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Take On An Empty Mind

by Brompton's Cocktail

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1.
I can't wait to see the destruction of New York City. It's going up in flames. It's going under the waves. Washington Square can choke itself on a few more graves. Excessive tension turns me on as dissonance resolves into an epileptic's calm. They're trying to hide the fault lines where fault lies. The yellow rags will distract you. The subways will compact you into a cautionary tale for midwestern babes. Excessive tension turns me on as dissonance resolves into an epileptic's calm. Cuckoo. Cuckoo. This weight on you is much ado about nothing. The cut worm forgives the plow. Will you forgive when lizards, comets or the nukes abound? Queensboro bridge is falling down. Tear up your credit cards and sink into the row. I am one of those sick people who'd cut off my nose to spite my face and do it with a smile. If you handed me the button, I couldn't resist the urge to bring the curtain crashing down. Excessive tension turns me on as dissonance resolves into an epileptic's calm. Cuckoo. Cuckoo. This weight on you is much ado about nothing. Nothing. Nothing left.
2.
Kabonkers 04:25
I see another cow comin' on home with her fancy sunglasses and her fake straw hat and her bags got stickers from Alaska and Nebraska and the Panama Canal. She told us 'bout tea with the Oriental folk (which was funny 'cause I never heard that cow talk before) and how London's always foggy and the French are always snotty all the same. So Mrs. Crashaw tries to dig a hole to China and ol' Jim Bob thumbs a ride on a 747. Mrs. Pew finally has somebody else to speak Greek to. My best friend Hank went to find Jesus Christ 'cause the cow said she saw him up 'round Minnesota so I'm left drinkin' beer with Zeke who'd rather be a bird now. I can't see any other way to get by. That cow's even got me thinkin' I'm high. Everybody's goin' off to see the world. Ol' Mrs. Baker's actin' like a school girl. Sammy's done closin' up the store, boardin' up the windows and lockin' up the door. Last I heard he was runnin' for Jamaica like a fool. Y'ask me, everybody's gone kabonkers. I can't take any more, for cryin' out loud. Time to get the Winchester 30.06 out. Maybe a shell in the head will knock some sense in; they won't see Jamaica but they'll sure see heaven. Mrs. Crashaw already dug herself a grave. My best friend Hank can find out if he's been saved. Pretty soon Zeke'll be soarin up with the birds and that ol' cow'll be grazin' with heavenly herds. Glad I stayed sane through that whole crazy mess.
3.
Snail 05:36
custom breathing give my name for sale measured greetings blow smoke through the veil choked with flowers heart, soul, tooth and nail riding on your trail piecing through junk mail cross the threshold, snail don't tell me I missed my own reward I break mirrors you still can't afford love and puppies drowning evermore sideshows never fail the slugs that they regale cross the razor, snail is it all myopic salt? a sacrifice of wherewithal? security in paper walls? well, I will undertake to crawl away from you and your abuse, your fifty-seven dollar noose, the slothful coma you induce? yes, I reserve the chance to loose it all cross the razor, snail narcolepsy, beat me to my tomb.
4.
Skeleton 06:26
Once upon a time before the age of man while sleeping quietly upon a daisy bed, out from my mouth jumped forth my skeleton, left me a puddle of muscle, hair and skin. Turned 'round to face me with a lipless grin. Said to my puddle did my skeleton: "Alas, poor flesh, I knew you not at all. Enthrall me with your gall." Said me (the puddle) to my skeleton: "What do you want?" "I'll tell you," said the grin. "What kind of bones are we going to be? What kind of skeleton will you make of me? A lawyer's jaw? A farmer's vertebrae? A doctor's metacarpular array? A runner's femur? A football player's skull? A Christian's kneecaps? A Buddhist's little toe? Or will you get me caught beneath a slab intended for another Galahad, clad all in white without an evil bone, no conscience known?" Just beneath the muscle and the skin lies the dreamless, sleepless skeleton. How can my fingertips reach the heart when the skeleton keeps us apart? Sins of the flesh I never should atone. Of course! You're only guilty to the bone. Profanity is mute without a tongue and vanity wanes once the eyes are gone. My children, bring my bones across the sands a hundred years, back to my father's land. Lay me to rest, inscribe this on a stone: "Here lies unknown."
5.
a little reprieve, but they say it's a coincidence sending warm chills down my spine I could use another ton o' prevention space men want my mind I got a vat of strychnine my militia gets it fresh helps me read the backs of road signs like that poor boy dave koresh I know why the ufo's won't pose for channel 2 they've got elvis locked away, they're in league with the jews bone to ash spoiled milk in the fridge funeral pyre ceiling unsinged i know why you won't see the sasquatch on park avenue the fbi has kept him in hiding since 1962 i know why the loch ness monster is so damn camera shy the catholics killed her just to prove saint christopher's a lie always keep a piece of tin foil handy always keep your shotgun handy
6.
Nothing is impossible for Commodore Impossible hence the name hence the joke hence the cigarette he smokes sticky lacerations bleed his ears and eyes and tongue away it's ok; he's not dead; he'll be on tv instead action figure movie rites cartoon sownd byte "Here I come to save the day," the Commodore would always say to the crowd standing by (to the girl who caught his eye) leaving in his wake a beer, a cheer, a jeer and the Goodyear blimp. hurry up; don't be long; I don't wanna miss the song akshun figure moovy rights car tune snd bite Mary, au contraire, are you impaired? Didn't you hear? Don't touch my toys. Meet me after school. I'll be real cool. I'll break the rules. I'm actual size me up and down I got mobility ~ I got agility I got a moving part ~ I can really talk I got the will to be ~ I got the will to see I got the will to live ~ I got a lot to give Calling Commodore Impossible! This is your old friend, Dr. Demonic. I'm standing atop the world — well, the Empire States Building really — and gazing upon the ants scurrying below. But no one really sees me, my genius, my machine gun. I'm sharing this with you and you alone. I've stolen the Hope Diamond. I've hijacked the President's plane. I've stolen a billion DM. I'm opening fire on the crowd. What are ya gonna do? I'm on my way I'm on my way I'm on my way I'm on my my my my Mary, au contraire, are you impaired? Didn't you hear? Don't touch my fucking toys. Meet me after school. I'll be real cool. I'll break the rules. I'm actual size me up and down I got mobility ~ I got agility I got a moving part ~ I can really talk I got the will to be ~ I got the will to see I got the will to live ~ I got a lot to give I got banality Artificiality Inflated physiognomy Genital conspiracy But I bring the gavel down I swing the bat around I let the flag unfurl I get to kiss the girl
7.
Poolside 05:58
goodnight, everybody, have a good evening do we let her drown or do we bury her a christian? sleeping at the opera; sitting by the poolside everybody else wet ~ why's she wanna stay dry? ask a silly question, squint away the red eye there's the thunder rolling; everybody inside staring straight into the sun while we're young we can still taste the salt on out tongues voices singing, sirens screaming she don't know and they don't know thunder's still a-crashin' ~ someone's face is ashen they'll chew their gums when they grow old if they grow old sea sluts wailing -- how they carry on! mad king drowning, current sweeps along chlorination, coronation ecstasy still keeping us afloat sink it like a rumor, needs a sense of humor build my crazy castle in the summer snow but I don't know children buried out to sea a peaceful grave; no autopsy saltwater scours them clean underwater cares get a bite to eat something so exotic leaves the kiddies blind do you really think this virgin lost her mind? sea sluts wailing -- how they carry on! mad king drowning, current sweeps along chlorination, coronation we wake up some thousand leagues below bathing in spite of a fear of the sea stripping to the skin, you observe their disease then a hush falls when the tide rolls in you see their pruned fingertips seven lost kids in a six-man lifeboat someone's gonna have to swim to keep the rest afloat treading water behind his eyes no one ever asked to be this way don't you understand it's a lover game? sitting by the poolside, dangling your toes in we all see you hesitating to go under sea sluts wailing -- how they carry on! mad king drowning, current sweeps along chlorination, coronation ecstasy some thousand leagues below Weialala leia Wallala leialala
8.
cast to the void in a refrigerator box envoi le dans l'espace is all the response he got absence of light weightless in a cardboard cage are these real walls or conceptual walls? salvage debris from zero gravity outdated fax machines joysticks and small tv's building a transmitter to beam his image back are you receiving me? is anyone watching me? today in space we are… moving along we have… tonight's special guest is… somebody kill me… out of the way far out of way
9.
I'll be simpatico — you be the radical myself and my shadow been ripped, torn and rattled by my only worst enemy, eyes closed in front of me put your lips together and sing like a canary she wants the water, so you bring the ocean she likes the static, so you be the motion she wants the imagery, you paint the picture she wants stability, you be the fixture slowly awaken to azure noon concrete waltz to singing spoons a kiss for reminder, a cigarette for two a night-colored velvet, a looking-glass blue she looks you up when you look her down every lyrical curve invites the sound me, myself, I got music for everything something original, something amazing my little sliver my ice-warming blue cry me a liver so I can drink, too all the cash in Manhattan will not buy you a heart …but it might get you started say that you feel it — the tension in you has begun to fade just relax, let the beat whisk you away gentle persuasion, soft as a whisper you take a breath and sip the elixir oh, that perfume! everyone else in the room fades away slowly awaken…
10.
Paper Towels 05:17
very large reminder i leave on the counter so that when i wake up in the morning i remember to buy paper towels very large reminder i leave on the counter so that when i wake up in the morning i remember to buy paper towels. don't forget don't forget don't this time i'll remember coming home this evening maybe something pretty something quite absorbant this time it will work i swear i swear i swear
11.
Juggler 07:01
Whoops! Sorry Fucked up again Ouch! Sorry Dropped one again Bowling pins and candlesticks on the floor I can't feel my fingertips anymore Doesn't anybody want to see me throw fire? This looked easier on TV Maybe need a camera pointing at me Doesn't anybody want to see me throw higher? What, me? Speeding? No, ma'am, not me Move my hands over you Move my eyes over you Take a bite without breaking stride Muscle memory's not here My infirmity is clear Can I, can't I, can I rely? Would you be more comfortable on the floor? Wouldn't we be comfortable on the floor? Me on top of you on top of me on top of you Singing "Don't drop the ball" What ball? No one cares about a ball They wanna see a few chainsaws They wanna see me lose my arm, my leg, my cool, my head What, me? Stealing? No... Screaming from the minarets Cocks crowing manic depression My roommate is fucking with me Policing conspiracy Early afternoon beguiles Illuminati astrophiles Sub-orbital vacillation Misinterprets manipulation I slam — as simile 'tis pugilist psychology Run riddle ragged analogies behind every corner Someone... Is this the end of the world? It's not the end of the world This is the end of the world It's not the end of the world Here comes the end of the world It's not the end of the world This is the end of the world It's not the end of the world So don't be afraid to drop one This is the end of the world But at least you can say you caught some It's not the end of the world So rest your wicked eyes And focus in on the prize They all ask the same question But they're not as eloquent as I
12.
good evening, people, thanks for being here on time I'd love to share with you my argument design I just can't wait to start the services today but first the organ-grinder's graciously arrived to play doff your hat and waltz awhile pass the cup, make them smile gears are turning, books are burning here's a little song I'm learning: I'll love you if you love me, we'll be a clockwork family 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 all good monkeys go to heaven no more children swinging in the trees instead they're dancing on their knees thank you all, you're so kind bless you all when you're mine monkeys and weasels I know a wristwatch from a hole in the ground organ-grinder, crank another tune I wanna dance for you I don't know, is there some other way to go? you have to marvel a machine so rightly wrought deus ex machina, I think or so I thought to fashion something we perpetually need just keep it oiled well and time will harvest all the weeds thank you all, he's well fed will he dance when he's dead? Well, I've recently decided that you're all a bunch of raving maniacs yes, maniacs though I feel like Lizzy Borden when I'm fondling the handle of an axe yes, an axe but still I've come to the conclusion that you're all a bunch of mindless lunatics yes, lunatics but I just can't stop from trying I'll admit there's no denying when I hear the organ crying I can feel I wanna dance a jig organ-grinder, crank another tune I wanna dance for you I don't know, is there some other way to go?
13.
ballooning passivity eyes the controls objectivity seems so small from here but do you stay on your mission to get away, head away, fly away from the usual off the page the headlines can scream: "a plane crash for you" adrift and serene while numberless eyes cry numberless tears on numberless skies a touch of fragility cries in the coach soft and luminous white sighs hyper-most but can you outlive statistics to get away, head away, walk away from the usual white island of dross blue ocean sky oxygen high on numberless skies

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released December 1, 2001

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