1. |
Love and You
03:32
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Love is nothing more than anger
channeled into something you think is more productive
And love is nothing more than fear
of being alone forever. I will be alone forever
And you changed no mind here.
You were nothing more than anger
made up into something you think is more seductive
And you were nothing more than tempting
like split second thoughts of jumping into traffic
You changed no mind no here
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2. |
Help Me, Maury
03:26
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Help me, Maury. I was born confused.
Help me, Maury, I was born alone
or so I thought until, so I thought until, so I thought until
The armies rise up, spears in the air
They're marching in rhythm, they're far from scared
Their armor is polished and there's a slight glare
Marching together, they're no longer scared of you
Hey Maury, we're no longer confused
We have healed after being used and
we have learned to use ourselves and
we have learned to march together
Hey Maury, we're uniting today
We've forgiven everyone in every way and
we have even forgiven ourselves for being born the way we were
The armies rise up, spears in the air
They're marching in rhythm, they're far from scared
Their armor is polished and there's a slight glare
Marching together, they're no longer scared of you
We have even forgiven ourselves for being born the way we were
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3. |
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There's a man working hard to make you a new heart
You send him weekly checks to his factory downtown
He's working overtime on your family's dime
To make sure that it beats right and fits inside your cavity
When the day finally comes, you take your husband and son
And drive the station wagon to the envelope's address
But there is no factory - just an empty mailbox
And notice of eviction on brightly colored paper
And you say "curse the day I ever learned to trust you
and curse the day I ever learned to need."
Time won't heal shit.
Time won't heal shit.
Time won't heal shit.
You broke down, you cursed the day
(Time won't heal shit)
You should have done it yourself
(Time won't heal shit)
If you had wanted it done right
(Time won't heal shit)
You should have done it yourself
(Time won't heal shit)
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4. |
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Even though we ought to do it right
We don't and we smile and we laugh about it
Even though we ought to spend the night
We drink and sneak out and bathe in the street lights
You are my par
No hole in one
And that's perfect
I still have won
Those lists, I've burned
Quit adding points
For thoughts and words
and limber joints
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5. |
Skinny Legs and All
03:34
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Shut up and watch the young girl dance
succumb to her belly dance trance
You've been searching far too long for truth
in a homemade airstream turkey
Your husband's gone with your silverware
They're in a better place, yeah, it's holy there
A more violent place, it's true
But what can you expect from Jerusalem?
When all is said and done, we made it all up
All the wars and blood, we made it all up
Religion is blasphemy. I finally see
The seventh veil fall and now my mind is free
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6. |
Sincerity
04:03
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Start in the middle, work your way out out out
Space getting dark. Soon it will be solid solid.
Those P's and B's stand no chance now
Big R's, little e's, yeah this wasn't easy easy
Nod your head
Start on the outside, work your way in in in
Some say it's too late. You've said nothing yet yet yet.
Don't say it's fine. Don't say it's serious.
Don't break the silence with your pointlessness.
Nod your head, nod your head.
You aren't listening.
Nod your head, nod your head.
No, you weren't thinking.
It's too late to start. It's too early to stop.
You are full of mind-blowing questions.
It's too late to start. It's too early to stop.
All those plagiarized, mind-blowing questions.
Nod your head, nod your head.
You aren't listening.
Nod your head, nod your head.
No you weren't thinking
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7. |
Trains
03:04
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I wish I could promise to be here forever
I wish I could promise a siamese life
But I just can't lie to you, wonderful friend of mine
I just can't tell you it will be all right
one, two, three, four
We'll just ride the train some more to
connect your town to mine
five, six, seven, eight
It's so hard to anticipate the
changes that will leave us far apart
Your digits tattooed on my hand as
we drive opposite directions
Please don't forget me
Your photos on my laptop hard drive
Your voice singing rounds with mine
Please don't forget me
one, two, three, four
We'll just ride the train some more to
connect your town to mine
five, six, seven, eight
It's so hard to anticipate the
changes that will leave us far apart
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8. |
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Hello dear. I'm up.
Hello. Let's start strong.
It's bright out, I know.
Get your glasses on.
You make me want to stay. Hey hey.
Fight to the death.
Dance til the dawn.
Jazzercise class
replaces slow songs.
You make me want to stay. Hey hey.
Things won't always be so lonely
Let's enjoy this while we can
Make your bed and meet me later
In the bingo room at ten
Grab your walker, let's start rolling
There's a cab waiting outside
All our friends, they may be gone now
But we've still got you and I
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9. |
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Dear I've learned to love your cheek bones
and the way they protrude from your face
But you have learned to hate them. Sad,
we never could agree on our disgrace
And I have learned to love the way your
hair falls as the wind blows it from your ears
And I have even learned to love the
days when you were all frowns these three years
The world got beautiful for you, got beautiful for you
With summer shorts and shoes, picnics at the zoo
And all you have to do is
Do you notice all the people
staring at the warthog staring at the sun?
It seems strange to a girl in glasses
why the glare would appeal to anyone
Things won't always be so perfect
if you never let the battles end
But I swear if you take two steps back
You will see the sun shining with me, friend
The world got beautiful for you, got beautiful for you
With summer shorts and shoes, picnics at the zoo
And all you have to do is look
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10. |
They'll Never Catch Me
05:07
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Urge me, pushing. Yes I get the message.
I can't push back hard enough to change the way things are.
You haven't said a word I understand since "Hello."
Nothing keeps you here. Chains dissolve like your sins.
God, let me in.
And she shouts "They'll never catch me. I am finally free."
And she shouts "I am finally free"
Wind around the wings is dying slowly.
Walkways clogged with things to get you through the night,
through the night.
Attendants laugh at the pilot's jokes as you think of birthdays
and past warm kisses.
God, let me in.
Millions and millions and millions and millions and millions,
millions and millions of waves collide.
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11. |
Even When It Snows
04:11
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Houses in the country all go boom
and implode from your room as I wait outside
Everyone we know is on the street
watching with bare feet. It's ten degrees below.
Even when it snows they can smell the fertilizer burning on our stove.
Even when it snows we can see the ashes of the homes we used to know.
Mama used to tell us of her dreams
of cows and tire swings, and summers without drought
Now there are just men without their teeth
and other ugly things. Cow shit and grey clouds.
Even when it snows they can smell the fertilizer burning on our stove.
Even when it snows we can see the ashes of the homes we used to know.
He said "one more time and I'm taking the pot off.
One more time and I'm shutting them down.
Daddy can't lose another job and
Mama can't get her face stuck in a frown.
One more time and I'm taking the over mitt,
throwing it out of the back door.
One more time, I swear little sister,
Daddy won't get high anymore."
Houses in the country all go boom
and implode from your room as I wait outside
Everyone we know is on the street
watching with bare feet. It's ten degrees below.
Even when it snows they can smell the fertilizer burning on our stove.
Even when it snows we can see the ashes of the homes we used to know
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12. |
Manuals for VCRs
02:58
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They say it might be more than me
that killed that girl out on the street
They say my brain made me violent
by glowing in different ways
They told me I should go to sleep
So they can watch just how I dream
They hooked me to wires to see
Just whether I'm to blame
I pray I'm not a robot
When I close my eyes at night
I pray I'm not a robot
When I close my eyes at night
I've read books on psychology
That tell me just how people think
like manuals to VCR's
or other machinery
They claim they found what causes hate
They plan to get rid of it
But tell me. When did people become so damn predictable?
I pray I'm not a robot
when I close my eyes at night
I pray I'm not a robot
when I close my eyes at night
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13. |
Sundry
04:01
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Life has handed us lemons
Life has handed us much worse
But with both, we're expected
to make something that works
Times when words can't find ways out
Of our paralyzed mouths
are met with stiff optimism
that we'll make it out somehow
Much worse makes hearts hurt
Hurt hearts make wet shirts
But I'll keep walking 'til
you find a place to sundry
Much worse makes hearts hurt
Hurt hearts make wet shirts
But I'll keep walking 'til
you find a place to sundry
If I make it out of here
I'll know that you were my wings
If I make it out of here
I'll lose my voice as I sing
If I make it out of here
I'll know that you were my wings
If I make it out of here
I'll lose my voice as I sing
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Jes Kramer Grand Rapids, Michigan
Jes Kramer is a one-woman band from Grand Rapids, MI. Using a combination of keyboards, guitar, vocals, and a loop pedal, she weaves her songs layer by layer into something incredibly personal, yet comforting. WYCE named her Outstanding Female Performer of the Year at the 2012 Jammies. ... more
Jes Kramer recommends:
Can You Feel My Heart Beating?
by Radiator Hospital
Heart-wrenching songs from former-GR bud Sam Cook-Parrott.
go to album
Haunting singer-songwriter from Kalamazoo/GR, doing something no one else is doing.
go to album
My favorite album of 2018. Easily.
go to albumIf you like Jes Kramer, you may also like:
Bystander (Deluxe Digital Edition)
by Johanna Samuels
The LA-based folk singer reconciles with her past and looks to the future on her new album.
go to album
Scottish singer-songwriter shares poignant lessons on time and relationships against a sweeping folk backdrop studded with field recordings.
go to album
Air Waves brings deep focus and a pop sensibility to a new LP, which features guest collaborators like Cass Mccombs and Merce Lemon.
go to album
