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1. Intro

The Violent Femmes, they bring all their equipment on the bus and you can't fuck with
the Violent Femmes, you can not fuck with this band.

2. Waiting for the Bus

We got the mother and the kids.
We got the guy and his date.
We all get mad.
We all get laid*.
Looks like somebody, forgot about us,
standing on the corner, waiting for a bus.

Say hey mister driver man, don't be slow,
cause I got somewhere I got to go.
Say hey mister driver man, drive that thing fast.
My precious time keep slipping past.

Let's call the mayor.
Let's complain.
Looks like the city done to us again.
Tied up in traffic.
Whata ya know?
The damn city bus moves so slow.

I said, hey mister driver now man, don't be slow,
cause I got somewhere I got to go.
Say hey mister driver man, drive that thing fast.
My precious time keep slipping past.

Young man, your transfer's expired, will you please pay full fair?
I just got this transfer.
Hey can you open up the back door?
Either pay you sixty-five cents or you'll have to leave the bus.
You gotta be kidding me, I just got it.
Will you please open up the back door?

We got the mother and the kids.
We got the guy and his date.
We all get mad.
We all get laid*.
Looks like somebody, forgot about us,
standing on the corner, waiting for a bus.

Say hey mister driver man, don't be slow,
cause I got somewhere I got to go.
Say hey mister driver man, drive that thing fast.
My precious time keep slipping past.

(*Note: "laid" may be incorrect, "late" is a better possibility since
it fits into the context of song better. Matt Rockind)

3. Blister in the Sun

When I'm a walking, I strut my stuff, then I'm so strung out.
I'm high as a kite, I just might, stop to check you out.

Let me go on, like a blister in the sun.
Let me go on, big hands I know you're the one.

Body and beats, I stain my sheets, I don't even know why.
My girl friend, she's at the end, she is starting to cry.

Let me go on, like a blister in the sun.
Let me go on, big hands I know you're the one.

Whisper:
When I'm a walking, I strut my stuff, then I'm so strung out.
I'm high as a kite, I just might, stop to check you out.
When I'm a walking, I strut my stuff, then I'm so strung out.
I'm high as a kite, I just might, stop to check you out.
Body and beats, I stain my sheets, I don't even know why.
My girl friend, she's at the end, she is starting to cry.
When I'm a walking, I strut my stuff, then I'm so strung out.
I'm high as a kite, I just might, stop to check you out.

Loud:
Let me go on, like a blister in the sun.
Let me go on, big hands I know you're the one.

4. Gone Daddy Gone

Beautiful girl, lovely dress.
High school smiles, oh yes.
Beautiful girl, love your dress.
Where she is now I can only guess.

Chorus:
'Cause it's gone daddy gone.
The love is gone.
Yes, its gone daddy gone.
The love is gone.
Yes, its gone daddy gone.
The love is gone.
Yes, its gone daddy gone.
The love is gone away.

When I see you, eyes will turn blue.
When I see you, a thousand eyes turning blue.

(Chorus)

Tell by the way that you switch and walk.
I can see the way that you baby-talk.
I can know by the way that you treat your man.
I could love you baby 'til it's a cryin....

(Chorus)

With chorus:
Beautiful girl, lovely dress.
15 smiles, oh yes.

gone away.
gone away.
gone away.

5. Gordon's Message

Hello, this Gordon of the Violent Femmes and I've just been locked inside my house.
So I can't go out and get my bus and stuff and get up there by one o'clock. I'll...
Someone's coming over to rescue me so... it wasn't my fault, my parents had locked me in.
So I'll get there whenever I can. Maybe I'll try calling Victor at his house or something
like that. O. K., ah bye.

6. Gimmie the Car

Come on Dad, gimme the car tonight. (2X)
I got this girl, I wanna .
Come on Dad, gimme the car.

Come on Dad, gimme the car tonight.
I'll tell you what, I'll tell you what I'm gonna do.
I'm gonna pick her up,
I'm gonna get her drunk,
I'm gonna make her cry,
I'm gonna get her high,
I'm gonna make her laugh,
I'm gonna make her shhhhhhhh...
Woman, woman, woman.
Shit I know she's it cuz I'm gonna touch her,
all over her body.
Gonna touch her, all over her body. (3X)
And she can touch me, all over my body.
She can touch me, all over my body. (3X)

Time goes by.
I can feel myself growing old.
Burning inside,
is making this boy turn out cold.

What's wrong?
What's right?
I don't care, when I hate my life.
What's wrong?
What's right?
Ya know people don't care, when they hate their life.

But how can I explain, personal pain?
How can I explain, personal pain?
How can I explain, my voice is in vain.
How can I explain, the deep down driving?
Driving, driving.
We're driving. (3X)

Hey Dad, speaking of driving,
come on Dad, give me the car tonight.

So much he don't understand,
just might never make it to a man.

Come on Dad, give me the car.
Come on Dad, I ain't no runt.
Come on girl, gimme your .

Cuz I ain't had much to live for.
I ain't had much to live for.
You know, I ain't had much to live for. (2X)

7. Country Death Song

I had me a wife, I had me some daughters.
I tried so hard, I never knew still waters.
Nothing to eat and nothing to drink.
Nothing for a man to do but sit around and think. (2X)

Well, I'm a thinkin' and thinkin', till there's nothin' I ain't thunk.
Breathing in the stink, till finally I stunk.
It was at that time, I swear I lost my mind.
I started making plans to kill my own kind. (2X)

"Come little daughter," I said to the youngest one,
"Put your coat on, we'll have some fun."
"We'll go out to mountains, the one to explore."
Her face then lit up, I was standing by the door. (2x)

"Come little daughter, I will carry the lanterns.
We'll go out tonight, we'll go to the caverns.
We'll go out tonight, we'll go to the caves.
Kiss your mother goodnight and remember that God saves." (2X)

A letter to a hole, a deep black well.
I said "make a wish, make sure and not tell and
close you're eyes dear, and count to seven.
You know your papa loves you, good children go to heaven." (2X)

I gave her a push, I gave her a shove.
I pushed with all my might, I pushed with all my love.
I through my child into a bottomless pit.
She was screaming as she fell, but I never heard her hit. (2X)

Gather round boys to this tale that I tell.
You wanna know how to take a short trip to hell?
It's guarenteed to get your own place in hell.
Just take your lovely daughter and push her in the well.
Take your lovely daughter and throw her in the well.

Don't speak to me of lovers, with a broken heart.
You wanna know what can really tear you apart?
I'm going out to the barn, will I never stop in pain?
I'm going out to the barn, to hang myself in shame.

8. Black Girls

I dig the back girls, oh so much more than the white girls.
I was so pleased to learn they were faster.
C'est, c'est, c'est vous I'm after.

All comes a faggot white boy.
Said look, look, look first kind of joy.
They come around so queer and quiet,
as I rebel and riot.

Shall I dig the white boys?
All so much more that the black boys.
I was so pleased to learn they're not smarter.
Go on, give, give, give it to me harder, harder, harder, just say harded.

You know I love the Lord of hosts,
the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost.
I was so pleased to learn that he's inside me
In my time of trouble he will hide me.

I dig the black girls. (4X)

9. Jesus Walking on the Water

Oh my, oh my, oh my, what if it was true?
and oh my, oh my, oh my, tell me is it true.
Did he, did he, did he die upon that cross?
and did he, did he, did he come back across?

Chorus:

Jesus walking on the water.
Sweet Jesus walking in the sky.
Seek-and-sand, took my hand, raised me up,
and brought me up.
I can hold my head up high.

Will I, will I, will I be true to my birth?
and will I, will I, will I give what I'm worth?
Oh yes sir, yes sir, yes sir, I come when you call,
and yes sir, yes sir, yes sir, sweet Jesus, my all-in-all.

(Chorus)

(Repeat 1st verse)

(Chorus)

10. 36-24-36

36, 24, 36.
See a girl walking down the street.
Just the kind of girl that I'd like to meet.
It ain't her hair, her clothes, or her feet,
Something much more discreet.
No, I ain't alowed, baby I ain't proud.
I just want what I'm not allowed.
Move on up and help myself.
Do a world of good for my mental health.

36-24-36
Something's broken and it needs to be fixed.
I don't know how to tell you this,
but I'm getting board and I need some kicks.
Like 36-24-36.

Man o man o man o man, I got a red-hot plan have you understand?
Can not fail, it's plain to see.
I having fun and making money.
I know this summer going to be the best,
if I don't from lack rest.
Experience is what my daddy said.
That's what I got, just like he said.

36-24-36
Something was broke, but I got it fixed.
I don't if I should tell you this,
but I'm getting board and I got some kicks.
Like 36-24-36.

Something special about her personality.
Something special about her physialogy.

36-24-36
I want lots of pretty chicks.
36-24-36
I want lots of pretty chicks.
36-24-36
I want lots of pretty chicks.
36-24-36
I want lots of...

11. I Held Her in My Arms

I'm gnawing on the knowledge,
that I have been burnt,
and I'm learning things that I
should've already learnt.
Everyone I ever knew
was so kind and coy.
I was with a girl,
but it felt like I was with a boy.

Chorus:
I can't even remember
if we were lovers,
or if I just wanted to,
but I held her in my arms.
I held her in my arms. (2X)
but it wasn't you.

I will not kill
the one thing that I love
In this world of wreckage
I look above.
Said help me Lord.
Help me understand.
What it means to be a boy.
What it means to be a man.

(Chorus)

(1st verse)

(Repeat chorus twice)

12. I Hate the TV

I hate the TV. (4X)
You know that it is killing me. (2X)

I hate the president. (4X)
You know that he is killing me. (2X)

All my love, do not fear.
Satan's army will never win.
All my love, do not swell.
God is with us, with us...
He's killing me. (2X)

13. America Is

America is... (4X)

Chorus:
America is the home of the hypocrite. (3X)
American dreams are full, full, full of it.

Look at the indians.
Look at the blacks.
Look at the figures.
Look at the facts.
Look at the facts, the facts, not the lies,
and you'll find out, a big surprise.

(Chorus)

Check out the indians.
Check out the blacks.
Check out the figures.
Check out the facts.
Check out some facts, check out the facts, not the lies,
and you'll find out, it's a big surprise,
right between the eyes.

(Chorus)

No desperation limit.
No desperation level.
Even though my nose don't work,
I smell trouble. (2X)
No desperation limit.
No desperation level.
Murder, murder in the government.
Say you're sorry. (2X)
No desperation limit.
No desperation level.
Turn the key, turn the lock.
Nationalism, you can suck my...
No desperation limit.
No desperation level.
Watch how the world's progressing, everywhere
Agression, agression. (3X)

14. Old Mother Reagan

Old Mother Reagan
and her crew
took away
from me and you.
I hope she goes far away.
She better go far away.

Y'know it ain't right
when it's all wrong.
See Old Mother Reagan
Protest song.
Old Mother Reagan
She's so dumb.
She's so dangerous.
How come she don't go far away?
She better go far away.

Old Mother Reagan went to heaven
and at the pearly gates she was stopped!

15. Degradation

Ladies and gentlemen, the Violent Femmes! Come witness the beauty of
dazzling degradation! Fathers bring your sons, mothers bring your
daughters to this most existensional exhibit. The alternative concert
you must spare no expense to bring these amazing freak babies to the
Oriental Theater, Friday March twenty-ninth, 8:00. Tickets eight-fifty
in advance, ten dollars the night of the exhibition. Tickets avaliable
at Oriental box office, Mainstream Records, radio, or come to the UWM
bookstore. Violent Femmes! Degradation! Violent Femmes! The Oriental
Theater! Violent Femmes, the twenty-ninth of March!
(thanks to Jennifer Giel, Univ. of Michigan, for transcribing this one!)

16. Dance, M.F., Dance!

When I say dance, you best dance mother fucker!

Chorus:
Dance,
dance mother fucker, dance. (3X)
I said dance,
dance mother fucker, dance. (2X)
I said dance, dance, dance, dance, dance, dance, dance, whoooo
You're such an ugly mother fucker, dance.

(Repeat chorus)

You're such an ugly mother fucker, dance.

(Repeat chorus twice)

17. Lies

Well I'm reading this poem and it's so profound
and I like it's rhythm and I like it's sound.
It's by a very famous poet no critic can criticise
and then I pause a moment and I start to realize...

Chorus:
he's tellin...
lies. (15X)

On the motel, T.V. I dig the evangelist.
He'll tell you all about that
and then he tell you all about this.
He's preachin' up a storm by the sea of Galilee.
He's mixin' up the truth with something funny.
I start to see...

(Chorus)

Well, I never had this problem with nobody in the government.
I guess I always figured they never mean what they meant
and God help us all not to be so stone surprised
when we wake up in the stars with the skies
in our eyes if we keep tellin'...
lies. (15X)

Oh no, oh no, I brought it to the end of the song
and we didn't get a chance to jam, oh no, here we go.

18. American Music

Can I put in something like, this is American Music, take one? One, two, three, four.
Do you like American music?
I like American music.
Don't you like American music... baby?
I want you to hold me.
I want your arms around me.
I want you to hold me baby.

Did you do too many drugs?
I did too many drugs.
Did you too many drugs, too... baby?
You were born too late.
I was born too soon,
but every time I look at that
ugly moon, it reminds me of you.
It reminds me of you.
uhoh uhoh uhoh

I need a date to the prom.
Would you like to come along?
but nobody would go to the prom
With me... baby.

They didn't like American music.
They never heard American music.
They didn't know the music
was in my soul... baby.

You were born too soon.
I was born too late
but every time I look at that
ugly lake, it reminds me of me.
It reminds me of me. (Do you like American Music?) (2X)

Do you like American music?
We like American music.
I like American music... baby.
Do you like American music?
We like all kinds of music,
but I like American music best... baby.

You were born too late.
I was born too late,
but every time I look at that
ugly lake, it reminds me of me.
It reminds me of me.

Repeat:
Do you like American music?
It reminds me of me.
Do you like American music...
I like American Music.
She likes American Music.

19. Out the Window

Life was fun, life was great
'til I make my big mistake.
Oh no, it'll never happen to me.
Life was short and life was sweet,
I was thinking as I hit the street.
I could hardly believe,
I could scarcely conceive, that
I had gone out the window.
I had gone out the window.
I had gone out the window.

She was fine, she looked great,
and so we made our big mistake.
I swear, I swear, I swear
It'd never happen to her,
but the pavement knocked her head around,
when she hit the solid concrete ground
from 30 flights above,
and she was thirty something loving nothing.

Gone out the window.
She had gone out the window.
She had, gone out the window.
Catch me if I'm falling. (2X)

He was smart, he was wise.
He'd profoundly philosophize.
Empathy for all humanity.
'Til one day by an open window.
There's a note that read
"I've gone out the window - I'm dead."
He said yes to life for all of his life,
but then one day he said: no
I gotta go, out the window.
Hear I go out the window. (2X)

Part 1:
Catch me if I'm falling.
Catch me if I'm calling.
Catch me I am falling.
Catch me I am calling.

(repeat this part twice and repeat with part 1 in the background)
Go out the window, we all go out the window,
we all go out the window, we all go out the window.

20. Kiss Off

Thank you.

I need someone, a person to talk to.
Someone who'd care to love.
Could it be you? (2X)
Situation gets rough
Then I start to panic.
It's not enough.
It's just a habit.
Hey kid you're sick.
Oh darling this is it.

You can all just kiss off into the air.
Behind my back I can see them stare.
They'll hurt me bad, but I won't mind.
They'll hurt me bad they do it all the time.
Yeah yeah, yeah they do it all the time. (2X)
Do it all the time.
Yeah they do it all the time.
Do it all the time.
Do it all the time.

I hope you know that this will go down on your permanent record.
Oh yeah, well don't get so distressed.
Did I happen to mention that I'm impressed?

I take one one one 'cause you left me.
And two two two for my family.
And 3 3 3 for my heartache.
And 4 4 4 for my headaches.
And 5 5 5 for my lonely.
And 6 6 6 for my sorrow.
And 7 7 7 for no, no, no tomorrow.
And 8 8 8 I forget what 8 was for.
And 9 9 9 for a lost god.
And 10 10 10 for everything everything everything everything.

You all can just kiss off into the air.
Behind my back I can see them stare.
They'll hurt me bad, but I won't mind.
They'll hurt me bad they do it all the time.
Yeah yeah, yeah they do it all the time. (2X)
Do it all the time.
Do it all the time.
Do it all the time, time , time, time...
Do it all the time.
Do it all the time.

21. Add It Up

Day after day,
I will walk, and I will play,
but the day after today,
I will stop and I will start.

Why can't I get just one kiss?
Why can't I get just one kiss?
Believe me somethings that I wouldn't miss,
but I look at your pants and I need a kiss.

Why can't I get just one screw?
Why can't I get just one screw?
Believe me I'd know what to do,
but something won't let me make love to you.

Why can't I get just one fuck?
Why can't I get just one fuck?
I guess it's something to do with luck,
but I waited my whole life for just one...

Day after day
I get angry and I will say
that the day is in my sight
when I'll take a bow and say goodnight.

Mo my momma momma mo my mum
Have you kept your eye, your eye on your son.
I know you've got problems you're not the only one,
but when your sugar left, he left you on the run.

So Mo my momma momma mo my mum
take a look now at what your boy has done.
He's walking around like he's number one.
He went downtown and got him a gun.
So don't shoot shoot shoot that thing at me.
Don't shoot shoot shoot that thing at me.
You know you got my sympathy.
But don't shoot shoot shoot that thing at me.
Don't shoot shoot shoot that thing at me. (2X)
You know you got my sympathy.
But don't shoot shoot shoot that thing at me.

In your broken down kitchen, at the top of the stairs.
Can I mix in with your affairs?
Share a smoke, make a joke?
You gotta grasp and reach for a leg of hope?
Words to memorize, words hypnotize.
Words make my mouth exercise.
Words all fail the magic prize.
Nothing I can say when I'm in your thighs.
Mo my momma momma mo my mother.
I would love to love you lover.
The city's restless it's ready to pounce.
It go here in your bedroom ounce for ounce.
Mo my momma momma mo my mother.
I would love to love you lover.
The city's restless it's ready to pounce.
It go here in your bedroom ounce for ounce.
Said, I'm giving you a decision to make.
Things to lose things to take.
Just as she was about ready to cut it up.
She said wait a minute honey, I'm gonna add it up.
I'm gonna add it up, add it up and see what you got.
You gotta add it up.
Day after day.
I get angry and I will say
that the day is in my sight
when I take a bow and say goodnight, goodnight, goodnight.

22. Vancouver

(instrumental)

23. Johnny

"So where you going to throw the tape? On your head through for a hat."

Oh Johnny, do you miss your mother?
Do you miss your father?
Oh johnny, do you miss me?

I was hungry, I just wanted to attack,
and I was so hungry oh mean I'll never look back,
but oh johnny, sometimes I wonder,
sometimes I wonder,
and I,
and I,
wonder what it's like, to die.

Now you know I see I coulda, I coulda been star,
I coulda, I coulda been a whip.
I tell ya something else right now, right now,
right now we coulda been sailing along on our ship.

Here's this ring that he wore.
It's just another thing that he wore,
but there's something about this ring that I just, I just, I just can't ignore,
and so I keep it, though I don't know what for.

Oh Johnny, do you miss all the old ladies?
Do you miss all the crazies?
Oh johnny, do you miss me?

Oh Johnny, do you miss your mother?
Do you miss your father?
Oh johnny, there's something, there's something I'd like to know.

And I,
and I,
Can you tell me John?
Can you tell me what its like to die?
Oh man, can you tell me what its like to die?
Oh Johnny, can you tell me what its like to die?
...tell me what it's like to die, Johnny?

Repeat:
Ohhhhh
Can you tell me what its like to die, Johnny, Johnny?

Can you tell me what its like to die?