well, on me they're very rough
They leave me all in pieces
You know there's never time enough

It's like a book with missing pages
A story incomplete
It's like a painting left unfinished
It feels like not enough to eat

Starving
You know these little conversations, well for me they'll never do
Now what am I supposed to do with broken sentences of you?

I'll stay in my corner 'cause that's all that I can do
Let the others speak [maybe "think"?] for me
Little conversations are we
Are we
Are we
______________________________________________________
"I Don't Need a Hero" by Concrete Blonde

You always said I was a liar
But we burn like a house on fire...
No matter what, you know that to be true.
And everything you gave to me
Changed everything I used to be
Much more than anyone I ever knew

And I don't need a hero
I don't need a soldier
I did when I was younger
But now that I am older
I don't need a father
I don't want to be your mother
It's just that any one of us is
Half without another one
Is you

And I haven't seen a rain in this city in so long

The dirty leaves are sailing
On a hot wind ocean
And the summer comes and summer goes
And always has and will
And something somewhere
That you said
Goes ricochet
All through my head
And flashing like a neon sign
The time stood still

Hours of forever. Coming all together
At the crossroads of a minute.
And you and me were in it
And I never saw it coming,
Never saw it fade away
Today, today, today.... Days and days

And still the whining of the wheels
Sounds closest to the way I feel and
Winter comes, and winter goes,
And always has and will
Another hour, another day, another year
You pissed away
Remember walking in the rain?
I'm walking there still.

Hours of forever. Coming all together
At the crossroads of a minute.
And you and me were in it
And I never saw it coming,
Never saw it fade away
Today, today, today.... Days and days

Like every heart to beat before
And every wave to kiss the shore
I'm not the first, I'm not the last...
And soon to be your past
But every morning, when the light
Comes creeping in around my eyes
Another future falls behind
The one I had I mind

And it's hours of forever, coming all together
At the crossroads of a minute.
And you and me were in it
And I never saw it coming,
Never saw it fade away
Today, today, today.... Days and days

The hours and the minutes and the years and the days
Forever, it seems like forever
It seems like today
______________________________________________________
"The Sky is a Poisonous Garden" by Concrete Blonde

The stars above
Shine down below
The fever you hold on
This night deathly cold
He can feel from his side of the door
He can feel Eleanor

He said, "Sun don't rise."
He said, "Sun don't shine."
He said, "Don't bring tomorrow
To justify tonight."
The moon is full and the stars are bright
And the sky is a poisonous garden tonight.

Sip your tequila. Give me some time
To unlearn all I've learned
For the spring to unwind
And then came your sweet, gentle mouth
I began to move mine.
They knew with the dawn
They knew with the day
They knew what they had
Would be young naked prey
And attacked from all sides
By a world filled with poison and hate

Out of this world
Out of this time
Out of control
They were out of their minds
The moon is full and the stars are bright
And the sky is a poisonous garden tonight.

Eleanor trembles, Eleanor moans.
Somehow, this body is someone
She always has known
She cries tears on his chest
Oh so silent and slow

She said, "Please don't go."
She said, "Please don't go..."
And she sighed and she died in his arms
And he cried nevermore
The moon is full and the stars are bright
And the sky is a poisonous garden tonight.
The sky is a poisonous garden tonight.
The sky is a poisonous garden tonight.
The sky is a poisonous garden tonight.
______________________________________________________
"The Beast" by Concrete Blonde

The prey of the beast
Screamed bloody murder
The line is so fine
Between hoping and hurting
Former believers they beg for release
As love looking down on them
Smiles and picks his teeth
Trapped in between heaven and hell
He knows all the secrets
And he don't want to tell
There's nowhere to run and there's
Nowhere to hide
Love knows you all too well
He will find you

Love is the ghost haunting your head
Love is the killer
You thought was your friend
Love is the creature
Who lives in the dark
Sneak up and stick you
And painfully pick you apart

Love is a poet, love sings the songs
Pointing his finger you follow along
Voices are calling,
The master wants out of you
Paws you and claws you, you try not to fall

Love is the leech, sucking you up
Love is a vampire, drunk on your blood
Love is the beast that will
Tear out your heart
Hungrily lick it and
Painfully pick it apart

Love is the leech, sucking you up
Love is a vampire, drunk on your blood
Love is the beast that will
Tear out your heart
Hungrily lick it and
Painfully pick it apart
Love is a ghost, haunting your head
Love is the killer you thought was your friend
(Love is the monster)
Love is the creature who lives in the dark
Sneak up and stick you
And painfully pick you apart
(Oh yeah) (2x)
______________________________________________________
"Walking in London" by Concrete Blonde

This deja vu feeling
I know quite well
This psychic confusion
Is living hell
A cosmic connection
With someone somewhere
Is coming from your direction
I swear
I swear

And I've been running all this time
And I'm running out of places to go
And I am oh so sick and tired of every face that I know
Everything I do,
Everything I say,
Everything in my head, every night, every day
I've been east, I've been west, I've been north, I've been south
I feel your arms, I hear your voice, I feel your hands, I kiss your nothing
I'm walking in London
And you are watching me walk
Talking Italian
And you are hearing me talk
Singing in Sydney
And you were sitting right there
Feeling you with me
Everywhere
Everywhere

Invisible touch
On the back of my neck
Fingerprints lingering
Warm breath
I'm either going insane
Or I'm a human wire
Receiving a signal
Desire
Desire!

And I've been running all this time
And I'm running out of places to go
And I am just so sick and tired of every face that I know
Everything I do,
Everything I say,
Everything in my head, every night, every day
I've been east, I've been west, I've been north, I've been south
I hear your voice, I see your face, I feel your hands, I kiss your nothing
I'm walking in London
And you are watching me walk
Talking Italian
And you are hearing me talk
Singing in Sydney
And you were sitting right there
And I'm feeling you with me
Everywhere
Everywhere

I've been east, I've been west, I've been north, I've been south
I've been east, I've been west, I've been north, I've been south
I've been east, I've been west, I've been north, I've been south
I feel your arms, I hear your voice, I see your hands, I kiss your nothing
I'm walking in London
And you are watching me walk
Talking Italian
And you are hearing me talk
Singing in Sydney
And you were sitting right there
And I am feeling you with me
Everywhere
Everywhere
______________________________________________________
"Bloodletting (the Vampire Song)"

There's a crack in the mirror and a bloodstain on the bed
There's a crack in the mirror and a bloodstain on the bed
Oh, you were a vampire and, baby, I'm the walking dead
Oh, you were a vampire and, baby, I'm the walking dead

{Refrain}
I got the ways and means to New Orleans
I'm going down by the river where it's warm and green
I'm gonna have a drink and walk around
I got a lot to think about
Oh yeah (4X)

There's a rocking chair by the window down the hall
I hear something there in the shadow down the hall
Oh, you were a vampire, and now I am nothing at all
Oh, you where a vampire, and now I am nothing at all

{Refrain}

They used to dance in the garden in the middle of the night
Dancing out in the garden in the middle of the night
Oh, you were a vampire, and I may never see the light
Oh, you were a vampire, and I may never see the light

I got the ways and means to New Orleans
I'm going down by the river where it's warm and green
I'm gonna have a drink and walk around
I got a lot to think about
I got the ways and means to New Orleans
I'm going down by the river where it's warm and green
I'm gonna have a drink and walk around
I got a lot to think about
(Oh yeah) (infinite X)
______________________________________________________
"100 Games of Solitaire"

I got a bag all packed
I got a ticket for the train
Mexico to New Orleans
And back again
I've got a bottle of tequila, baby,
Who needs friends?
I've got a bottle of tequila, baby,
Who needs friends?
I've got a hundred miles of desert
Got a head of fresh air
And I know 100 games of solitaire

I've got nothing to do
And I've got nothing to lose
I can go anywhere with anyone I choose
I've got a dog named "Lucky" and 100 dollars in my shoe
Yeah, and I'm on my way (on my way) from here to there
And I know 100 games of solitaire

Well, I don't know where I'll wind up tonight
Any place with a bar and a bathtub's all right
I've got a burning yearning
For some new sounds and smells and sights
And if I never see your face again
Well, I don't care
'Cause I know 100 games of solitaire

I know 100 games of solitaire
______________________________________________________
"Probably Will"

They say I may be crazy
I only say I've had my fill
They say I'll throw it all away
I probably will

They'll only give you what you're takin'
But lately I've been unfulfilled
They say I'll probably blow it off someday
I probably will

They way they talk about each other
The way they talk about themselves
Well, they could talk, talk, talk forever
And they probably will
You know they probably will

Now I'm not really bitter
You know I'm just a little chilled
They say that things can just get better
And they probably will

And they will only make us stronger
If they should try to keep us still
And we could rise and take it all someday
We probably will

They way they talk about each other
The way you talk about yourselves
Well, you can talk, talk, talk forever
And you probably will
You know you probably will
______________________________________________________
"Someday?"

Say it's been too hard
Say it's been too long
You say it's all too much
The girl has long been gone

Well, I thought you could
Yes, I thought you could
And you thought you could too

But it's a place in time
Where the years behind are piled up high
But nevermind...
It's time to crash and burn or fly.
And I thought you could
You know I thought you could
You know I thought you could too

Go to sleep now
Go on, dream away
Is it easy, easy babe?

And I hope
And I dream
And I pray
That sometime we'll find a way

Some say easy come
Some say easy go
Some say time flies by too fast
Some say it drags on all too slow

Well, I thought you could
You know I thought you could
And I thought I could too

But if you never find the heart to start all over again
Remember I was one who tried to be a friend to you
Well, I know I tried
Yeah you know I tried
And I know you tried too

Go to sleep now
Go on dream away
Is it easy, easy, babe?

And I hope and I dream and I pray
That sometime, we'll find a way

Go to sleep now
Go on dream away
Is it easy, easy, babe
And I hope and I dream and I pray
That sometime, we'll find a way
______________________________________________________
"One of My Kind"

If I go on a date with you
Will you get me to the party
Before it's too late
So I can watch all the evil in the room
Get up and dance while he's still fresh
And he's still all in love with his first date
You gotta let me know
'Cause I'd rather stay home than go

Shadows
Windows
Sorrow like an undertow
Clotheslines
Telephone lines....

It's a matter of time before they find me
I'm waiting for a sign from one of my kind
I'm waiting for the time to fall behind me
I'm waiting for a sign from one of my kind

Cat on a planet(?)
The stars in the sky
Dying and living and dying inside
Slipping off the wire and jumping off a ledge
I feel like dancing out over the edge
Weeping willow
Weeping on my pillow
Headlines
Deadlines

Wine, dine, do a line, nickel and dime me
I'm waiting for a sign from one of my kind
I'm waiting for the time to fall behind me
I'm waiting for a sign from one of my kind

Full blow,(?) mushroom
Soon we bloom from our cocoon
We go
So

I wonder how long until they find me
I'm waiting for a sign from one of my kind
It's a matter of time before they find me
I'm waiting for a sign from one of my kind
Waiting for a sign from one of my kind
I'm waiting for a sign from one of my kind
Waiting for a sign from one of my kind
Waiting for a sign from one of my kind
______________________________________________________
"Help Me"

Maybe it's just a phase
The days and the nights and the nights and days
And all the tossing and turning and churning and burning inside my brain
Or maybe I'm finally insane
But I don't know what I believe anymore
It's like I'm caught in some revolving door
Going over and over and over and over and

Teach me how to pray
Tell me what to say
Help me
Help me
Help me find my way

I never could play that game
You know that all their faces look the same
And I won't give up, won't give in
You know I never want to be like them
Well, I'm ticking away like time
You know I'm always sick and I'm out of my mind
You know I used to know a truth from a lie
Just by looking in their eyes

Carry me away
Farther and farther and farther every day
Help me
Help me
Help me find my way

I'm hanging by a thread
And the waves of confusion lay doubt on my head
And when I think of all the things you said
Well, the words fall down....

Higher every day
A pass I swore I'd never pay
Help me
Help me
Help me find my way
Help me find my way
______________________________________________________
"Scene of a Perfect Crime"

My eyes are jaded and complicated
Tired of the lies and the masquerading
Stealing our essence away
Like a thief in the night
Who took away our faith in what we know to be right?

That was another world then
That was another time
You can never go back to the scene of a perfect crime
Well, you can never go back to the scene of a perfect crime

Whatever became of the child I was
You know I never want to lose her
And I won't give her up
Now my heart is hard
And my skin is getting tougher and tougher

That was another world then
That was another time
You can never go back to the place where love is blind
Well, you can never go back to the scene of a perfect crime

Whatever became of our sweet, blind love
As long as we could be together it was more than enough
Now we're all grown up
And we need so much
And knew that the price would go up as such

That was another world then
That was another time
Well, you can never go back to the place where love is blind
Well, you can never go back to the place where love is blind
Well, you can never go back to the place where love is blind
(Oh, no no no)
You can never go back to the scene of a perfect crime