Eight Little Songs

Institutionalized Misogyny

I'm not complaining, I'm just figuring out
how everything left us behind
I got my problems, I'm aware of them
I'll take care of them, never you mind

you're still repeating pre-recorded things
they used to say in universities
and books on left wing politics and law
about underlying structures
that so far as they mean anything
still won't support the personal connections that you draw

Institutionalized misogyny
that's all that stands between my baby and me

now science tells us I'm hard-wired to, I'm required to
do it with you
'cause I'm a man, and you're a woman
and that's what those kind of people do

I stole that line from Woody Allen
isn't it amusing?
I wish I could make you understand
what Woody Allen meant.
If there's no such thing as objective reality
why can't we quit our jobs and just imagine
we won't have to pay the rent

Institutionalized misogyny
that's why they're charging rent
to my baby and me

Michelle, ma belle: ton beau, Michel Foucault
a Foucault dependent is always ready to go
I think we're alone
I might have known
she's got Chomsky on the phone

Institutionalized misogyny
that's all that stands between my baby and me.

How many times can you read that letter, and what do you need it for?
Can't you see that the salutation has no meaning anymore?
and you can't resurrect the body and the closing's out of date
and if you stumble upon an answer it will always be too late--

you better take that letter, put it in the boyfriend box

Are you still staring at that picture of someone who doesn't care,
just like you're looking through a window at a world that isn't there?
If you're trying to reconstruct it, it will only fall apart
'cause there's really nothing in it but your late, great heart--

you better take that picture, put it in the boyfriend box

ooh, la, la. ooh, la, la. ooh, la, la.

There's something dark and dead
buried in your head and underneath your bed

You're still tempted to believe the world is true
you even almost do

Your little world is a little empty, but the memories never stop
organizing themselves in layers, the most recent at the top.
If you need to go any deeper, you can dig them out again,
just in case you need to be reminded of what a fool you've been--

you better take those memories put them in the boyfriend box

ooh, la, la: take those letters, put them in the boyfriend box.

I was here when the call came through, Jill
and I screened it like I always do, Jill
and they hung up on the machine
just like you, Jill

Well, that sounds like one of your stunts, Jill
and I'm only gonna say this once, Jill
you haven't left a message for me
in a couple of months, Jill

I'm not blaming you, Jill
this is hard to do, Jill
but I still don't know why I always feel like crying

I'm still having some trouble tying up your loose ends, Jill
and I still see life through the same distorted lens, Jill
and I think I may have said some things about you
in front of some of your friends, Jill

Well, I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings, Jill
but these are not normally people with whom I have dealings, Jill
I still spend most of my time in silence, alone,
staring at ceilings, Jill

But you know all that, Jill
what I'm getting at, Jill
is I can't stop not knowing why I never don't feel like crying

Discretion is a must, rising from the dust,
on your feet but just a bit unsteady
you want to close your eyes, be taken by surprise
but not before youíre absolutely ready

so lay low, as time permits
and you'll know it when it hits:
it's gonna sound like a big
it's coming down like a big
it's gonna pound like a big, strange, beautiful hammer

You're feeling like a saint, powerful but faint
like you want to call for an attendant
heavy in your hand, courage on demand
you feel safe, and strangely independent

once baptized in pain and light
you'd be advised to hold on tight
when you collide with a big
you coincide with a big
filled inside with a big, strange, beautiful hammer

it's coming down on you
it's gonna drive you home

Discretion is a waste, now you've had a taste
you see yourself as well-maintained and polished
existence is a test, we try to do our best
but we're on a quest to be demolished

it's your right, so don't be shy
day and night you're smitten by
the might of a big
the blinding light of a big
it's the night of the big, strange, beautiful hammer

You're Impossible, Baby
You're like a great barrier reef
as far fetched as you may be
you're a matter of belief

you're like a cute little religion
with rewards and punishments
and I try to follow you
though you never really make much sense

hey hey ho ho you're impossible baby
too unlikely to be true
I don't believe in anything
but I have faith in you

So you could call me a zealot
I'd take a bullet for you any day
or may just a pellet
it's difficult to say

but when they call upon me to renounce thee
when they're putting me to the sword
I'll sing kyrie eleison
and go to my reward

hey hey na na you're impossible baby
and I mean that in the nicest way
you remind me of that lady
of Guadalupe

You're impossible baby
and here's my point of view
I live in hope, I walk in doubt
but I believe in you

You have to hate the world
it's required by your clothes
consistency is everything
as everybody knows

it's so cold baby, you're losing your hold baby
and you're gonna fold, baby, before too long

but don't tell me your secret lies in London
I already know
I can see your secret lies in London
everywhere I go

there is a sun somewhere
extremely far away
your tired eyes reflecting the sky
a drizzly steel grey

there's no light in there, there's no sight in there
I get right in there and it's all dark

don't deny your secret lies in London
it's not worth your while
you can lie back and think of England
and miss it by a mile

you can't conceal your secret lies in London
obviously not
I can feel your secret lies in London
deeper than you thought

I'm sorry I misplaced your monkey
It was a careless thing to do
but are you aware I spend all my spare time
missing you?

and I know you've been dreaming
of a simian surprise
and all I ever do is think about you
and your lovely eyes

but I love you more than words can say
and words can say a lot
though often they do not

I contemplate you day and night
more beautiful than any star
I'm your mate, you're my mate
and we don't need some primate
to show us what we are, right?

but I still owe you a monkey
and I'll get on it right away
but you may regret it if you ever get it
they're mischievous, so they say

but I love you more than anything
and if that sounds too vague
I'd cut off my left leg for you
and I'd avoid other girls like the plague
if you were here I'd beg you to stay

what more can I say?

Happy Monkeyless Valentines Day

I don't have much in common with the man from old Najaf
I think I understand him though I guess I could be off
America is beautiful and flawed
Inspiring, contradictory, and odd

Democracy, Whisky, Sexy

Did you see them pull the statue down? How did it look to you?
Did you see them hit the picture of a monster with a shoe?
America was flying through the skies
America was streaming from my eyes

Democracy, Whisky, Sexy

Our day is just his night
but I want him to be right
so I'll drink to him
please don't let him down

Anything can happen and it's complicated but
I can tell the future from a feeling in my gut

Democracy, Whisky, Sexy
democracy, Democracy
expedience, idealism, hope, sexy, whisky