Songs:


Teen Age Riot


[Kim]
You're it
No, you're it
Hey, you're really it
You're it
No I mean it, you're it

Say it
Don't spray it
Spirit desire (face me)
Spirit desire (don't displace me)
Spirit desire
We will fall

Miss me
Don't dismiss me

Spirit desire

Spirit desire [x3]
We will fall
Spirit desire
We will fall
Spirit desire [x3]
We will fall
Spirit desire
We will fall

[Thurston]
Everybody's talking 'bout the stormy weather
And what's a man do to but work out whether it's true?
Looking for a man with a focus and a temper
Who can open up a map and see between one and two

Time to get it
Before you let it
Get to you

Here he comes now
Stick to your guns
And let him through

Everybody's coming from the winter vacation
Taking in the sun in a exaltation to you
You come running in on platform shoes
With Marshall stacks
To at least just give us a clue
Ah, here it comes
I know it's someone I knew

Teenage riot in a public station
Gonna fight and tear it up in a hypernation for you

Now I see it
I think I'll leave it out of the way
Now I come near you
And it's not clear why you fade away

Looking for a ride to your secret location
Where the kids are setting up a free-speed nation, for you
Got a foghorn and a drum and a hammer that's rockin'
And a cord and a pedal and a lock, that'll do me for now

It better work out
I hope it works out my way
'Cause it's getting kind of quiet in my city's head
Takes a teen age riot to get me out of bed right now

You better look it
We're gonna shake it
Up to him

He acts the hero
We paint a zero
On his hand

We know it's down
We know it's bound too loose
Everybody's sound is round it
Everybody wants to be proud to choose
So who's to take the blame for the stormy weather
You're never gonna stop all the teenage leather and booze

It's time to go round
A one man showdown
Teach us how to fail

We're off the streets now
And back on the road
On the riot trail
Source: _Sonic Life_ biography and the original recordings.

Transcribed: Hans van Dok with Casper Hulshof and Rob Vaughn.

Corrections: Chris L., Rob Vaughn, and Sean C. Duncan.


Silver Rocket


[Thurston]
Snake in it
Jack into the wall
TV amp on fire
Blowin' in the hall
Gun your sled
Close your peeping toms
Turbo organizer
Crankin' on the knob

You got it
Yeah, ride the silver rocket
Can't stop it
Burnin' a hole in your pocket

Hit the power
Psycho helmets on
You got to splice your halo
Take it to a moon
Nymphoid clamor
Fuelling up the hammer
You got to fake out the robot
And pulse up the zoom

You got it
Yeah, ride the silver rocket
Can't stop it
Burnin' a hole in your pocket

Can't forget the flashing
Can't forget the smashing
The sending and the bending
The atmosphere re-entry
You gotta have the time
Got a letter in your mind
Gotta heart injection
That you got yourself a line

You got it
Yeah, ride the silver rocket
Can't stop it
Burnin' a hole in your pocket
Source: _Sonic Life_ biography and the original recordings.

Transcribed: Rob Vaughn.

Corrections: Sean Duncan and Rob Vaughn.


The Sprawl


[Kim]
To the extent that I wear skirts and cheap nylon slips
I've gone native
I wanted to know the exact dimensions of hell
Does this sound simple?
Fuck you!  Are you for sale?
Does "fuck you" sound simple enough?
This was the only part that turned me on
But he was candy all over

Come on down to the store
You can buy some more, and more, and more, and more
You can buy some more, and more, and more, and more
You can buy some more, and more, and more, and more
You can buy some more, and more, and more, and more

I grew up in a shotgun row
Sliding down the hill
Out front were the big machines
Steel and rusty now, I guess
Out back was the river
And that big sign down the road
That's where it all started

Come on down to the store
You can buy some more, and more, and more, and more
Come on down to the store
You can buy some more, and more, and more, and more
Come on down to the store
You can buy some more, and more, and more, and more
You can buy some more, more, more, more
Source: _Sonic Life_ biography and the original recordings.

Transcribed: Rob Vaughn.

Corrections: Rob Vaughn.


'Cross The Breeze


[Kim]
Let's go walking on the water
[Come a harder way please?]
I wanna know
Should I stay or go?

No need to be scared
Let's jump into the day
I wanna know
I think I oughta go

Close your eyes and make believe
You can do whatever you please
I wanna know
I think I better go

Let's go walkin on water
Now you think I'm Satan's daughter
I wanna know
Please let me go!

Cut me to the quick
Now I think I'm gonna be sick
I wanna know
Should I stay or go?

I'm [trying?] for the future
It's funny that way
I wanna know
I wanna know!

I took a look into the hate
It made me feel very up to date
I wanna know
Should I stay or go?

Hold me tight, down on my knees
So I don't go burning 'cross the breeze
I wanna know
I wanna know!

I wanna know
Should I stay or go?

Burning 'cross the breeze 
Burning 'cross the breeze
Blowing 'cross the breze
Source: interpreted from original recordings.

Transcribed: Andrew Yates and Hans van Dok with Casper Hulshof.

Corrections: Sean Duncan and Rob Vaughn.


Eric's Trip


[Lee]
{Whispered: Achooooo Braaaaancafest}
I can't see anything at all
All I see is me
That's clear enough, that's what's important
To see me

My eyes can focus, my brain is talking
It looks pretty good to me
My head's on straight, my girlfriend's beautiful
It looks pretty good to me

Sometimes I speak
Tonight there's nothing to say
Sometimes we freak
And laugh all day

Hold these pages up to the light
See the jackknife inside of the dream
A railroad runs through the record stores at night
Coming in for the deep freeze

Mary: a simple word, are you there in the cold country?
Your eyes so full, your head so tight
Can't you hear me?
Remember our talk
That day on the phone
I said I was the door, and you were the station
With shattered glass, and miles between us
We still flew away in the conversation

My cup is full, and I feel okay
The world is dull, but not today

She thinks she's a goddess
She says she talks to the spirits
I wonder if she can talk to herself?
If she can bear to hear it?

This is Eric's trip
We've all come to watch him slip
He's slipping all the way to Texas
Can you dig it?

(Eric says "The sky is blue...")
I see with a glass eye
The pavement view
A shadow forming, across fields rushing
Through me to you

We tear down our the world, and put up four walls
I breathe in the myth
I'm over the city, fucking the future
I'm high and inside your kiss

We can't see clear
But what we see is alright
We make up what we can't hear
Then we sing all night

Shattered pages and shattered lights
See the jackknife; see the dream
There's something moving over there, to the right
Like nothing I've ever seen
Source: _Sonic Life_ biography and the original recordings.

Transcribed: Rob Vaughn.

Corrections: Rob Vaughn.


Total Trash


[Thurston]
It start at the top
Now it's spiralling down
Works best when it's lost
Diggin' under the ground

Never mind it now
We can bring it back
It's total trash
And it's a natural fact
That I'm not no cow

It's never the same
It's more than a game
Can't take it away
Can't kill all the shame

It's a guilty man
That increased the crack [that can grease the crack?]
It's total trash
Sack 'em on the back
With a heavy rock

There he goes again
Magic monkey friend
Can I love the time
That he seems to spend
With all the kids in town

It start at the top
Now it's spiralling down
Works best when it's lost
Diggin' under the ground

Never mind it now
We can bring it back
It's total trash
And it's a natural fact
That I'm not no cow
Source: interpreted from original recordings.

Transcribed: Hans van Dok with Casper Hulshof


Hey Joni


[Lee]
Hey Joni, put it all behind you
Hey Joni, now I've put it all behind me, too
These times can't add up, your life's such a mess
Forget the past, and just say yes

Tell me Joni, am I the one
To see you through?
In this broken town, can you still jack in
And know what to do?
I remember our youth, our high ideals
I remember you were so uptight
The time in the trees, we broke that vice
We took some steps and now we can't think twice

Tell me Joni, am I right by you?
Tell me how you're gonna lose this hard luck?
Hey Joni, when will all these dreams come true?
You better find a way to climb down off that truck

Shots ring out, from the center of an empty field
Joni's in the tall grass
She's a beautiful metal jukebox
A sailboat explosion
A snap of electric whipcrack

She's not thinking about the future
She's not spinning her wheels
She doesn't think at all about the past
She thinking long and hard
About that high wild sound
And wondering will it last?

Kick it

Hey Joni, put it all behind you
There's something turning, turning right to you
My head burns, but I know you'll speak the truth, hey!
Hey Joni, put it all behind you
Hey Joni, now I've put it all behind me, too
Forget the future, these times are such a mess
Tune out the past, and just say yes

It's 1963
It's 1964
It's 1957
It's 1962

Put it all behind you
Now it's all behind you
Source: _Sonic Life_ biography and the original recordings.

Transcribed: Rob Vaughn.

Corrections: Rob Vaughn.


Providence


[???]
"Claudius!  I'm downstairs in your nearest window... if you're up...
 pub 'phone booth... if you're up...(I get tense) [Beep]"

[Mike Watt]
"Thurston!  Watt! Thurston!  I think it's ten thirty, we're calling
 from Providence, Rhode Island.  Did you find your shit?  You gotta
 watch the motin' Thurston, your fuckin' memory just goes out tha window.
 We couldn't find it in the van at all, we wonderin' if you looked in
 that trash can.  When we threw out that trash, man, was the bag in
 your hand, did you dump it?  Call later.  Bye."
Source: interpreted from original recordings.

Transcribed: Andrew Yates.


Candle


[Thurston]
I see a dark star drivin' at his magic, snatch it
kiss me up a way go crystal cracking
I can't wait
I can't stay, uh candle
Gotta change my mind before it burns out

I'm the [???]
On the rock
Wind is whipping through my stupid mop

I see a falling snowgirl walking Broadway
Turns the corner at 14th and I know there's no way
It's alright
It's a lighted candle
And I know that she'll be okay by sunday

I'm the [???]
On the rock
Coming back start shining
In your electric clock

It's safe to say, candle
Tonight's the day, candle
It's alright now, candle
The wind's away, candle
Never thought I'd see a dark star falling

I'm the [???]
On the rock
Wind is whipping through my stupid mop
Source: interpreted from original recordings.

Transcribed: Hans van Dok with Casper Hulshof

Corrections: Rob Vaughn


Rain King


[Lee]
Rain King ensures there's nowhere to go
It's jet stream, daydream, cocksure hard luck show
His lips a fountain
His daylight sparks
He's a shotgun, schoolyard, street-wise, white-hot kid
Little whipcream, phone call, breakdown, Rain King fist
His mind a countdown
His daydream sparks

I need three years to clear these thoughts, hey
I like to say I knew one true thing
It feels like years and all I've done is fought
And not turned up, anything
 
Little black, take roll and roll, over my bed
I'm waiting here for, some reality crease
There's one big deadend, in my head 
And not a moment of peace

Crossfire, Rain King, with his cadillac, kid
Marries every dictionary from his chain-yard bliss
His lips a fountain
His daylight sparks
He's got a shot in his kick forging the real, when
He's a steel drum, wedding ring, Pontiac door knob ten
His mind a countdown
His daylight sparks

Hung up on a speed king nation, caught up on a nail
Hanging tight with time, at least, a little while
Your sister is a beauty when she's naked, like my kid
I hear this world, cool world, dreaming of a peaceful kiss
Source: interpreted from original recordings.

Transcribed: Hans van Dok with Casper Hulshof

Corrections: Rob Vaughn


Kissability


[Kim]
Look into my eyes, don't you trust me
You're so good, you could go far
I'll put you in a movie, don't you wanna
You could be a star, you could go far
You've got twistability
You've fly hard, don't you wanna
You've got kissability
You could be a star, it ain't hard

You're driving me crazy
I smell so sick
You're driving me crazy
Give us a kiss

Look into my eyes, don't you trust me
You're so soft, you make me hard
I'll put you in a movie, don't you wanna
You could be a star, you could go far
You've got kissability
You sigh hard, don't you wanna
You've got twistability
You could be a star, it ain't hard

You drive me crazy, you smell so sick
I feel so tired, you made me sick
You're driving me crazy, if I feel so sick
You're driving me crazy, if I feel so sick

Look into my eyes, don't you dis' me
You're so good, you could go far
I'll put you in a movie, don't you wanna
You could be a star, you could go far
You've got twistability
You fly hard, don't you wanna
You've got kissability
You could be a star, it ain't hard

You're driving me crazy, I feel so sick
You're driving me crazy, give us a kiss
Source: _Sonic Life_ biography and the original recordings.

Transcribed: Rob Vaughn.

Corrections: Rob Vaughn.


Trilogy:

a) The Wonder


[Thurston]
See flashing eyes
They're flashing 'cross to me
Burnin' up the sky
Sunshining into me
Your locus crown
Cop-killin' heartbeat
Head's lookin' down
Bowin' out, to the street

I'm just walkin' around
Your city is a wonder town

Lips red to white
Lips green in black night
Your spirit flares
Flarin' up leonine

I'm just walkin' around
Your city is a wonder town

Transmitter rhyme
Transmitter, all the time
Lookin' up to the sky
I'm seein' ghosts flyin'

I'm just walkin' around
Your city is a wonder town

I think I've been there, once before
Something tells me, there's so much more
She's back in town, to even the score
It's time to go

See flashing eyes
They're flashing 'cross to me
Burnin' up the sky
Sunshining into me
Your locus crown
Cop-killin' heartbeat
Head's lookin' down
Bowin' out, to the street

I'm just walkin' around
Your city is a wonder town
Source: _Sonic Life_ biography and the original recordings.

Transcribed: Rob Vaughn.

Corrections: Rob Vaughn.

b) Hyperstation


Falling out of sleep, I hit the floor
Put on some rock tee and I'm out with the door
From Bowery to Broome to Greene, I'm a walking lizard
Last night's dream was a talking baby lizard

All comin' from hu-man imagination
Day dreaming days in a daydream nation

Smashed-up against a car at three A.M.
Kids just up for basketball, beat me in my head
There's bum trash in my hall and my place is ripped
I've totaled another amp, I'm calling in sick

It's an anthem in a vacuum on a hyperstation
Day dreaming days in a daydream nation
Source: interpreted from original recordings.

Transcribed: Jason S. White

Corrections: Rob Vaughn

z) Eliminator Jr.


Kids cruise away, pack of chickenshits
This guy is ours, dark stains on his pants
Enough to make a butcher out of the bone
Take a walk in the park?  Shit, yeah!

A poor boy, a rich boy
A poor rich boy coming right through me
Rich boy, poor boy
Poor rich boy coming right through me
Source: interpreted from original recordings.

Transcribed: Jason S. White

Corrections: Rob Vaughn


Release history:


Sonic Youth Stuff