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                                          Mike Musty – guitar, harmonica, vocals                               Rich Pagen – guitar, drums, vocals

Recorded live from the Charrette Underground in Minneapolis, Minnesota on June 18, 2004 (except “The passionate one”, “Buckles”, and “Whiffle Mae” which were recorded at Studio 3142 in Minneapolis in April 2004).

Tracks 1,3,5,7,9,11 – music and lyrics by Rich Pagen.  Tracks 2,4,6,8,10,12,13,14 – music and lyrics by Mike Musty.

1. THE SIDE

If I opened up my eyes, would I see you?  Would I see through your disguise, want to be you?  Life is only temporary, you know what I know and it’s true.  And I understand, you must think me mad, because I held your hand and now I drop it to the side.  If I had one life to live, would I live it?  If I had the world to give, would I give it?  Life is only temporary, you now what I know and it’s true.  And I understand, you must think me mad, because I held your hand and now I drop it to the side.

2. UNTITLED

When you’re down, and I’m mad, you hold back feeling sad.  All I’m saying is you’re back and forth, it’s like you’re playing me for a door.  When I’m right, then you’re sad, when I’m wrong, then you’re mad, and now you’re begging for me back.  When I start getting close to you, you keep pegging me back a few.  I stay looking for times of fun, and I stay paying for times of none.  When I’m right, then you’re sad, when I’m wrong, then you’re mad, and now you’re begging for me back.  Now I know you don’t mean harm, nothing’s harder than when you’re down.  All I’m asking is hold me close, weather your storming as it comes and goes.  When I’m right, then you’re sad, when I’m wrong, then you’re mad, and now you’re begging for me back.

3. KIND OF A MESS

Well I’m kind of a mess, kind of a mess, a seam has torn inside.  Like the moon in the west, as the sun sets, was my heart so hidden from sight?  What I am I thought you could see, what I am you didn’t trust was me, what I am just keeps calling me back to you, calling me back.  Well I’m kind of a mess, kind of a mess, just me on the side of the road.  Maybe a test, but you couldn’t have done less for me as I carried the load.  What I am I thought you could see, what I am you didn’t trust was me, what I am just keeps calling me back to you, calling me back.  Do you think you can tell the highs from the lows?  Do you think you can tell a storm from a breeze on the lake?  You can’t tell.  Before you all gathered around.  Scarlet, you keep covering me in scarlet, as far as I can see, before you were all gathered around.

4. BEACON OF LIGHT

You’ve pounded out your heartache, you’ve memorized your lines.  You’ve traded all your stories, you’ve worn out the signs. When the sea gets much too stormy, the shore is hard to find, and the water all around me swirls to keep me blind.  You’re my beacon of light.  Now you think you must have lost it, that you’ve wasted all your tears.  But in effect, you made it, and led us all these years.  When the sea gets much too stormy, the shore is hard to find, and the water all around me swirls to keep me blind.  You’re my beacon of light.

5. DARK ROAD

Suddenly comes the hour that is yours, to make your plea to the powers surrounding.  If they die for me, it’s a dark road.  That they have died for me, it’s a dark road.  Suddenly she drops the flower into the falls, harmony has gone sour all around me.  If they die for me, it’s a dark road.  That they have died for me, it’s a dark road.  And I have found that beauty it forsakens me.  The time is now, when my actions will reveal to me what I am.  Finally will fall the tower and the wall, into the sea, and the power will no longer be.  If they die for me, it’s a dark road.  That they have died for me, it’s a dark road.  And I have found that beauty it forsakens me.  The time is now, when my actions will reveal to me what I am.

6. GOING LONG

Bob said don’t sing your song if you can’t sing it all the way.  It’s not right to hold a woman if you can’t hold her all the way.  Going long.  I was hanging out, I was kind of in, I was saving it all for another day.  I pull it out, and I back it in, I wonder why it stays the same.  Going long.  When you’re in the light, and the match is made, sing it out until you cry.  Say it loud, and let it go, live it all through your life.  Going long.  As the hanger’s hung, and the plan is made, you’ll pack them in and sign them up.  If you play it hard, and show it true, there’ll be no doubt what to do.  Going long.

7. STREETLIGHTS BLOCKING STARLIGHT

To my right, the clock wakes me, dark of night. Highway roar, I can’t remember hearing that sound before.  I walk the road, I walk towards  where there’s no streetlights blocking starlight.  By the park, the quiet pierced by a dog’s bark.  A cold landscape, frosted car windows waiting to be scraped.  Fly on down, fly above a sleeping town where the streetlights block the starlight.  Metal and plastic meet in such a vibration, as they drive, speed along across the altered flatland.  Above the snow, above, near a crouched Leo, there aren’t streetlights blocking starlight.

8. NEW WAY TO GO

I’m looking for the channels in nature to open up roadways in my life.  I’m waiting for the people around me to gather and build me a new sign.  Looking for the new way to go, passing all the exits for my soul.  I’m putting out panels of format for holding my center of position.  I’m handing out leaflets about me, and trading my passions for standard.  Looking for the new way to go, passing all the exits for my soul.  I’m riding the highway of reason, flipping off drivers that cut me.  Traveling from homeland to homeland, planning a new life to change me.  Looking for the new way to go, passing all the exits for my soul.

9. WARM

Won’t you keep the sky clear?  I’ll tell you why - because I want to feel the sun on my face.  Moon, I envy you.  The sun has gotten through, and I want to feel its warmth on my face.  But I have a home, she’s a girl who loves what I make of me.  She keeps me warm when the sunlight is gone.  She keeps me warm when the light is gone.  She keeps me warm.  The wind has picked up now, the sun won’t show for hours.  But I want to feel its warmth, my love.

10. STRANGER MEMBRANE

When you walk up to someone on the street or in a bar or in a coffee shop, and you don’t know who they are, a stranger membrane forms.  Poke on through your heart, stranger membrane. The stranger membrane is wicked, it tunes all light shining out and reflects all light shining in.  Poke on through your heart, stranger membrane.  The stranger membrane is cruel, it affirms your confusion through its clarity, with the softest glance or the leanest look, it scoffs at you and turns away laughing.  Poke on through your heart, stranger membrane.  The stranger membrane remembers the last time you were there, keep your distance, slow your speed, you’re not going anywhere.  Poke on through your heart, stranger membrane.

11. NEELA

Neela, I don’t understand you, I don’t pretend to.  But if it’s all right with me, is it all right with you?  Neela, the sun shines from your eyes, for you I’d gladly compromise and you know that I love you all the time, and I’m glad that you are mine.  Neela, you are home to me, and I’m so free.  And when you hold my hand in yours, my heart it soars.  Neela, we’ve walked a thousand miles, with you I’ve shared a thousand smiles and you know that I love you all the time, and I’m glad that you are mine.  I love you all the time, and I’m glad that you are mine.

12. The passionate one

Now you’re doing it wrong, now you’re doing it right.  You give it so easily without even a fight.  When you open it up, well you’re gonna lose some.  It’s the trials and pain of the passionate one.  So you send them all out, then you pack them all in.  And your spread all your love until its wafer thin.  And you don’t get paid, you don’t even have fun.  It’s the trials and pain of the passionate one.  You live like the sun, you shine so bright, you circle constantly every day and night.  Why would they stay when they can always get some?  And your trials and pain ‘cause you’re a passionate one.

13. Buckles

A ray of yellow, the shine of silver, a clickety-clockin’.  They're lookin me up and down, at me and my buckles.  A sunny morning, a money schedule, a future just for me.  There's so much to do today.  So much for my buckles.  She wants to change the world.  She wants to bring peace to the girl.  Why can't she save her world?  A permanent artist, a fantasy princess, a bubble gum blow girl.  I'm not scared of anyone.  I'll show 'em my buckles.  A ray of yellow, a shine of silver, a soreful smile.  If I ever move away, it's for me and my buckles.

14. Whiffle Mae

She calls me on the phone, she calls me when I‘m not home.  Even though I don’t see the ground, she spins me around and around.  She‘ll meet me in the morn, she’ll meet me when I’m forlorn.  Even though she can’t be it all, nor beside me through it all.  Whiffle mae.  She’ll take it into town, she’ll often sigh with a frown.  Even though she don’t want to go, she’ll make it to the show.  Whiffle Mae.