1. |
The Something Monarch
03:10
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The cable caught my leg and it pulled me off the deck and into the water; the ice and the water. I resist the urge to breathe until the CO2 inside of me builds up and makes my brain make me gasp for air. As the ocean fills my lungs, I choke and thrash because this cage is dragging me to the bottom of the sea. The pressure makes my ears implode, veins all freeze, and heartbeat slow...then seconds later stop. Electrical activity in the brain is the last to leave, me repeatedly thinking: "What a stupid way to die, just swallowing water. Here come the sharks now."
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2. |
Styrofoam
03:16
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You think you're living on the edge?
You think you're living "rock and roll"?
Try this for a change: don't do anything at all
Start watching the grass grow
Saving up P.T.O.
Laughing at Jay Leno on your T.V.
You said to me you liked my lack of symmetry
My hair, my teeth, and other discreet parts of me
Then you dressed me up in styrofoam
Dressed me up in styrofoam
Go do what you want
Like I could tell you, "Don't"
Go have lots of little children
Go find your remote
Start watching the grass grow
Saving up P.T.O.
Laughing at Jay Leno on your T.V.
You said to me you liked my lack of symmetry
My hair, my teeth, and other discreet parts of me
Then you dressed me up in styrofoam
Dressed me up in styrofoam
You were my weekend
You were my clock
My workday sleep-in, then mid-morning fuck
Flowers in summer, then indian springs
The one and only greatest reason to never do this again
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3. |
The First Waltz
04:10
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I was at my friend's house climbing trees and I thought this branch would hold me while I hung from my feet. It broke and I fell down, my back hit a root on the ground, and I couldn't breathe.
My friend went inside to get his mom so she could come see what was wrong. As I lay there tears welled up in my eyes. Just for a second I thought I might die. I didn't know what was happening. It's all I could do to heave the words, "I can't breathe"
"Of course you can breathe, if you're talking to me. Just try to breathe. Take deep breaths with short rests."
The first time I had the wind knocked out of me.
The first time I had the wind knocked out of me.
It was scary.
My friend and his family stood around laughing at me turning red as a beet, curled up in a ball rolling around on the front lawn trying to breathe.
His mom put her hands on my chest, and ever so gently she pressed. Now, when I look back, I still ask myself, "How in the world could that help?". But then suddenly the air rushed to where it should be, and I could breathe.
"Of course you can breathe, if you're talking to me. Just try to breathe. Take deep breaths with short rests."
The first time I had the wind knocked out of me.
The first time I had the wind knocked out of me.
It was scary.
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4. |
Ex-Country
04:03
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You're a country that doesn't exist anymore
No more hotel resorts lined up on your shore
You're a country that doesn't exist anymore
No opportunities knocking on your door
No more prime minister
And no more defense
No upset people fighting for their independence
You're a country that doesn't exist anymore
Land-mined and burned down in some terrible war
All your phone lines were cut long ago
New broken nations trying to escape your shadow
Never got to see divided Germany, or watch them all tear down the wall live on T.V.
All your "-ans" have gone away
Your connections have gone away
You've been completely forgotten
You came, saw, and left with nothing
You're in a museum somewhere on display
You're a country that doesn't exist anymore
No more merchant marines docking in your harbor
Torn apart by political unrest
The U.N. gave your land to the oppressed
Or maybe they didn't, and it's all the same
Maybe for some unknown reason you just changed your name
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5. |
Tiger Mt Rd
02:38
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Tiger Mt Rd is where I lost my soul
Tiger Mt Rd is where I left my soul
Six billion people living in the world, but only one of them is my girl
Tiger Mt Rd is where I left my soul
Tiger Mt Rd is where I lost my immortal soul
I feel her watching me with those pretty eyes as I drive past our exit sign
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6. |
Nemo
02:29
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In the devil's triangle a canyon time-travels via cave crystals
Listen here humanity, to the Nostradamus of the sea
D.O.L.C.O.G.
Dig thousands of feet below between Crete and Karpathos to find the lost city hidden for centuries
Nemo knows what you can't see, he's the Nostradamus of the sea
D.O.L.C.O.G.
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7. |
Texas On My Mind
03:20
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Texas, oh Texas
You're always on my mind
That damned Texas pride that I learned as a child
I can't say I loved you, because that would be a lie, but now that I've left you I'm surprised to find I can't leave you behind
Texas, oh Texas
There was a time I thought I'd live and die off of I-35
But now things are different
Look what you've become!
How I wish I didn't need to apologize for the place that I'm from
Texas, oh Texas
You did a number on me
On my whole family
But they're too blind to see
Make no mistake, dear, I've left you for good
I've found a new state here that feels more like home than you ever could
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8. |
Jaime
02:00
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Jaime, who knew you'd ruin everything?
That your heart was cold?
That you were so empty?
A lifeless husk just waiting to be filled by the first thing that came easy
Jamie, who knew you thought so low of yourself?
That these snake-oil lines would be good enough to make you think your life would be better with a lifeless musk just waiting to fill the first thing that came easy?
You made it look so easy
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9. |
Parliament
03:55
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The parliament said no by a vote of 25 to 1 with a few abstentions
But how could they know what they wrote would leave them all undone and bring on a new inquisition?
It had been so long they forgot it was wrong
Can't we all get along?
No. We can't.
Just when you think the protestants have come and went, the government says, "Up against the wall!"
Then it's all just cover-ups, paid T.V. spots, and photo ops with folks outside the mall
You can't fight city hall these days, even torch-bearing mobs won't stop them flapping their jaws.
Your Majesty
We don't need diplomacy
Don't need to "wait and see"
I can't stand this heresy
We need the cavalry
We need the guillotine
We need the monarchy
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10. |
Musicians
03:50
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All these guitar players calling themselves musicians
All of these three-finger piano playing "musicians"
They learned the power chord, then must have just got bored
Figured there was nothing more
Is this who I'm trying to impress?
I never considered myself much of a musician
I guess that's why I have such a hard time with "musicians"
It's not I don't want you to have a point of view
I just wish that you'd tone it down
I mean, who are you trying to impress?
Wish I hadn't spent so long trying to be a musician
I may be a lot of things now, but not a musician
Maybe the second group I dropped out to do should have been a larger clue
"The stuff that you're writing doesn't impress"
Mammas, don't let your babies grow up to be musicians
It's a road with no end or reward for most musicians
I mean, just look at me, about to turn 30 with no record, no band, no degree
Just an ear that's harder to impress
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Big Dammit Chicago, Illinois
Chicago rock band bitten by a radioactive saxophone
Big Dammit recommends:
Bottom George Pizza Planet
by Truman & His Trophy
Who doesn't like pizza?
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Dynamite Stick
by the New Messengers
Because the old messengers kind of suck
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for esme
by the carson mcullers
Virginia isn't just for lovers anymore.
go to albumIf you like Big Dammit, you may also like:
Harp-wielding Brooklynite Pamela Martinez crafts frisky songs, blending epic vocal harmonies with a horn-heavy orchestral backing.
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Following up their excellent comp of Bay Area talent, OIM release Whiskerman's new gospel-tinged LP.
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Living Isn't Easy
by Robocobra Quartet
featured on Bandcamp Radio Feb 7, 2023
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