Heidegger in Harlem (alternate) (live)

(Transcribed from live version at Acoustic at the Metro in Oakland, 2004)

Heidegger in Harlem on a Sunday afternoon
Black paint streaming down his face
He’s trying to equalize the distortion in my room
People screaming “Unify the race”
He says it takes too long la da da
Too long I have heard, Stew
I want to thank you for pushing my cart along

There’s a soap box burning
There’s a preacher in the street
Black Left Christian on the way
The preacher says that Jesus danced to communist beats
He said “Remember how he spread the fish and bread around that day”

But it took too long la da da
He said it took too long
Long I have heard, Stew
I want to thank you for pushing my cart along

Now, Heidegger collapses in a soul food restaurant
The Sisters bring him cool lemonade
One of them reads aloud from a notebook by the plate
And says “I think this poor white boy’s about to fade”
Said it took too long la da da
It took too long
Long I have heard, Martin
But thank you for pushing my card along
Swing Low
Sweet Chariot
Coming for to to carry me home
Swing Low
Sweet Cadillac
Coming for to carry me home
But it took too long la da da
It took too long
I have heard Jesus
I want to thank you for pushing my cart along

Now the preacher’s wearing boxing gloves, the crowd is with him now
He’s punching out the demons of The State
Even Malcolm smiles–
Adjusts his tie in the book store window
He says take me home now, Preacher, I cannot wait

History clock
don’t make no tick-tock
It won’t tell the time,
So which watch should be mine
It won’t plant the seeds,
That whisper through the trees
And sway under this song
That pushes my cart along

William Holden is… (Ain’t no Suzy Wong)

William Holden is a soldier,
And Nixon will not send him home.
With every card game he gets older,
So when on leave
He needs to roam.

Don’t judge him by his desires.
The puppet wires,
are strong.

William Holden is a Bart rider
bound for Hong Kong or Seoul
William Holden holds a token and then he asks
‘does this train flow to Tokyo?’

In his nightmare she’s a vampire,
And an empire,
And a song
So he sings along
“But there ain’t no Suzie Wong.”
“There ain’t no Suzie Wong”

William Holden is a brush fire,
And only ghosts will walk him home
And in his horror movie quagmire,
The truth got stripped right to the bone

He never was much of a listener,
He needs a prisoner,
To go with his war.
Why don’t you come along?
There ain’t no Suzie Wong
There ain’t no Suzie Wong

Hans moved back to live in Hamburg.
He bought a wife,
Didn’t you know?
She does the unthinkable absurd:
She nails him to a pedestal

In his nightmare free of feeling
He is kneeling
At her throne

But she holds a cold revolver,
Her problem-solver,
It’s her chaperone
And you and I know this is not right
But after midnight
Your halo’s gone
One suitcase into the street hurled
And half of his world,
Is still Viet Cong
Why don’t you sing along?

There ain’t no Suzie Wong
no there ain’t no Suzie Wong
no there ain’t no Suzie Wong

Smudges (My Muddy Trailer Park CDs)

Candy, get out of the mud
Stupid newspeople put her through the third degree,
’cause she is just a bit too happy
Laughter and disaster you’ll see
Wiping smudges off my muddy trailer park CDs
CDs

Ask, me the question I love
How do I feel now my house is crumbling to the sea
And if I seem a bit too angry
This weather makes me too moody you’ll see
Wiping smudges off my muddy trailer park CDs
Wiping smudges off my muddy trailer park CDs

(ah ah ah ah)
(ah ah ah ah)
(la la la la)
(la la la la)
I see they’ve given up
They couldn’t find a story that was worthy of TV.
They’re shooting a cat stuck in a tree,
And suddenly a long shot of me:
Wiping smudges off my muddy trailer park,
Wiping smudges off my muddy trailer park,
Wiping smudges off my muddy trailer park CDs
CDs

Gary’s Song

Gary now I know I was wrong
I missed up
And now you’re gone

Gary I’m sorry I neglected you
Oh I never expected you to run away and leave me
Feeling this empty
Your "meow" right now would sound like music to me
Please come home ’cause I miss you Gary

Gary come home (Gary come home)
Gary come home (Gary come home)

Gary can’t you see I was blind?
I’ll do anything to change your mind
More than a pet you’re my best friend
Too cool to forget

Come back because we are family and
Forgive me for making you want to roam
And now my heart is beating like the saddest metronome
Somewhere I hope you’re reading
My latest three word poem

Gary come home (Gary come home)
Gary come home (Gary come home)
Gary come home (Gary come home)
Gary come home (Gary come home)
Oh
Gary come home
Gary come home
Gary won’t you come home?

Tags:

Bagdad Cafe

Loretta
Send a letter
From Bagdhad today
It seems her favorite pastry shop was blown away
She thanked Allah for the fact
No one was killed
But the owner is certain
He cannot rebuild

This was was where she and her friends would always meet
She loved the modern hustle of that ancient street
Long lazy afternoons with much to say
But now her favorite meeting place has gone away
There was always fresh gossip
Served with sweet tea
Oh they were dishing out drama (You know how they do)

With each pastry

They had that love, that intrigue
All the soap operas
Baby it was a vast array
But now her favorite Coffee Klatch is gone away

You know anytime she would get the blues she would walk inside
Five minutes later she’s healed
She’s feeling happy inside

You heard about that sweet tea and sympathy?
I know it seems unfair
Why did the girl’s coffee shop…
I mean why is it no longer there?

Now it’s time for Stew to sing about politics
But even this old ho,
Man I can’t turn that trick

Rage against coffee machines, go ahead
I’ll take that sweet black tea
And honey bread

Cause you know,
Sadness is so fucking common
It’s not worth a song
So let’s sing of happy happy happy things
Happy things the whole night long

Cause Loretta send a letter
From Bagdhad today
It seems her favorite pastry shop has been blown away
Thank God for sympathy
But it seems unfair
That her favorite coffee shop
Is no longer there
She had to thank Allah and Buddha and Jesus Thank you
That nobody one was killed

But the owner is certain
He cannot rebuild
But the owner is certain
The owner is certain

Tags:

Patron Saint of Mine

who’s that tapping on your window
way too late at night?
before you grab your gun
won’t you think twice
pull the curtain slowly
reveal night’s valentine
sing oh sweet patron saint of mine

I climb on through sweet midnight’s window
leave the cold behind
and sit down on your bed and drink red wine
observe me from a distance
I’m ugly and genuine

sing oh sweet patron saint of mine

now your boutique is so unique
I’m glad I stopped to browse
the poetry and colors you arouse
upon your neon divan
mild beyond divine

sing oh sweet patron saint of mine
(sing oh sweet patron saint of mine)

now you’ve got a wild philosophy
which you mightjust explain
providing I prove worthy of your time
the trail of tears and sunken hearts gets longer as it winds

sing oh sweet patron saint of mine
(sing oh sweet patron saint of mine)

mind the second pillow in that ancient chest-of-drawers
and romeo so gently to your shores

the radio plays beethoven
the groove is most sublime
sing oh sweet patron saint of mine
(sing oh sweet patron saint of mine)
sing oh sweet patron saint of mine
(sing oh sweet patron saint of mine)
sing oh sweet patron saint of mine
(sing oh sweet patron saint of mine)
sing oh sweet patron saint of mine
(sing oh sweet patron saint of mine)

now tell yourself I’m not the one
and fill me in this time
and read me like a book that changed your mind
a book you kept returening to long after the last line
sing oh sweet patron saint of mine
(sing oh sweet patron saint of mine)
sing oh sweet patron saint of mine
(sing oh sweet patron saint of mine)

Tags:

Amsterdam

she didn’t like the floor
and no locks on the bathroom doors
so she moved to a hotel
somewhere down in Amsterdam

well i don’t blame the fool
if I’dve had the cash I’d’ve done the same too
I’dve liked the hotel
somewhere down in Amsterdam

is nice
if you can find it
build a fire on the Rhine
if you can be
the boat the sleepless water blind

Tags:

The Instrument of Pain

a nightmare often masquerades as love out of a dream
monsters aren’t cut out for raising ladies’ self-esteem
battlescars and war stories galore
a frozen handful maybe

show-and-tell your brand new map of hell
and do remind us daily
that
love is not the enemy of life
no
love can give more freedom than it
takes if you’d like

in the bed or on the phone
at your front door when you’re alone
be haunted nightly

do you miss who came before
and is the wound still somewhat sore
do you feel it slightly?

well
love is not the enemy of life
no
love can give more freedom than it
takes if you’d like

singles bar and feathers and tar
last time she swears and grins and bears it into prince harming
it’s a temporary cure he’ll do i’m sure but what (endure)
it’s hardly alarming
love is not the enemy of life
no
love can give more freedom than it
takes if you’d like

love is not the enemy of life
love is not the enemy of life
no love can give more freedom than it
takes if you’d like
take if you’d like it to
take if you’d like
take if you’d like it to

love is not the instrument of pain
it’s your own mind
love is not the instrument of pain
it’s your own mind
the instrument of pain is your own mind

Tags:

Very Happy

Love won’t make you cry.
But even if it does,
Blame it all on your present state of mind.
Love won’t tell you lies.
But even if it does,
I guess that’s what you wanted all the time.

Well, I didn’t know that.
Now I know that.
This will make you very happy.
You didn’t show that.
Now I know that.
This will make you very happy.

Love won’t fly away.
But even if it does,
Call it Lesson One and change your mind.
Love won’t take its toll on you.
But even if it does,
I guess that’s what you wanted all the time.

Say, I didn’t know that.
Now I know that.
This will make you very happy.
I didn’t show that.
But I didn’t know that.
This will make you very happy.

Love won’t make you cry.
But even if it does,
Blame it all on your present state of mind.
Love won’t tell you lies.
But even if it does,
I guess that’s what you wanted all the time.

Well, I didn’t know that.
Now I know that.
This will make you very happy.
Well, I didn’t know that.
Now I know that.
This will make you very happy.
[etc.]

—-
(Transcription by Tony "Tablesaw" Delgado)
(This is a bonus track)

Tags:

The Teardrop Explodes

every now and then she needs a break from her routine
can’t blame her at all
wonder how and when she might forsake the inbetween
i’m not making the call yeah
inflatable mall accepts (her sullen lisle stare)
still looking for my mix tape of (just like lila caan it said)
aw yeah
she’s explaining it all yeah
she’s explaining it all yeah
she made the call
she’s explaining it all yeah
she’s explaining it all

mr mellencamp find me a hip small town that’s free of them serial rednecks and all yeah
with a riteous deadly arty bookstore
and chomsky speaking down at the veteran’s mall yeah
inflatable stonehenge through the bones quench openly
deputized hypnotized till i realized it was a story
aw
aw yeah
she’s explaining it all yeah
she’s explaining it all
aw
she made the call
she’s explaining it all yeah
she’s explaining it all
she’s explaining it all
she’s explaining it all
she’s explaining it all yeah
she’s explaining it all
she made the call
she’s explaining it all yeah
she’s explaining it all
she made the call
she’s explaining it all yeah
—-
from BlackBoot
—-
every now and then God needs a break from her routine
can’t bear it all yeah
i wonder how and when she might forsake the inbetween
i’m not making the call yeah
inflataable dolls
inflatable mall accepts (her sullen lisle stare)
still looking for my mix tape of (just like l.a.collusseum)
aw yeah
she’s explaining it all yeah
she’s explaining it all yeah
she made the call
she’s explaining it all yeah
she’s explaining it all

mr mellencamp find me a hip small town that’s free of them serial rednecks and all yeah
with a riteous deadly arty bookstore
and chomsky speaking down at the veteran’s mall yeah
inflatable stonehenge to the bones quencht openly
deputized hypnotized
till i realized it was a story
aw
aw yeah
she’s explaining it all yeah
she’s explaining it all
aw
she made the call
she’s explaining it all yeah
she’s explaining it all
she’s explaining it all
she’s explaining it all
she’s explaining it all yeah
she’s explaining it all
she made the call
she’s explaining it all yeah
she’s explaining it all
she made the call
she’s explaining it all yeah

Tags:
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2005/amsterdam/
    Amsterdam
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2005/bagdad-cafe/
    Bagdad Cafe
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2002/bermuda-love-triangle/
    Bermuda Love Triangle
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2002/bijou/
    Bijou
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2003/boomy-guitar-song/
    Boomy Guitar Song
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2002/cavity/
    Cavity
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2003/cold-parade/
    Cold Parade
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2004/essence/
    Essence
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2005/garys-song/
    Gary’s Song
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2002/giselle/
    Giselle
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2010/heidegger-in-harlem-alternate-live/
    Heidegger in Harlem (alternate) (live)
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2004/in-time-all-time/
    In Time All Time
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/1999/ken/
    Ken
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2003/lime-green-sweater/
    Lime Green Sweater
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2003/love-is-coming-through-the-door/
    Love Is Coming Through The Door
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/1999/mahnsanto/
    Mahnsanto
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2004/man-in-a-dress/
    Man In A Dress
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2003/miss-satan/
    Miss Satan
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2003/my-damn-butterfly/
    My Damn Butterfly
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2002/naked-dutch-painter/
    Naked Dutch Painter
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2002/north-bronx-french-marie-aka-punk-rock-t-shirt-melting/
    North Bronx French Marie aka Punk Rock T-Shirt Melting
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2005/patron-saint-of-mine/
    Patron Saint of Mine
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2002/re-hab/
    Re-Hab
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2004/reeling/
    Reeling
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2003/shes-really-daddy-feelgood/
    She’s Really Daddy Feelgood
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2002/single-woman-sitting/
    Single Woman Sitting
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2003/sister-mother/
    Sister/Mother
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2010/smudges-my-muddy-trailer-park-cds/
    Smudges (My Muddy Trailer Park CDs)
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2002/stepford-lives/
    Stepford Lives
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2002/the-drug-suite-i-mustve-been-high-im-not-on-a-drug-arlington-hill/
    The Drug Suite (I Must’ve Been High / I’m Not On a Drug / Arlington Hill)
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2004/the-instrument-of-pain/
    The Instrument of Pain
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2004/the-smile/
    The Smile
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2003/the-statue-song-indoors-again/
    The Statue Song (Indoors Again)
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2004/the-teardrop-explodes/
    The Teardrop Explodes
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2004/very-happy/
    Very Happy
  • https://fansite.artlung.com/stewtnp/2010/william-holden-is-aint-no-suzy-wong/
    William Holden is… (Ain’t no Suzy Wong)