More Places Forever, 1985

Through The Magnifying Glass.
We all know the story about the grasshopper.
Sitting around by the pool, he's cool.
And on the other hand are, ants!
And what are they doing?
That's right!

Now, back to the grasshoppers.
Sitting around by the pool.
Hawaiian floral print shirts.
Sunglasses.
They disdain the work of the hands.
"My mind is on the higher things of life."
You can see that, of course.
"My mind is on the higher things of life."

But, the ants exhort,
"Sing of the work of the hands.
"Why hold back & cheat yourself out of joy?
"But enjoy the fruits of labor to the full.
"Don't hold back."
(Don't hold back)
"For the heart & weary soul refreshment finds."

The winter comes.
Time to enjoy the fruits of labor.
To contemplate the work of the hands.
In the evening of the day,
in the winter of the year,
these are the best things:
to look back on a day well spent;
And to go to bed with a sense of accomplishment.

Yes.
And now, back to the grasshoppers.
You can see that his mind's on the higher things, of course.
Alot of good it does, hunh?
Well...
It doesn't matter, we're at the end of the song now.
We've had the moral of the story and, now, here comes my favorite part:
An*Ominous*Shadow*Glides*Low*Across*The*Pool

That's right, okay!
Fair enough, you say.
So, what happens next?
Well...
What happens next is - NOTHING -
Writers: Thomas-Cutler-Cooper-Maimone.
© 1985 Bug Music / Arcades Music.
Lyrics by David Thomas.


Enthusiastic.
Hey!
Yes.
I'm fine, thanks!

And I am enthusiastic.
If I express myself somewhat unguardedly.
It's so that you'll understand,
that you'll understand that,
I am enthusiastic for this plan.

And I have confidence in the two of us.
That more than just muddle through,
or take the easy way out -
Take the easy way out?!
No!
We'll work hard.
And not care if it hurts.

It's a good plan.
Because it's got stuff that we understand.
It's a good plan.

Grinning like a daft old brush,
that bullet-headed bird that you see -
Why, that could be a picture of me!
Because I have confidence.
I have confidence in this plan.

It takes a worried man to sing a worried song.
It takes a worry man.
I won't be worried long.

Yes!
It's a good plan.
Because it's got stuff that we understand.
It's a good plan.
Writers: Thomas-Cutler-Cooper-Maimone.
© 1985 Bug Music / Arcades Music.
Lyrics by David Thomas.


Whale Head King.
After pyramids, Sudanese, countless wondrous miles,
the region of the swamps swallows up the flow of the Nile.
Here's where monotony & misery contend,
where the aspect of such emptiness loneliness transcends.
Two and a half thousand miles from the sea,
the whale headed stork pokes among the reeds,
where the swamp flies terrorize,
and the fireflies tantalize.
How to go?
If the river knows it only lies.
Heat.
Heat!
Humidity.
The few thoughts left to me I shepherd so lovingly.
I looked down, then looked up again.
There was the whale head king.
I couldn't be sure that I saw a thing!
I looked down, I looked up again.
We saw eye to eye.
It was so civilized!
Here I could see he pitied me.
Ha!

I fell into the change.
It's like I went to sleep in gay Paree.
And woke up in Salt Lake City.

The nights are a cool breeze for senses that are stunned.
But in the roar of the sun the point of it's undone.
And thoughts are a formless tune that wanders in & out of key.
And the only words I don't forget: "How much you mean to me!"
Two and a half thousand miles from the sea,
the whale headed stork pokes among the reeds,
where the swamp flies terrorize,
and the fireflies tantalize,
How to go?
If the river knows it only lies.
Heat!
Heat!!
Humidity.
The few thoughts left to me I shepherd so lovingly.
I looked down, I looked up again.
And I was happy to see you.
I was so happy I danced a jig.
I was so happy to see you I fell on the ground & jumped up again.

I fell into a basement.
As I lay on my back I could hear water on the walls,
the scurrying of mice.
I was in the basement.
I opened my eyes.
I picked myself up.
I looked at the steps I had just bounced down.
I brushed the cobwebs off.
And looked around:
equatorial lakes,
and the mountains of the moon.

Like a dream I happened to see you.
Like a dream.
I happened to see it.
Happy to see you.
Writers:
Thomas-Cutler-Cooper-Maimone.
© 1985 Bug Music / Arcades Music.
Lyrics by David Thomas.


Song of The Bailing Man.
Harry had a notion to bail out the ocean,
so under the clouds he did stand with his bucket in his hand.
And above the wash of the waves,
he floated a confident voice that did boast, cajole & rejoice,
I can get this done!
I can get this done!
In the light of the big blue sun,
I'm the one who will get this done.

He set up the motion needed to bail out the ocean.
Harry had a notion to bail out the ocean.
But with his toes he could feel the relinquishing sand,
with his hand he could feel the diminishing land,
and in the course of time the realization settled in his mind,
I cannot bail out the ocean.
I cannot empty the sea.
This work only lends itself the airs of nobility.

And he let go of the bucket.
And he regretted the voice that had floated, cajoled & rejoiced.
Harry burst the bubble.
Writers: Thomas-Cutler-Cooper-Maimone.
© 1985 Bug Music / Arcades Music.
Lyrics by David Thomas.


Big Breezy Day.
Oh it's sublime, the sweep of time,
to suddenly find it's the month of May.
Throw back your head & open your arms.
Take a deep breath & get set to say,
Everyday's a big breezy day.
(Everyday's a big breezy day.)

Open your ears & close your eyes.
After the winter here comes the prize.
Insects roar in appreciation,
for the mid-day sun & its radiation,
and the breeze blows & blankets the land,
with the sound of the trees, the lake & the sand.
In the best part of the big breezy day.
(Oh, the best part of the big breezy day!)

The empty ore boats float like corks,
and the peoples on the beach come in all the sorts.
The water rolls in.
The water rolls out.
Nobody cares if the water's too loud.
In the best part of the big breezy day -
Oh, throw back your arms & get set to say,
Everyday's a big breezy day.
(Everyday's a big breezy day!)

A radio sun & the day like a beach,
the perfect horizon is just out of reach.
And the big jets blow in from across the lake.
You leave too soon... Well, it's a big mistake!
Because the new skyscraper's going up in town,
the girders & the elevators going up & down.
The steel mills forge on.
Such a busy day!
With so much going on every face is gay.
In the park at the edge of the lake,
the modern sculptures rust & flake.
in the best part of the big breezy day -
Oh, throw back your head & get set to say...

Rare, rare is the drama.
(With a gripping suspense.)
As the power of such a day contends with common sense.

In the park above the lake the modern sculptures rust & flake.
Writers: Thomas-Cutler-Cooper-Maimone.
© 1985 Bug Music / Arcades Music.
Lyrics by David Thomas.


The Farmer's Wife.
The farmer's wife is taken aback,
taken aback by an empty tract.
The farmer's wife is taken aback, taken aback, taken aback -
seeing how people run,
fleeing with the setting sun.
A ruin is what a city did become.
And the dream faded soon,
faded soon by the light of the moon.

The Farmer's Wife takes the time to speak to the empty streets.
The Farmer's Wife takes the time to speak,
and she says,
The ones who loved you -
The ones who loved you -
The ones who loved you -
Where are they gone?
Who cared & thought about -
Who cared & thought about-
Who cared & thought about you -
Where are they gone?
Gone, gone,
they faded soon by the light of the moon.

The mighty are fallen,
and the proud brought low,
when the visions of the past are thoughts the heirs don't know.
The mighty are fallen.

The Farmer's Wife, she's taken aback.
She's taken aback, empty tracts.
What the old ones know -
What the old ones know -
What the old ones know -
The young ones don't.
What the lover knows -
The lover knows -
The lover knows -
The stranger won't.
Faded soon by the light of the moon.

The mighty are fallen,
and the proud are brought low,
when the visions of the past are thoughts the heirs don't know.
The mighty are fallen.

Through the years the Law is unchanged.
The land is a loan Life will reclaim.

The farmer's wife is bigger than life,
bigger than life with a carving knife.
The Farmer's Wife is bigger than life,
bigger than life with a carving knife.

Seeing how the people run,
fleeing with the setting sun.
A ruin is what a city did become.
Left overnight, overgrown by noon -
Left overnight, overgrown by noon -
Left overnight, overgrown by noon -
Left overnight, overgrown by noon -
Life leaps out of the ground,
out of the ground in the empty town.
Writers: Thomas-Cutler-Cooper-Maimone.
© 1985 Bug Music / Arcades Music.
Lyrics by David Thomas.


New Broom.
The dust moved forward,
and the dust moved back -
new broom, new broom.
The dust ends up in a brown paper sack -
new broom, new broom.
Progress is made but progress is slow.

The dust moves forward,
and the dust moved back -
new broom, new broom.
The dust ended up in a brown paper sack -
new broom, new broom.
Progress is made but progress is slow.

The dust moves forward,
and the dust moves back -
new broom, new broom.
The dust ends up in a brown paper sack -
new broom, new broom.
Writers: Thomas-Cutler-Cooper-Maimone.
© 1985 Bug Music / Arcades Music.
Lyrics by David Thomas.


About True Friends.
Love won't remember the hurt & the pain,
and the heat of the moment will not be sustained.
Love as bond is not easily cracked.
Never mind the tears & remember the fact,
that a friend's not shy, not deaf, dumb & blind.
True friends will call and they'll save you two dimes.
True friends will call and save you two dimes.
True friends are hard to find.
True friends are hard to find.

When the sound of the day is of the rain not falling,
the whole world goes slow but a friend is not stalling.
The hand of kindness is like a treasure found.
A friend won't ever wear you down,
and a friend's not shy, not deaf, dumb & blind.
True friends will call and will save you two dimes.
True friends call, save you two dimes.
True friends are hard to find.
Yes, true friends are hard to find.

Friends don't remember hurt & pain.
The heat of the moment will not be sustained.
Love as a bond is not easily cracked.
Never mind the tears and remember the fact.
Writers: Thomas-Cutler-Cooper-Monck.
© 1985 Bug Music / Arcades Music.
Lyrics by David Thomas.