IKE WILLIS “SHOULD’A GONE BEFORE I LEFT” (1987)
BIZNIS AS USUAL (4.55)
I didn’t know it was my conviction
To be the causing of all this friction
And then you say that I rob and steal you
But what you’re saying is that’s the real you
You may try but you may not stop me
You may shoot but you may not drop me
You’re the cause of all my troubles
And everybody real European
Cannot imagine the world I’m seein’
Can anybody whose mind is fair
Be so apart of the hatred there
It’s a start, but it’s just beginning
And there’s always a chance of winning
You’re the cause of all my troubles
Yes, you know that you’re on your way
People love everything you gotta say
You’re the king (you’re that thing)
You’re the king of all you survey
You think I’m some kinda dumeraisel?
I’m not here waiting for your appraisal
You think I’m here for career improvement
I think you’re thinking the wrong damn movement
You may try but you may not stop me
You can shoot but you may not drop me
You’re the cause of all my trouble
Yes, you know that you’re on your way
People love everything you gotta say
You’re the king (you’re that thing)
You’re the king of all you survey
I didn’t know it was my conviction
To be the causing of all this friction
And then you say that I rob and steal you
But what you’re saying is that’s the real you
SLEEPY (4.09)
I tell you: I love my girl
I’ll see you later
There’s too much that I can do
I got to go, no, I can’t stay here
I should not be here by you
Sleepy, I love you
They question me, and they try to see
How you’ve taken my mind away
See you later
See you later
The girls tell you that I’m a phoney
I can only do my share
And the times that you were cold n’ lonely
My overtures to you are fair
Sleepy, I love you
They question me, still it escapes me
How you’ve taken my mind away
See you later
I know
See you later
I do not want to control ya
I just want things to be real
And I don’t like those bad surprises
I especially don’t like asking “What’s the deal?”
It’s on your face, just can’t erase
How you’ve taken my mind away
See you later
I just don’t know
But I see you later
Sleepy
Sleepy
Sleepy...
MISS YOU WELL (5.35)
(Willis/Brackmann)
Talent lady/Life is all in disarray
Fashion plate dancer, trapped in a playhouse
which isn’t all a play
Mother, daddy/Left behind some time ago
Surrogate parents, they spoil you and they feed you
They’ll never let go
You’re gone, you had to go
Miss you well
What went wrong? Will we ever know?
We won’t tell
You say you love me/just because I understand
The problems that you’re facing
But I can’t make the commitment
It’s out of my hands
Infatuation is often a misleading thing
It’s just because you’re lonely
I’d stay with you/But only
Someone else pulls my string
You’re gone, you had to go
Miss you well
What went wrong? Will we ever know?
We won’t tell
You’re gone, you had to go
Miss you well
What went wrong? Will we ever know?
We won’t tell
If so, hope you’re happy now
I do care
Infatuation is often a misleading thing
It’s just because you’re lonely
I’d stay with you/But only
Someone else pulls my string
You’re gone, you had to go
Miss you well
What went wrong? Will we ever know?
We won’t tell
You’re gone, you had to go
Miss you well
What went wrong? Will we ever know?
We won’t tell
If so, hope you’re happy now
I do care
I do care
Who cares?
Who cares?
Who cares?
Who cares?
Who?
(VENTING THE) KRYPTON GAS (3.59)
(Willis/White)
The dancer danced/She did a spin/She disappears
Here we are again
Imaginery
Well, the boy meets world
Falls in love with same
Boy loses world/Here we go again/Imaginery
Venting the krypton gas
An inch narrow n’ a foot tall
You sure let him jingle his spurs out loud
Oh, the goold ol’ boys
Never meaning no mean at all
Yes, I went to school/Yeah, learned to read
Oh, but please don’t hold it against me
Love mercenary
If you boys’d had nerve enough to dust off a fiddle
You’d never know who to trust
Give a fool a gun
He’s still a fool
But a louder one
Yes, you know the rules
Venting the krypton gas
An inch narrow n’ a foot tall
You sure let him jingle his spurs out loud
Oh, the goold ol’ boys
Never meaning no mean
Oh, the goold ol’ boys
Never meaning no mean
Oh, the goold ol’ boys
Never meaning no mean at all
And the dancer danced
And she did a spin
And she disappears
Here we are again
Imaginery
Imaginery
Imaginery
BAD TIME (4.16)
You giving me such a bad time
Same old lie/say things getting better
It’s still heaven for you, but me
I’m still no better off and you’re no better
We talk the fear of the Black and White ride
Of dem who blow you away
The cop who hit with the stick me upside
And talk about how they stop I today/But I know
You giving me such a bad time
You giving me such a bad time
You giving me such a bad time
Yet you cause such a vicious tangle
Still a trying for separation
All the while I see ‘tis you you strangle
You always knock off your big boys quickly
Fire up every cold war scheme
You live by stereotype so sickly
Never know that this time is a dream
But I know
You giving me such a bad time
You giving me such a bad time
You giving me such a bad time
You giving me such a bad time
You giving me such a bad time
You giving me such a bad time
You giving me such a bad time
You giving me such a bad time
Same old lie/say things getting better
It’s still heaven for you, but me
I’m still no better off and you’re no better
We talk the fear of the Black and White ride
Of dem who blow you away
The cop who hit with the stick me upside
And talk about how they stop I today/But I know
You giving me such a bad time
You giving me such a bad time
THE FOREIGNER FROM BOSTON (4.49)
I’m known in certain circles as
The Foreigner from Boston
I’m not too pretty
Seen a lotta better days
My occupation is I find ‘em if you lost ‘em
So don’t you try to judge me
It’s semi-honest and it pays
My biggest problem as a musical creation
Like that cartoon conscience
That you know is gonna come
And, technically, since I’m a conscience-dumping-station
I get to ask the question
What exactly have you done?
I’m in a rush,
My journey through the Styx of Kansas
Godz save the Queen
There is no way that I could have planned this I?
No, I can’t understand
How these girls of such fame n’ fortune
Kidnapped at night/
It’s just like a newspaper cartoon Why?
Why?
Wonderman, or Cyndi – It’s so damn trendy
At least the heart is there
But the Richards and the Rogers – knucklehead dodgers
I’m sure that they don’t care
The leisure-suited ones have sent me on this deadly mission
To save the Queen (of all things) from the Iron Maiden’s clutch
This gig is Suicide and that’s just what they’re wishing –
‘Cause now I’m really threatening what I know’s
(for them) Too much
I just wish I could escape from all this silly ego
But it’s just not in my structure
Guess they made me much too well
But they don’t even realize what’s criminal or legal
The phone will ring and start the day’s
Excursion into hell
I’m in a rush,
My journey through the Styx of Kansas
Godz save the Queen
There is no way that I could have planned this I?
No, I can’t understand
How these girls of such fame n’ fortune
Kidnapped at night/
It’s just like a newspaper cartoon. Why?
Why?
Macho man or Mister – grab yer little sister
Just whirl her ‘round n’ dance
‘Cause the Foreigner is coming –
Why are you running?
You haven’t got a chance
I’m known in certain circles as
The Foreigner from Boston
I’m not too pretty
Seen a lotta better days
My occupation is I find ‘em if you lost ‘em
So don’t you try to judge me
It’s semi-honest and it pays
My biggest problem as a musical creation
Like that cartoon conscience
That you know is gonna come
And, technically, since I’m a conscience-dumping-station
I get to ask the question
What exactly have you done?
I’m in a rush,
My journey through the Styx of Kansas
Godz save the Queen
There is no way that I could have planned this I?
No, I can’t understand
How these girls of such fame n’ fortune
Kidnapped at night
It’s just like a newspaper cartoon. Why?
Why?
Macho man or Mister – grab that little sister
Just whirl her ‘round n’ dance
‘Cause the Foreigner is coming –
Why are you running?
You haven’t got a chance
Chance
Chance
Chance
DO/DON’T (4.56)
(Ike Willis/Wind Tunnel)
It’s another fine day in the world’s biggest one-horse town
Grown-up children at play in the kingdom of light and sound
It’s the start of the hour of the next greatest power-to-be
I’m that downtown contender, yeah –
You find exactly what you need in me
Hey, did you know you never did do this before
Let’s get away from here
Hey, did you know you never did do this before
Whatever you do/don’t fear
Hey, did you know you never did do this before
I thought you were having fun
Hey, did you know you never did do this before
What you do/don’t run, don’t run, don’t run
Yes, the bronze is so dirty on my
Statue in the square downtown
Once it shone like a hero’s helmet
It shone like a crown
You could call on your sister
Even call the little mister with the candy-kilo pound
But it’s been a little while
Since they all came up to smile
up at my statue in the square downtown
Hey, did you know you never did do this before
What will tomorrow bring?
Hey, did you know you never did do this before
It’s never a do/don’t thing
Hey, did you know you never did do this before
It’s simply a matter of
Hey, did you know you never did do this before
Whatever you do for love
Now I made a deal for my future
I was needlessly obscure
But I did not see the downside, yes
I got to go back on tour
First call session or jingle
Is that a deal, that allure?
Ev’rybody is building their statues
Is it a curse or cure?
Now I’m honored by money
Hey, my name is even carved in stone
They tell me I’m dug by the millions
Cool to the proverbial bone
Now my manager’s exiled
He just did not have the style
And one more time I’m on my own
From Porcaro to the Prine
Forever you will find
They all got statues in the square downtown
Hey, did you know you never did do this before
Let’s get away from here
Hey, did you know you never did do this before
Whatever you do/don’t fear
Hey, did you know you never did do this before
Thought you were having fun
Hey, did you know you never did do this before
What you do/don’t run, don’t run, don’t run
Yes, that bronze is so dirty on my
Statue in the square downtown
I’ve got my eye on that record guy
Chasin’ him all around town
Get the video rotation
To sweep the very nation
With the perfect platinum sound
I’m a musical magician, there is no competition
Another statue in the square downtown
Hey, did you know you never did do this before
Let’s get away from here
Hey, did you know you never did do this before
Whatever you do/don’t fear
Hey, did you know you never did do this before
I thought you were having fun
Hey, did you know you never did do this before
What you do/don’t run, don’t run
Hey, did you know you never did do this before
What will tomorrow bring?
Hey, did you know you never did do this before
It’s never a do/don’t thing
Hey, did you know you never did do this before
Simply a matter of
Hey, did you know you never did do this before
Whatever you do for love
Whatever you do for love, for love
Whatever you do for love, for love
Whatever you do for love
Whatever you do for love
Do for love
You do for love...
OUNCES O’ PREVENTION (4.36)
(Ike Willis/Wind Tunnel)
There you go again
Counting chicks before they hatch
You’re a snowball in hell
Lord, I… Lord, I aint’ got time for that
Girl, you bring me to me knees
Squeeze the blood out of a stone
Money still don’t grow on trees
An’ girl you done me wrong
Ounces o’ Prevention/Another pound o’ cure
After singing every cliche/ I still can’t be too sure
So tired of all the plastic/every single bad cliche
Now there’s drastic and there’s Drastic
But there are another ways
I’ll never write a song that says:
“Baby, baby, take my hand”
All this running in the night
You have got to understand
That I’ll never ever sing you
That this feeling is so right
Or “When you look at me, baby,
All we got is tonight”
Ounces o’ Prevention/Another pound o’ cure
After being with you, baby/I still can’t be too sure
Ah, the misguided contact/From your Pedestal of Steel
After all you’d care to mention/This program is for real
I tell you
Maybe – you must think that I’m crazy
‘Cause I don’t see you anymore
I tell you “Oh no! It must be – I say so!”
‘Cause I don’t see you anymore
I can’t see myself singin’/Y’know this night will last forever
When you look into my eyes/I can’t sing that stuff
No, never
But i know if I don’t do it/Somebody prob’ly will
They’ll be Billboard with a bullet
And I eat the bitter pill
I said that
Maybe – you must think that I’m crazy
‘Cause I don’t see you anymore
I tell you “Oh no! It must be – I say so!”
When I don’t feel you anymore
Ounces o’ Prevention/Another pound o’ cure
After being with you, baby/I still can’t be too sure
Oh, the misguided contact/From your Pedestal of Steel
After all you’d care to mention/This program is for real
After all you’d care to mention/This program is for real
After all you’d care to mention/This program is for real
FINE (4.13)
Forget what they’ve told you all these years so long
About how they’re so brave/And how they got big n’ strong
Fine, everything’s fine, that’s what you say/I know
Fine, everything’s fine, that’s what you tell me:
I know better/Guess I’m knowing what’s going on
Forget what they’ve told you all these years so long
About how they’re so brave/And how they got big n’ strong
Fine, everything’s fine, that’s what you say/I know
You talk about love/And all the time killing me
Amazing is your lack of humanity
Man, how can you stand/Related to where you are
Laugh, you senile ol’ fools/Whose power has gone too far
Fine, everything’s fine, that’s what you say/I know
How long can you feel/Too strong –
You took what you could steal
I know this kind of life’s no deal
The world burn, and the pace goes on/whose turn?
It’s happening in Iran/Concern– remember Lebanon?
Oh no!/The world stand still/Oh no – falling like Mr. Bill
Oh no!/That military field/Oh no! You got that rocket feel
Rocket feel
Third world all in flames/The future becomes the past
How long did they think/Their power would ever last
All political schemes/Will soon come to no avail
You’ll see what I mean/The people will still prevail
Fine, everything’s fine, that’s what you say/I know
Fine, everything’s fine, that’s what you tell me:
I know better/Guess I’m knowing what’s going on
Forget what they’ve told you all these years so long
About how they’re so brave/And how they got big n’ strong
Fine, everything’s fine, that’s what you say/I know
Fine, that’s what you say/I know
Fine, that’s what you say/I know
Fine, that’s what you say/I know
Fine, that’s what you say/I know
Fine, that’s what you say/I know…
THE HOLLOW EARTH (4.42)
Up in the arctic
In the year of nineteen hundred twenty-nine
An expedition
That would settle who would find the Pole this time –
Just what I’m seein’
While the folks back home think I’ve gone off my keel!
Ev’ry man agreeing
That enormous mammoth they all saw was real
He must have had too much/It just cannot be so
It must have been the cold that made his mind go
He must have had too much/It just cannot be so
It must have been the cold that made his mind go
Hey, where the hell are we?/An’ what the hell’s the latitude?
We can’t be seein’ this/So who’s the joker
‘Cause I ain’t no jokin’ mood
It’s s’posed to be freezin’/There ain’t a sign of ice in sight
And if you think it’s Siberia/You got another thought coming
Only one that must be right
It must be (well, I guess it must be)/I guess it must be
‘Cause I thought I heard Agharta crying out to me
It must be (well, I guess it must be)/I guess it must be
Still, I thought I heard Agharta crying out
To meet me
Crying out to me
Must be some reason
Why this compass acts so strange on top of earth
Can’t tell what season
It must be that place they call the Hollow Earth
The earth beneath your feet/The earth that surrounds you
The earth beneath your feet/The earth that’s around you
The earth beneath your feet/The earth that surrounds you
The earth beneath your feet/The earth that’s around you
The earth beneath your feet/The earth that surrounds you
The earth beneath your feet/The earth that’s around you
Walter – on your new TeeVee screen/Interrupted yer program
For what they call a very special bulleteen
A disk has landed in every nation, everyland
And this reporter’s opinion is/
Somebody over here has overplayed their hand
It must be (well, I guess it must be)/I guess it must be
‘Cause I thought I heard Agharta crying out to me
It must be (well, I guess it must be)/I guess it must be
Still, I thought I heard Agharta crying out,
Crying out
Crying out
Crying out
To meet me
The earth beneath your feet
The earth crying out
To meet me
The earth beneath your feet/The earth that surrounds you
The earth beneath your feet/The earth that’s around you
RESOLUTION (4.00)
