The More I Am / Overflowing Cup 7"
The More I Am
I awoke today, and refused to step aside
I'm a harsh judge, I’ll put you down but its all for your own good
I’m not a cynic and I’m not that cruel, I just don’t need a lot of things
But even I must say, that my grim outlook is wearing thin, the more vindictive, the less I grin
I don’t have to
I don't have to
I don’t have to see this way
I don’t have to
I don't have to
But i do it anyway
I awoke again and looked on through from the other side
A song played aloud, it made me smile and cry all at once
I stepped aside, I helped, I talked and waved at every passer by
I have a lot of moods but I’m the best when I hold true, and relish all the good things that I do
I don’t have to
I don't have to
I don’t have to see this way
I don’t have to
I don't have to
But i do it anyway
(x2)
Overflowing Cup
Perspectives and opinions
Have obscured my view
As I look through my window
I can only see half of what I used to
Locked in to a cycle
Of lifestyles that I have become all to dependant on
entitlement dictates
Where my loyalty lands, and tries to decide my fate
My opinion seems engrained
My view has been shortened
Tell me why is it so hard to see
Beyond the fence that encircles me
Is it with a buried head in the sand
What your saying doesn’t ring true to me
Words come out that revolve away from what I believe
With that, my guard goes up
I’ll seek out those
Who validate
What i think
And what I say
I disregard
All those who
Challenge me
And question you
A one track mind
Keeps my shoes
Shuffling forwards
On this well worn path
My guard goes up, you won’t be speaking those opinions into my already overflowing cup
'From a View' LP
A SIDE
1. Water's Edge
2. Matter of Time
3. Walk Away
4. Don't Pick That Scratch
5. Glory of Control
B SIDE
6. Thanks for Understanding
7. It Was All Going so Well
8. Tropical Fun
9. Proud and Well
10. Shifting Shadows
11. Happiness
Water’s Edge
An isolated life he lives
People passing by with problems only he can fix
And now it’s me who’s caught within the sticks
Stories bleed as tinkering rings out
The light begins to fall asleep as we all sit around
The sense of something out there grows so real
And I know I can feel
At the water’s edge where the river runs high
Corrugated road and a thousand cane toads
Heat on the land like fever
Different roads like veins
The mind dreams further and deeper
Into the black and past your reach
Feel something move but nothing’s changing
You’re out of reach but not out of sight
The country’s strong out here he warns
Don’t you go where you don’t belong
Or you’ll feel it somewhere you didn’t know you had
Don’t do no wrong
Different lines cross in the sand
New directions at stake
Can’t you see the dust in your hand
Don’t let it tumble, don’t let it break
That’s what he said
That’s what he said
That’s what he said
At the water’s edge
That’s what he said (x8)
Matter Of Time
Dead weight in the way of something better
Held down with greasy hands and full of pleasure
But it’s all right there, in a state of despair
Permitted heads are buried in the sand
All bells are ringing but no one’s listening
Too many blinkers for the pole position
What everyone needs, is promised we’ll see
Any word, any sequence for the mission
They’re all howling
But it’s all just a matter of time for you
It’s all broken
But it’s all just a matter of time for you
The spoon is stirring but it keeps sticking
The growing pains cause wincing and hissing
But the visionaries wear it, just to make them listen
Tongues that over work, they can’t swallow their pride
Dismiss the bigger picture and they quell
They quell concerns with lies
They’re all howling
But it’s all just a matter of time for you
Can’t you see it
But it’s all just a matter of time for you
Walk Away
Why is it so easy, to make up in my mind
What I want to berate
But when it comes time to speak
To the point of confrontation, I just can’t articulate
Do I have the guts to say what needs to be said
Turn everything on its head
Or will I walk away, or will I walk right away
I’m an open book
But in the face of adversity
I clam up, tongue tied
My heart beats in my chest
Can I say what needs to be said
When you walked away, what did you want to say
When you walked away, what did you want to
What did you want to say
When you walked away
What did you want to say
When you walked away, what did you want to say
When you walked away, what did you want to
What did you want to say
When you walked away
What did you want to say
Prejudice remarks
Make my ears stand tall but my vocal transmission stalls
Intimidation in all its faces
Drives rage up my pipes but they’re clogged
When they should flow
A friend of mine likes to run
But it seems some upstanding citizens
Like to deprive my dog of fun
Well there’s some sad people under this sun
When you walked away, what did you want to say
When you walked away, what did you want to
What did you want to say
When you walked away
What did you want to say
Don’t Pick That Scratch
Intimidation, threatened by change
What will it mean for me, and my understanding of culture
If things are rearranged
It’s the fear of the unknown, of the other
Like stumbling in the dark, a reflex paranoia
You can walk a different track and see how the shoe fits
On the other foot
But you won’t look
When a sense of understanding lacks
Contempt simmers beneath
A flick of the fast tongue shows what’s buried
Way down deep
Shows what’s buried
But don’t pick that scratch
A wound will open, one we struggle to conceal
But we can’t continue to cover up
A true history that’s real
(x5)
Glory Of Control
An internal keyman compromises begrudgingly
Assumes the power he wields rolls out publicly
Like a boulder in the river that the passers should evade
Sets the line of his importance
There’s decisions to be made
High pressure to the head and pockets full of urine
Underpin his entitlement and sense of fulfilment
It’s the glory of control, you see
For what I can’t fight
I know is going to crucify me
(x2)
Endorphins release with a snap of the fingers
In his office he prospers but his home unhinges
Imperious ears defy others’ thoughts
A high-handed way leaves admirers distraught
Demands must be met, priority he must get
For his importance stands tall above the rest
It stands tall, high above the rest
It’s the glory of control, you see
For what I can’t fight
I know is going to crucify me
(x4)
Thanks For Understanding
Speaking in cryptic
Always did the trick
A continuing conundrum
Don’t want to commit
I can see the writings on the wall
Planned words are always left at the door
I’m a faulty appliance
You keep tripping the circuit
Reset the safety switch
It’s temporarily working
Something deep within my boot itches
But it can’t be scratched by you
Even if I don’t show it
I really care for you
Cos’ I know what you’re going through
(x2)
It’s you beneath me when I’m walking
You’re treading too hard
The lights fading around me
But you can feel in the dark
We’ve hit a crossroad with two directions
And enough space for one car
My roots can’t grow that deep
I’m not that species of tree
I need well drained soil
And different hands watering me
Time well spent in a turbulent voyage
But I wouldn’t take a damn minute back
Even if I don’t show it
I really care for you
Cos’ I know what you’re going through
(x2)
Thanks for understanding (x7)
It Was All Going So Well
It was all going so well
I thought I’d found another likeminded individual
A reputation of great stature
Every act another step up the ladder
Then just like a glass to the floor
Bigotry came bashing at the human front door
The image I once saw had been flipped upside down
His reputation lay naked and broken on the ground
There was nothing to fix, the loss was short lived
For I’d rather walk on my own than the man I stood with
Disappointment like a bad, bad dream
His mind only creates, what his eyes have seen
In the classroom
At his home
A natural echo of what he’s shown
(x2)
A maiden voyage beyond the paid hours
We join the march to the publican’s tower
Time runs as words start to spin
Truth syrup of old begins to kick in
A minority arrives who lead different lives
But share our toast of pushing work aside
A remark slips out intended to hurt them
My eyes widen fast have I actually heard him
Discomfort inflated with eyes seeking approval
An unsure laugh now a defensive perusal
Seemingly innocent, his tongue slipped up
A decision made easy, the ropes been cut
Disappointment like a bad, bad dream
His mind only creates, what his eyes have seen
In the classroom
At his home
A natural echo of what he’s shown
(x2)
Just like that, words tore down my new friend
I could cut the line and float
But what’s the message that I send
It’s not a defence but look back in the mirror
Footprints of others have never been clearer
Inaction won’t change
It’ll all stay the same
Redirect the rudder
And maybe he’ll look differently at others
Tropical Fun
The seat belt light is extinguished
Race begins, the bag carousel the finish
Ignorant to the culture, a singlet is on
Like a flag in the air, where it doesn’t belong
Carry my bags, lower the price
Fetch me a towel, with some grog on ice
And if you’re lucky, a tip may be offered
But only hard work can open my pockets
The rotten stench that harasses the senses
Validates my cigarettes flying over fences
Pampered like royalty, and why shouldn’t we be
They should be thanking us for fuelling their economy
A retired couple from Brissy, been here the last 20 years
Darl’ don’t do it, it keeps them busy
Haggling mode switched on
Justified with the notion
It’s not the price but the principle that’s wrong
I was having tropical fun
But I didn’t realise that I had it all wrong
I was having tropical fun
But I didn’t realise that I had it all wrong
Foreign feet on the ground
Scrambling, some barking
Some better off dead
But I can’t judge too much, cos’ in their tracks I tread
We show a lot of skin, but they shouldn’t mind
It’s not their culture, but we have our rights
Boozing through the sun, polluting the air
With a mongrelised thank you in the mother tongue
A villa with service, new linen each day
Trash discarded, and eyes open to extravagant buffets
I was having tropical fun
But I didn’t realise that I had it all wrong
I was having tropical fun
But I didn’t realise that I had it all wrong
Foreign feet on the ground
Scrambling, some barking
Some better off dead
But I can’t judge too much, cos’ in their tracks I tread
(x2)
Proud And Well
Life’s a lot like dodgem cars
The people you run into push you in a certain direction
And it’s only over, it’s only over, when your time’s up
A simple yes or no is somewhat deceiving
Say yes once and you’ll feed the one-armed bandit your whole life
So many variables compress your liberty to choose
No work on the coast, vice versa, lose lose
I’m behind in my career path
But that’s alright cos’ I’ve got different perspectives
I wish I could pick pocket some time
And if I could, I wouldn’t know what to spend it on
Doing what you love is theoretically sound
But I can’t find that
And I’ve turned my life pockets inside out
There is a fork in the road, but this one’s got 100 prongs
And I keep picking the wrong fucking one
I’ve got a puzzle to run
As big as the sun
I stand there quivering in my own shell
But I’m proud and well
Sometimes I spin the wheel of fortune
And hope in good time I land on something sparkly
Other times my logic prevails
And carefully explains my likelihood of failure
Indecision
What fad today
Condescending peers who’ve long found their way
There’s no shame in that
I never said there was
You can fuck off right off and I’ll stay right here
Cos’ I’m happy with my life and I’m proud of what I do
And I’ll keep not knowing cos’ that what keeps me true
Yeh, that’s what keeps me true
I’ve got a puzzle to run
As big as the sun
I stand there quivering in my own shell
But I’m proud and well
Yeh, that’s what keeps me true
I’ve got a puzzle to run
As big as the sun
I stand there quivering in my own shell
But I’m proud and well
Shifting Shadows
The great dark wraps the sun so hard
Cold wind stiffens my joints
Cylinders sit silent, oil cries to depletion
And it’s me, and only me who can stop the weeping
Gambled footwork favours my side
And takes me straight to where the bar flies hover
My body aches and my mind it flickers
Like a T.V with an antenna problem
The kitchen’s shut, only warm cans
And the room never touched by a sanitary hand
But in the corner lays a weathered old card
With a word I’ve longed for more
Than anything this far
But my self-pity bewildered me
A lucky strike, fortune got a hold of me
I threw my fate into the dark
And it landed in a stranger’s hands
The cast of a shadow is dependent on where I stand
Happiness
I push past what’s now, and envision myself in three days
Under the big blue sky
Without my shiny shoes or my kind regards
And I know how I feel and what the cause is
And how to fix it
I’ve scheduled times to strike
And re-route the tracks that I don’t like walking on
But there’s a plethora of considerations that I must take
Before acting on these decisions
But maybe I’ve ranked them in the wrong order
My time keeper never stops and if it did I wouldn’t know
All my big life decisions stand timidly in a familiar old row
But the seconds run away
And like yesterday I throw away the key
But I shouldn’t wait for it
Cos’ happiness doesn’t wait for me
If I don’t do it right now and walk straight down the middle
I’m depriving myself of dreams I had when I was little
I decline opportunity
In hope that there’s a better one ahead
Just around the corner
I don’t have to wait much longer
I’ve been told that patience is a virtue
Deficiency can hurt you
On common ground we stand
In the pursuit for contentment
But luck’s just that
Some smiles don’t reach their full extension
My time keeper never stops and if it did I wouldn’t know
All my big life decisions stand timidly in a familiar old row
But the seconds run away
And like yesterday I throw away the key
But I shouldn’t wait for it
Cos’ happiness doesn’t wait for me
If I don’t do it right now and walk straight down the middle
I’m depriving myself of dreams I had when I was little
But I’ve been waiting for far too long
My choices could be wrong
But it’s drifting away
And I can’t repeat yesterday
So I put my head out
It looks different and I still have my doubts
But I shouldn’t wait for it
Cos’ happiness doesn’t wait for me
Cos’ happiness doesn’t wait for me
'Backyard' 10" EP
SIDE A
1. Uncle Bunna Lawrie
2. Nullarbor
SIDE B
1. Small Town Pub
2. Backyard
Nullarbor
I pack my boot up and drive
Everything that’s necessary for my life
My jack, tools and tyre repair kit
It makes me look the part
But in Bridgestone I will sit
Driving through the quiet rural towns
A novelty sized fruit stands with nobody around
The cattle station hums into the night
But I ain’t seen nothing yet, 'ya see?
The sun at my back when I wake
My brain see-saws
Is this a big mistake?
Constant phone calls ring out
It's nothing personal
I just need a people drought
The mesmerising ocean dances slow
Tormenting the great desert with its tantalising show
The UHF, it crackles hard
And I’ve only got this far, 'ya see?
And I’ve only got this far
I’m hoping for a grand epiphany
That comes to me
I’m struggling
But if I trek a little further
Into the dust
Into the bush
I’m stuck
But it's something I will feel
In my guts and in my blood
I want to rattle my own cage
And I’ll keep on rolling 'til its done
Nowhere to be and I got time to kill
Nowhere to be and I got time to kill
Nowhere to be and I got time to kill
Nowhere to be and I got time to kill
And I got time to kill
I’m hoping for a grand epiphany
That comes to me
I’m struggling
But if I trek a little further
Into the dust
Into the bush
I’m stuck
But its something I will feel
In my guts and in my blood
I want to rattle my own cage
And I’ll keep on rolling 'til its done
Small Town Pub
What’s our identity?
Stubby shorts and a culture cut short
Shane Warne on the telly
That’s our identity
Out of sight and out of mind
Does that work in the dead of the night?
Confusion lies
On stolen land
What did we build from?
Who dealt this hand?
Ciggie smoke in a small town pub
Footy's on
Rough as guts
Ghosts of the gums
Are calling back
And the crack of the gun
Keeps ringing back
Backyard
Grandpa said son, real men don’t hold guns
They’re humble with grace
And they shield their loved ones
Hold your own he said
And bow to no one’s head
Help when you have impulse
And address the things that you dread
Don’t you feel embarrassed
And never feel ashamed
For sticking up for others who can’t defend their name
I am nothing without the wind behind my back
But it’s the wind that blows
That keeps me on my track
But where this wind comes from
Is not like a sea breeze
It flows constantly
From those close to me
I walk through an old yard
My friends in different rooms
A demon in their hands
They've taught me much under the great full moon
A complex series of unforeseen events
Divert my feet with every accident
It's humbling to know our control only goes so far
I am nothing without the wind behind my back
But it’s the wind that blows
That keeps me on my track
But where this wind comes from
Is not like a sea breeze
It flows constantly
From those close to me
It flows constantly
From those close to me
