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A Jackknife To A Swan

by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones

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1.
Shortly after Evelyn was doused with gasoline And just a few miles off the avenue A lighter flashed into a puff of smoke For thirty years Walter worked right there Five days out of every week That's where he watched his hometown fade The last came fast and furious Just step in one direction Stutter step for one split second Faster through the intersection A jackknife to a swan and he was gone When Walter's shift was over He'd head out to catch the red line home Two stops away his family slept He'd be there when they got out of bed Destination subway station Someone yelled so he looked back Five guys were heading his way He ran to catch that last train home Just step in one direction Stutter step for one split second Faster through the intersection A jackknife to a swan and he was gone Oh Walter ran and did they kill Evelyn? He had his token in his hand But he jumped over the turnstile And he ran down the platform They were hot on his heels An outbound was bearing down on him Walter jumped in front of it ( Just step in one direction Stutter step for one split second Faster through the intersection A jackknife to a swan and he was gone [x2] )
2.
Mr. Moran 03:04
I was under the boss when they made him And I was made a short time after that I was under oath when I testified I'm under government protection Now they're calling me a rat Mr. Moran, that's who I am Some call me Sal, some call me Sam Some call me when they're in a jam Cause I'm the man, I'm Mr. Moran I eat punks like you, I do for breakfast You're just a bowl of cereal to me I might be from deep in the heart of Texas Or maybe I'm from New York Make that Knoxville, Tennessee Mr. Moran, that's who I am Some call me Sal, some call me Sam Some call me when they're in a jam Cause I'm the man, I'm Mr. Moran They will motherfuck me in a heartbeat But first they've got to find me to do that I've been selling ecstasy in Arizona Under government protection Now who's a fuckin' rat? ( Mr. Moran, that's who I am Some call me Sal, some call me Sam Some call me when they're in a jam Cause I'm the man, I'm Mr. Moran [x2] ) I'm the man, I'm Mr. Moran [x2]
3.
I hadn't heard a word from you in how long You just dropped off the face You disappeared without a trace And no one knew what you were up to Or where your whereabouts were Or if you were alive That's why your call to me surprised me It came out of the blue You told me when you would be arriving And there was nothing I could do I just assumed you wouldn't stay long And I was wrong it's nearly near a year And you're still here You gotta go, it's time for you to leave You've worn out your welcome It's time for you to go I said that for a few days you could crash At my place then I lent you A substantial chunk of cash Until you found employment A job that's not beneath you That never happened I wish I knew What I now do I'd be far away from You gotta go, it's time for you to leave You've worn out your welcome It's time for you to go somehwere else I've had it I just can't take no more You need to wake up And get your drunk ass off the floor You lost my cat and broke my TV I can't use my couch till well past 3 So pack your bags, there's the door You gotta go, it's time for you to leave You've worn out your welcome It's time for you to go somewhere else You gotta go and this is not your address You've worn out my patience It's time for you to go, somewhere else You gotta go somewhere else [x2] You gotta go
4.
Everybody's better than I am I think everybody's better than me And everybody's swell I guess They're doing well some more or less Everybody's better than I am I think You know to be king you don't need a castle To row back to shore can sure be a hassle Why you walk around with your head low down Everybody's acting like I don't matter Everybody's into the act Too many of them to avoid It could be that I'm paranoid I matter as a matter of fact And you know to be king you don't need a castle To row back to shore can sure be a hassle Why you walk around with your head low down The true king rules without a crown If your boat's afloat after the typhoon Row it safely back to the lagoon And nevermind the green grass you won't mow Or what it is you have or don't to show Or what it is you can or can't afford The good are good without reward You know to be king you don't need a castle To row back to shore can sure be a hassle Why you walk around with your head low down Everybody's better than I am I think everybody's better than me And everybody's swell I guess They're doing well some more or less Everybody's better than I am I think Everybody's acting like I don't matter Everybody's into the act Too many of them to avoid It could be that I'm paranoid I matter as a matter of fact And you know to be king you don't need a castle No no! No No! No no no no To row back to shore can sure be a hassle You know to be king you don't need a castle
5.
Sugar Free 02:44
They'll talk about it after dinner over after dinner drinks Then tie it to the car's antenna and pray the sinking feeling shrinks And if they make it to see monkey time it's difficult without a spine Like the yellow bellied jelly fish, they'll try to sneak back into line Erase it from all recall, clear it like the dinner plates It was autumn was it ever fall, could you tell me what this illustrates And you know me They're gonna raise it or they'll post it while they're lowering the boom To paraphrase you're getting closer, might meet me in the dining room I'll try going easy on you and try not to leave a scar Well oh all right I'm sorry but not as sorry as you are Erase it from all recall and clear it like the dinner plates It was autumn was it ever fall, could you tell me what this illustrates And you know me- I'm sugar free It's the candy-coated soft shoe in the land of sponge cake men That whine and dine on gingerbread then they're passed out in the den Erase it from all recall, clear it like the dinner plates It was autumn was it ever fall, could you tell me what this illustrates And you know me I'm sugar free
6.
Up around 95, sailing down Storrow Drive Left exit into Kenmore Square Slowed down when I got there And that's when it was crystal clear It wasn't there, it wasn't where I left it, when I left it I want my city back Back the way it used to be I want it back the way it was I looked around and found This doesn't feel like my hometown And I don't like the way it does Stepped out to take a closer look Held in with every step I took The sadness I felt just to look around I looked up to the Citgo Sign You used to be a friend of mine Do you agree with me at one time This was once such sacred ground I want my city back Back the way it used to be I want it back the way it was I looked around and found This doesn't feel like my hometown And I don't like the way it does feel, feel How should I feel when the place Where I first learned I could feel Is no longer where I left it When I left it not so long ago How should I feel? [x3] Well I don't know ( I want my city back Back the way it used to be I want it back the way it was I looked around and found This doesn't feel like my hometown And I don't like the way it does feel [x2] )
7.
Outside the sun rose you stayed inside You kept your eyes closed And pulled down the shades On your windows You decided to hideout from the sunlight It's too bright and it just doesn't sit right With the way you're feeling today You're cloudy and gray OK now you'll take today To try and chase it away Hey! You're chasing the sun away Hey! You're chasing the sun How could the sun come out after the night She walked away from what you thought Was true love and how come There isn't barrels of rain on the day after The night she said "there's someone else" How come, could someone explain Where is the rain? Rain, send barrels of rain To coincide with the pain Hey! You're chasing the sun away [x3] Hey! You're chasing the sun Hey! Hey! Hey! Chase it away Outside the sun rose you stayed inside You kept your eyes closed And pulled down the shades On your windows You decided to hideout from the sunlight It's too bright and it just doesn't sit right With the way you're feeling today You're cloudy and gray Hey! You're chasing the sun away [x3] Hey! You're chasing the sun
8.
This won't be so hard to follow You must replace your common sense And then you won't find it's hard to swallow Its been based on real events You can only hear what you want to hear They're wide awake and they're well aware That they made you a promise that they won't keep They're wide awake they can't afford to go to sleep With no remorse or self respect The course of course is the least direct They choose to confuse a resource they'll use Well if they don't win they still won't lose A red cent or one thin dime Been banking yours and been banking mine They say this is the way that its always been They may let you in but they'll never let you win No way, no how, no You can't win, no you'll never win No how, no way, they Might let you in, but they'll never let you win They'll never let you win What now please a word here to the wise You'll need to read between the lines You've got to dot your t's and cross your eyes Cross your fingers when the print is fine What you've got to do is stay one step ahead They're wide awake while you're still in bed They count the money while you count the sheep They're wide awake they can't afford to go to sleep ( No way! No way, no how, no You can't win, no you'll never win No how, no way, they Might let you in, but they'll never let you win They'll never let you win [x2] ) ( No way, no how, no You can't win, no you'll never win No how, no way, they Might let you in, but they'll never let you win They'll never let you win [x2] ) Might let you in, but they'll never let you win [x4]
9.
Bring in the skins with the pins and the patches on their flights The rovers with the clovers who've spent far too many nights Out with us till closing time we hope we're not imposing on you Get the crew together- it's the old school off the bright Flush the boys out of Dot we're gonna need them there And tell the trouble-makers that hang out in Harvard Square We need every able asshole every asshole you can spare We're going off the bright invite them to this fine affair Tell the Irish in Southie and the South End Puerto Ricans The North End Italians and the wind bags up on Beacon Hill There will be no tomorrow, it's going down tonight So get the crew together- it's the old school off the bright We want the punks, the drunks the lay abouts the steady working joes The white collars, the rednecks and our blue blooded bros The jocks, the preps, the stoners, the homeless, and homeowners Every loser, boozer, drug abuser, sharpie and Two-Toner We'll take the jills and bring on the jacks From Forrest Hills all the way to Father Mac's The rude girls and the rudies, don't fail it's your duty Cause tonight will be the night So get the crew together It's the old school off the bright [x3] Get the crew together It's the old school off the bright
10.
Sometimes, sometimes you've got to be the punch line Well and sometimes, sometimes you get to tell the joke There's no difference on the end that you end up on I've got a preference I'll defend right, right over wrong I won't wait till they say when Or wait for them to tell me when I can Why would I wait for them If I waited for them then I'd be no different than them And I'm so certain that I am Someone, someone will try to be the hammer And someone, somebody ends up as the nail Who cares what end you end up on Hammers break and nails bend I'll still take right, right over wrong And that's what I'll defend That's what I'm defending I won't wait till they say when Or wait for them to tell me when I can Why would I wait for them If I waited for them then I'd be no different than them And I'm so certain that I am I won't wait till they say when Or wait for them to tell me when I can Why would I wait for them If I waited for them then I'd be no different than them And I'm so certain that I am Sometimes you've got to be the punch line Sometimes you get to tell the joke
11.
Go Big 02:52
Do you wanna go big? Do you wanna go back? Do you wanna get way ahead of yourself With your integrity intact? Do you wanna go on? Do you wanna go out? Kicking and screaming while they drag you Will you let them bind and gag you? Do you wanna go big or not? Give it one more great big shot Do you wanna just give in Or give it everything we've got? Do you wanna go big? Do you wanna go home? Where it is safe and it is sound And where the safe and sound are found Do you wanna go there? That's nowhere Or do you wanna just go at it? Are you telling me you've had it? Put on your big boy pants Tighten your grip and adjust your stance You may have messed around And missed your chance You've got a safety chord You've got the luxuries most can't afford You may be grateful or faithful Or jump when you're bored Maybe I am losing my mind Maybe I'm not and maybe I'm fine Maybe I do, or don't give a damn Maybe I'm not but maybe I am Do you wanna go big Do you wanna go big or not? This might be our final shot Do you wanna just give in Or give it everything we've got? Do you wanna go big? Do you wanna go home? Where it is safe and it is sound But I won't be around Maybe I am losing my mind Maybe I'm not, and maybe I'm fine Maybe I do, or don't give a damn Maybe I'm not, but maybe I am And maybe I'm scared when baby's not here Maybe it's not a legitimate fear Maybe it doesn't need to be shared Maybe it does, and baby I'm scared Maybe I am losing my touch And maybe I miss my baby too much Maybe I can't hear her, baby when I'm near her Maybe I can't, but maybe I can And maybe my past has made me this way Maybe it'll last, or maybe it'll go away Maybe I'm losing my mind Maybe I'm not, and maybe I'm fine
12.
Check the new car out in the mirror Here comes the fastest man in the traffic jam A major road rager with a bone to pick I'll take another quick look and I'm over it Right you're richer now weren't you happier When you were shit out of luck You've got so much but you've forgotten It's more fun when you don't give a fuck Tear it down to the ground A lot of kids grew up in there You put it up and then you made a ton Well aren't you the lucky one Right you're richer now weren't you happier When you were shit out of luck You've got so much but you've forgotten It's more fun when you don't give a fuck Check the new car out in the mirror Here comes the fastest man in the traffic jam A major road rager with a bone to pick I'll take another quick look and I'm over it Tear it down to the ground A lot of kids grew up in there You put it up and you made a ton Well aren't you the lucky one Right you're richer now weren't you happier When you were shit out of luck You've got so much but you've forgotten It's more fun when you don't give a fuck [x2] ( Right you're richer now weren't you happier When you were shit out of luck You've got so much but you've forgotten It's more fun when you don't give a fuck [x3] ) Right you're richer now weren't you happier [x2] ( Right you're richer now weren't you happier When you were shit out of luck You've got so much but you've forgotten It's more fun when you don't give a fuck [x2] )
13.
Seven ways to Sunday Seven separate ways to Sunday But he did not know which one would save him So he had to try every code and combination On the road to his salvation There were no two ways about it He had seven ways to try With seven ways to test He vowed that he would not rest And there was nothing up above So he put everything aside He had so much invested He probably should have rested Seven ways he swore that every last one would be tried What he was looking for is not much more Than what we all are looking for But nowadays it seems like there is precious little of He looked high and he looked low And there was nothing up above He had to try all seven So he tried them to high-heaven From one end to the other And then he turned around He was thoroughly exhausted And his faith had been accosted He tried seven ways and wondered Why it was he hadn't found What he was looking for is not much more Then what we all are looking for But nowadays it seems like there is precious little of Desperate and alone He turned over every stone He tried seven ways to Sunday He was looking for love He looked high and he looked low And there was nothing up above He'd been told where he could go What he was looking for was love He looked high and he looked low And there was nothing up above He looked high and he looked low And there was nothing up above He was told where he could go What he was looking for is not much more Then what we all are looking for And nowadays it seems like there is precious little of Desperate and alone he turned over every stone He tried seven ways to Sunday he was looking for love He looked high and he looked low And there was nothing up above And he'd been told where he could go What he was looking for was love [x5]

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released July 9, 2002

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