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The Hudson Debacle - The Songs from Rockmen to a Far Away Nowhere
Songs from Rockmen to a Far Away Nowhere
"Rockmen" is our very first CD. The songs are as follows:
1. (I Don't Know) The Man with No Feet
2. The Hospital in the Ocean
3. We Young and Handsome Gentlemen
4. The Hudson Debacle Part I (Drinking with My Friends)
5. Your Drunk Drunk Secretary
6. The Little Boy who was Hit by Lightning while Playing Baseball when it wasn't Even Raining
7. Stupid Yesterday
8. Stupid Tomorrow
9. Crimes of the Dancefloor Make-out Artist
10. The Planet Earth Ejector Seat
11. The Goddess Fabric
12. Daddy Drinks Because You Cry
13. The Wretch and the Devil
14. Sad Berlin
(I DON'T KNOW) THE MAN WITH NO FEET
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SAMPLE MP3
CREDITS:
Words and music by Chris.
Sung by Chris
KEY THEMES:
Metaphysics, youth, skin care.
NOTES:
Chris actually met/saw a man with no feet, an old crazy man who talked to strangers. The song is about how youth doesn't just dissapear or waste away, but "shines" away, like a star or sun gives off radiation (i.e., although the energy is depleted, it projects value in its dispersion). Since it was such a firecracker, it was first on the CD. Jeff was uncomfortable with Chris's choice to rhyme "today" with "today" in the first line.
LYRICS:
I was walking down the street today, I saw the man with no feet today.
Told me Ôbout some fucking war somewhere, how they stole my genes and I just don't care.
So much for you if you know who to ask, but it gets caught in my teeth and it gives me gas.
I don't know you old man.
Never gonna feel that way again.
Those zits'll go away someday, my friend, it'll all shine away.
You can't hold on when you're holding back.
What you need isn't what you lack. And what you get, won't be worth a damn.
Never thought I'd see this side, Ôtill it all shined away.
THE HOSPITAL IN THE OCEAN
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SAMPLE MP3
CREDITS:
Words and music by Jeff.
Sung by Jeff
KEY THEMES:
Teen sex. Youth in general.
NOTES:
In the Boston harbor there is a hospital for crazy kids. Jeff can see it from some points in his hometown. Someone told Jeff a story one time about a couple of 14 year olds in a shared hospital room, very sick, who made sweet love all night. This story is about a lucky boy who meets two teenage girls who just had lobotomies that have sex with him in the hospital. In an earlier version of the song, the boy wakes up the next morning and finds them both dead, probably from botched surgeries. The final version, here, doesn't maintain that boner-killer. The opening keyboard line sounds very much like the Cure's "Just Like Heaven", as it is the same notes. Jeff figured it'd be OK to lift 4 notes and not feel like a thief or plagurist. The chorus lyric "Hell for Leather" is in the dictionary (where Jeff found it), although is often heard in commonspeak as "Hellbent for leather". It means to be aggressively wreckless. Jeff also wrote a couple of aliteration type of word plays with "to two new" and "-my, me, I", which he congratulated himself on this site for doing so.
LYRICS:
Cool, to dream sweet sweet teen sexuality, far from wicked, but only if I dream like I am teenaged too.
Two new pajamaed schoolgirls locked with me in the middle of the sea.
Hell for leather, under covers, role-playing lovers. My secret angels shush me.
'Shhhh! Shut your mouth' and still manage to kiss like breathing.
Drunk on nothing but their surgeries, trembling in my arms.
Loose, us three sexers lie by the means of psychology,
as female beauty does not subdue from single lobotomy.
Me, I could kiss goodbye, I could almost cry through these big weepy memories.
Hell for leather, under covers, role-playing lovers.
My secret angels shush me. 'Shhhh! Shut your mouth' and still manage to move like ocean waves.
Drunk on nothing but their surgeries, weightless in the sea.
Vanquish, hamper, the dampness, scents stammer blithe, as we'd writhe.
I never slept through, never woke through our sex, no rue,
Commenced, so extraordinary, breathless and medicated, unabated and operated, hospital-escent youth.
Weightless illuminate, my secret angels shush me.
WE YOUNG AND HANDSOME GENTLEMEN
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SAMPLE MP3
CREDITS:
Words and music by Jeff.
Sung by Jeff and Xavi, with Chris and Dave too. Oh, and Kim Oriel sings the "ooohs".
KEY THEMES:
Being handsome. and young.
NOTES:
Jeff took the title (and ultimately the theme) from a (brief) Chris Bryer's lyric in "All the Love In the World" off of his Sleet's "The Volume Drops" record. The opening melody reminds some people of Jackson Brown's hit "Lawyers in Love". Although not credited on the record sleeve, Kim sings the "oohs". Its the only song where Xavi uses his 'organ' sound. Some people like the whole organ, but sometimes I'm happy with just a good pianist.
LYRICS:
We young and handsome gentlemen could deliver quite a rouse, to see us in the daylight, or maybe by your house.
Our chiseled chins, our manly stares, you may tremble at the knees.
Our big strong hands, our golden tans, our smiles full of teeth.
If you succumb to our enchantments and guile, we could deny, yes, we could deny you.
Who could deny me, that its special to be we young and handsome gentlemen,
the stuff of dreams that women spend to sweat through their lonely nights going 'ooooh!'
Who could deny them, a kiss from the lips of we young and handsome gentlemen.
We're the currency of women's hearts, the standard that sets men apart.
Made from flesh and bone, a living work of art.
Our muscled chests, our imposing brows, the girls swooning at our feet
should only start to show the company that we keep.
THE HUDSON DEBACLE PART I (DRINKING WITH MY FRIENDS)
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SAMPLE MP3
CREDITS:
Words and music by Xavi.
Sung by Xavi and Chris, and less so by Jeff
KEY THEMES:
Metaphysics. Alcholism. Personal moral code.
NOTES:
Xavi's first punk song is a very conversational account of the virtues of drinking with friends as a very worthwhile activity, mostly posed as counterpoint to other activities that other people do which they view as superior. Xavi did have a girlfriend who shaved her head. The lyrics also tries to dispel mysticism in general, but is a subject larger and much more important to Xavi then discussed here. Its the fastest song on the disc. Jeff's favorite line is "Some people think dying is not the end but they don't really know what will happen to them, they waste their time wondering while I'm out getting loaded drinking with my friends." which suggest that everyone is thinking about thier mortality while we drink beer. The song was originaly only titled "Drinking with my Friends", but the theme seemed to fit as a theme song (hence the title "the Hudson Debacle"). Although, part II isn't written yet, we assume that it will be sometime. Jeff nods (in homage) to Thought Industry's Dustin Donaldson with his ice bell intro.
LYRICS:
Work is a nightmare and you're getting no-where and you feel like such a loser.
Your boss keeps saying that you should work harder and you think your gonna lose it.
Some people do therapy and other take pills, but I don't have no money to pay doctor's bills,
so when I'm feeling down I try to get over it drinking with my friends.
Girlfriend dumps you and she shaves her head, it seems she won't date any more men.
Her girlfriends hate you and no-one will date you, you're so glad you still have your friends.
Some people try praying but I don't believe if god exists he gives a damn about me,
so when I'm feeling down I try to get over it drinking with my friends.
You're burnt out and tired and you don't feel like thinking about what you're gonna do.
Your mom keeps calling and she's so unhappy cause she knows that you don't have a clue.
Some people read horoscopes and tarot cards but I think it's bullshit its a load of crap,
so when I'm feeling down I try to get over it: drinking with my friends
Life is to short to sit around and suffer to moan, snivel, bitch and whine.
Your time here is brief and you should do what you can to have at least a decent time.
Some people think dying is not the end but they don't really know what will happen to them,
they waste their time wondering while I'm out getting loaded drinking with my friends.
YOUR DRUNK DRUNK SECRETARY
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SAMPLE MP3
CREDITS:
Words and music by Jeff.
Sung mostly by Jeff, but also with Xavi, and some by the men.
KEY THEMES:
Alcholism. Love and loyalty.
NOTES:
In Jeff's opinion, this is the best song on the record (Jeff is selffish and egotistical). Jeff hooked the arrangement concept (again) from Mr. Bryers, stealing the country drum feel, low-played guitar melody, and sad, reminiscent feel from his "When She Fades Away". The written lyrics are a touch different than the sung lyrics, but the written are better. Some of the work references seem to reflect some of Jeff's work (thematically) on his The Essential Cubicle Nosepicker . There is no such thing, by the way, as a secretary anymore. Only assistants and administrators.
LYRICS:
Cry for your life, cry for the music thumping in the heart of this pretentious uptown bar
where she slumps, sipping on the ruse of forgeries and smoke of an expense count joke
And you don't look well, you feel sick thinking of the crimes you commit against her.
They sold the bomb that would destroy you, they sold, she told you.
When she cleaned out her desk and the only token kept was a memo that you sent
begging to accept your apology and the notion that you wept, when you heard she got the ring to be married
So who could believe that she pines to protect and save you.
Now she'll drink until the violins stop wheezing hard to make the pain seem dim.
Her sacrifice to mask your violence and pin your mistakes on her weakened shoulders.
Guilt is canvassing you mind, as she's swallowing her pride, and swallowing another vodka.
So who could believe that she pines to protect and save you
THE LITTLE BOY WHO WAS HIT BY LIGHTNING WHILE PLAYING BASEBALL WHEN IT WASN'T EVEN RAINING
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CREDITS:
Words and music by Jeff.
Sung by Xavi and then Chris, and a little by Jeff.
KEY THEMES:
Metaphysics.
NOTES:
Although Jeff can't reference the source, this is a true story. Some poor kid was randomly struck down by lightning while playing baseball when it wasn't even raining. The song takes the idea further to suggest that God saw his future, deemed it worthless, and took him out right there, freeing him and everyone else from his ordinary life. Although God is a character in this story, we don't mean to suggest that he is real. Just jokes.
LYRICS:
He never know that he would grow, grow up to be a boring style of man.
He never knew that he would die, die without a chance, die without a little evidence of proving he could shine.
God lit up and smites him down, right on the mound where he pitched.
Holy holy god we sing for yourn crown, down strike down, the dumb spoilt child.
ÊFate picked that he could never be a useful soul,
and he could never prove that he would reach a goal, now he's gone gone gone gone
Who could have guessed that god would care, thing about a boy, a twelve year old who cared not for himself.
Who would have guessed that lightening strikes, drives without a cloud,
strikes without a little happenstance of pouring pouring rain.
Baseball strikes could save his soul, but he can't play worth a damn.
STUPID YESTERDAY
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CREDITS:
Words and music by Jeff.
Sung by Chris, and Jeff, and Xavi, and Dave.
KEY THEMES:
Teen sex. Youth in general.
NOTES:
This song is about many parties I went to in high school and my first years in college. Us youngin's would get together, but because of the youth and inexperience with alcohol, many people would start out having a wild time but then by the end be puking and crying and doing all sorts of stuff that adults would leave a party for, or not do in the first place. Xavi does a stunning Queeny singing job on the choruses.
LYRICS:
Stupid yesterday vanished among the workers' cubes, now its just old memories, struck by ages rules.
Sally in her god-blessed sun dress, slugged beer from a cup, tipping her lips open, as she started getting drunk.
Sarah in the stairwell stealing kisses in the dark. She shifts from toe to toe, breaking all our hearts.
Then Pat had a spat with a chap who could break him,
rounds among clowns could not box and top their
Dancing priss met with charm and grace, but Grace could bend men into moods.
Darling,
sneak a little smile, babe, and scream love in a keg stand. Smiling,
dream a little music, baby, make me whisper
Ply the girls with music, until their skirts hit the floor, sir!
Charming, starring in a movie scene, she's worthy of applause. Drowning, couldn't catch a star by far,
I dread I'm waking.
If youth could encapsulate, then dumb would be so nicely shaded,
precision feigns, where dumb memories of
Stupid yesterday vanished among the drinkers' stools.
Now it's just whatever yah yah yah, Dave!
Stupid was a virtue, and incompetence was charming.
Respect was vanity and vanity was
Dancing priss met with slurs and booze, but booze could bend girls into moods.
Daring, take a chance at kissing little lovers, in a bathroom.
Calling, breathe a little breath, sweets, and take them sweating.
And ply the girls with vodka, until their shoulders hit the floor in time when the boys were blind, falling down, their deft reply.
Crying, never knowing why they ever stayed there at the party. Losing, oozing every tummy ache that kept them puking,
If youth could encapsulate, then dumb would be so nicely shaded,
precision feigns, where dumb memories fade. If youth could invigorate, if drunk could be so rightly behaved.
Precision feigns in stupid yesterday
STUPID TOMORROW
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CREDITS:
Words and music by Jeff.
Sung by Chris and the men
KEY THEMES:
Love, and fighting amongst lovers.
NOTES:
Jeff wrote this song in 1989 and played it in his punk band Overman . It was the first original song we learned, and the first we taught Xavi, because its so so easy to learn. It was originally titled simply "tomorrow", but renamed "Stupid Tomorrow" after it was placed after "Stupid Yesterday". The "Stupid" seemed cleverly necessary. Its about fighting with a lover, which Jeff never does.
LYRICS:
Sing me a lullaby that will make me fall in love.
Sing me a silly song that never lets me down.
I will buy a little flower chain. so we can tie ourselves up, again and again.
We will fight tomorrow. We will sleep tonight, all right
Make me a magic cup that takes away my thirst.
Give me some medicine that takes away my hurt,
I will buy a little flowerbed so we can lie down and pretend that we're friends.
CRIMES OF THE DANCEFLOOR MAKE-OUT ARTIST
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CREDITS:
Music by Xavi, words by Jeff.
Sung by Xavi, Jeff, Kim Oriel, and Chris and Dave.
KEY THEMES:
Makin' out.
NOTES:
Xavi wrote this song as his second 'acid jazz' song to the Debacle set. Xavi is a fan of acid jazz as a listener and a pianist, although the song now rings much more of a modern pop song. This song was originally titled "Crazy Chick", with different lyrics and melody, which were abandoned for the song to be an instrumental. Jeff wrote some rap lyrics for the song, which were going to be melodic but it never materialized. The rap remained and the part for a female voice came about. Kim, Xavi's love, stepped in both on the record and once live to sing the part. The song is (much like "young and handsome gentlemen") about the seduction of women, but goes further to sing loudly about 'making out'.
LYRICS:
Shine that charge card, baby, treat me right. We'll make-out make-out when you're drunk tonight.
Now you're believing, the sounds of my heart fade.
This is how we wind around another dirty mind, dancing and drinking with women and wine.
When the skin starts to show and the spittle starts to flow, start shakin' this rump,
and pumpin' this stump, goin' hoop-ah hoop-ah hoop-ah HOOP! Like a dog in the kennel, mashin soft with the dental.
Moan a little moan and yell a hearty howl, on the make-out break-out dance floor now
Found some shove in my love, when love was found,
when the sight and sound turns upside down.
Made a helmet from the pelvis, and a hide into a wig, the jaw of the jackass,
and the prick of a pig, going eeyah eeyah eeyah oo! Like a bug in the nettle, grinding soft and subtle.
It's a riddle in the day, and our love we'll display on the make-out-break-out dancefloor now
THE PLANET EARTH EJECTOR SEAT
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CREDITS:
Words and music by Jeff.
Sung by Dave and Xavi, and also some Chris and Jeff.
KEY THEMES:
Leaving the planet?
NOTES:
This was one of the first songs THD learned. The lyrics are nearly meaningless.
LYRICS:
Until I find one. Until I find the lever here. Somewhere in Boston.
Somewhere that sober people fear. Its not the contest. Its not the chill I'm having.
It's just the eject that flings me far away from here.
I'm not the only one who scribbles in the sand.
I'm not the only one who despises the land.
I'm not the lonely bum, crying to believe that I'm the only one with methods to leave.
It's my time to scrape the skies above.
I'll jettison past the clouds, your stratosphere is no barrier for me.
I'm just a reject. Its al my failure mounting.
I'm just the subject of an obscene and tragic mess.
It's not the context. It's not the point of losing.
It's just the abject of every goddamn notion here.
THE GODDESS FABRIC
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CREDITS:
Words by Dave and Chris (mostly Dave), music by Dave.
Sung mostly by Chris, with Dave too.
KEY THEMES:
Unrequited love of a celebrity
NOTES:
Originally titled 'I Still want to Fuck Stevie Nicks", it was about how Dave wanted to fuck Stevie Nicks.
LYRICS:
You can stay with me and I won't tell them anything just because you are a star.
You can lay with me and I will never fall asleep cause you fucked up 25 years of my life so far.
You donât love me anymore.
Itâs because you are a whore, but I love the way you lied to me, straight faced through my black and white TV.
Now I just can't seem to get up off the floor
You gaze down on me and your poise tells me everything from the poster on my door.
All those drugs you took could never change your perfect look, and it only makes me want you even more.
DADDY DRINKS BECAUSE YOU CRY
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CREDITS:
Words and music by Jeff.
Sung by everyone and Jeff and Chris
KEY THEMES:
Alcoholism.
NOTES:
This song was titled after a joke in a junk e-mail that me and everyone recieved (I think it was about bad children books). Its just a joke. The chours chords are like Bon Jovi's "You Give Love a Bad Name". "Golden hen" was used as a term for the beer we used to drink during early practices, Miller High Life. We stopped drinking it after we realized that it gave Jeff tremendous gas. Now we drink other brands of beers, often Budwieser.
LYRICS:
I feel the urge to build a mountain of empty cans so high.
I'll need to rent a helicopter to drink beer in the sky
Oh Yeah!
Your weepy face makes daddy fear he'd slit your throat if it weren't for beer
Daddy drinks because you cry.
Assumptive in my travesty, a mockery of blame.
A fantasy of drunken rage is pinned on your complaints.
Fractured from the stink of rum and dematerialized form this breath of mine,
defunct with ingestion of booze.
I birthed the golden hen when I burst through he stains of the monument of my shame to believeHoly fuck!
THE WRETCH AND THE DEVIL
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CREDITS:
Words and music by Xavi
KEY THEMES:
Personal moral code.
NOTES:
Originally titled "voices", Xavi reports that this song is about the voices, or thought processes, that conduct or direct behavior.
LYRICS:
N/A
SAD BERLIN
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CREDITS:
Words and music by Dave.
Sung by Dave
KEY THEMES:
Lost love.
NOTES:
Originally there were alot of 'fucks' in the lyrics that were removed because the 'band' found them needlessly crass. They were stil published in the album sleeve, but not sung. Live, this song is sung partially by Xavi and Chris, but in the studio it seemed better to let Dave sing the entirety of the song.
LYRICS:
You'll never forgive yourself I'm living in a house that smells without you.
I insist on giving in to my failures cause there's nothing left to do
I'm never going to love another girl like you.
I'm never going to love another girl like you I'm never going to love another girl like
God said just stay away but I can't pay attention when I whine.
off the hook with the telephone I hear your voice but no one's on the line.
I'm never going to love another girl like you.
You and me and gin can start it over again. I'm not a bum.
When my nose is in ,my glass I can't smell the shit my life has become.
My lover's gonna leave me tonight when I look in my ass and I see my life and it's all there and it's all right.
I'm guilty of the ugly sin that makes a drunken fool call his girl again on a last dime,
for the last time. I never thought I'd make it this far,
under neon lights in a hotel bar where she can't see that I'm OK.
I'll hold my peace forever this time when I hear your voice
in the icy chime of the last gin in this sad Berlin.
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