Kanye West - Last Call

I ain't play the hand I was dealt, I changed my cards
I prayed to the skies and I changed my stars
I went to the malls and I balled too hard
'Oh my god, is that a Black Card?'
I turned around and replied, "Why yes but I prefer the term
African American Express"

Gotta have a little rap in this bitch :)

Have a Merry Christmas everyone!

Led Zeppelin - Fool In The Rain

This is by far my favorite Led Zeppelin song. It tells the story of a guy that's waiting for a girl on a street corner, and when she doesn't show, he starts to think things to himself. Then, he realizes he's on the wrong block :) If anyone hasn't heard it, and wants to, let me know. It's so good, I can't stand to leave someone out....I'll find a way to get that song to you.

Well there's a light in your eye that keeps shining
Like a star that can't wait for the night
I hate to think I've been blinded baby
Why can't I see you tonight?
And the warmth of your smile starts a-burnin'
And the thrill of your touch gives me fright
And I'm shaking so much, really yearning
Why don't you show up and make it all right?
...
Now I will stand in the rain on the corner
I'll watch the people go shuffling downtown
Another ten minutes no longer
And then I'm turning around
The clock on the wall's moving slower
My heart it sinks to the ground
And the storm that I thought would blow over
Clouds the light of the love that I found

Portishead - Cowboys

Did you sweep us far from your feet,
Reset in stone this stark belief,
Salted eyes and a sordid dye,
Too many years.

But don't despair,
This day will be their damnedest day,
Oh, if you take these things from me.

Did you feed us tales of deceit,
Conceal the tongues who need to speak?
Subtle lies and a soiled coin,
The truth is sold, the deal is done.

But don't despair,
This day will be their damnedest day,
Oh, if you take these things from me.

I could listen to Portishead all day....their vocalist (who's name I don't know) is wonderful. To be quite honest, her voice, mixed with the music, is absolutely mesmerizing. And while her words are, to me, more akin to poetry than to "lyrics" (know what I mean?), I think it works well. Check it out for yourself!

Dave Matthews Band - Lie In Our Graves

Yeah...more DMB. Sue me. I'm listening to this new disk that was made available to fan club members...it's a concert from 2004 in San Francisco. Carlos Santana comes out with them to do a really, really badass version of All Along the Watchtower. While that's great...I have to profess my gratitude for the man known as Butch Taylor. He plays such a sweet piano, especially on Lie In Our Graves, at this concert. If I could pass a piano solo off as "lyrics", I certainly would!

I can't believe that we would lie in our graves
wondering if we've spent our living days well...

I can't believe that we would lie in our graves
dreaming of things that we might have been...

Modest Mouse - Float On

I ran my mouth off a bit too much, oh what did I say?
Well you just laughed it off, it was all OK.

Even if things get heavy, we'll all float on.

Whew! Where have I been?!?!

The Velvet Underground - Heroin

Lou Reed is quite an interesting cat. If I had to guess, I'd guess that most of you haven't listened to much of his work. He's got a knack for saying things in just the right way, so that it evokes the proper mental image/feeling. (Apparently I don't share in that knack, as that last sentence was a bear to grind out!) Check him out.

I don’t know just where I’m going
But I’m gonna try for the kingdom, if I can
’cause it makes me feel like I’m a man
When I put a spike into my vein
And I’ll tell ya, things aren’t quite the same
When I’m rushing on my run
And I feel just like jesus’ son
And I guess that I just don’t know
And I guess that I just don’t know

I have made the big decision
I’m gonna try to nullify my life
’cause when the blood begins to flow
When it shoots up the dropper’s neck
When I’m closing in on death
And you can’t help me not, you guys
And all you sweet girls with all your sweet silly talk
You can all go take a walk
And I guess that I just don’t know
And I guess that I just don’t know

I wish that I was born a thousand years ago
I wish that I’d sail the darkened seas
On a great big clipper ship
Going from this land here to that
In a sailor’s suit and cap
Away from the big city
Where a man can not be free
Of all of the evils of this town
And of himself, and those around
Oh, and I guess that I just don’t know
Oh, and I guess that I just don’t know

Heroin, be the death of me
Heroin, it’s my wife and it’s my life
Because a mainer to my vein
Leads to a center in my head
And then I’m better off and dead
Because when the smack begins to flow
I really don’t care anymore
About all the jim-jim’s in this town
And all the politicians makin’ crazy sounds
And everybody puttin’ everybody else down
And all the dead bodies piled up in mounds

’cause when the smack begins to flow
Then I really don’t care anymore
Ah, when the heroin is in my blood
And that blood is in my head
Then thank God that I’m as good as dead
Then thank your God that I’m not aware
And thank God that I just don’t care
And I guess I just don’t know
And I guess I just don’t know

Pearl Jam - Red Mosquito

I've long said that Pearl Jam is my favorite band. There are many other bands that I listen to more often (DM(B), Zep, Guster lately), but Pearl Jam is still far and away my favorite. Everything about them makes me happy...makes me smile. (Don't it make you smiile?) Anyhow, I think ultimately this song is my favorite of theirs. When No Code came out, and everyone started ragging on them, saying they had lost their touch, it was this song that proved to me that they hadn't. No Code is a great (and greatly misunderstood) album. The ending of this song ("if i had known then") might possibly be the most gratifying 30 seconds of music I've ever heard. Seriously. (If you don't believe me, I'm sure Becky will back me up.)

I was bitten, must have been the devil
he was just paying me...
a little visit, reminding me of his presence
and letting me know, he's a'waiting, he's a'waiting...
up there...
if I had known then what I know now...

...on that note, maybe I should pay more attention to who I chose on this thing. Looking back, there's a lot of repeat customers.

Long Live Ken Jennings!