I know what we need –
another category.
‘Cause there’s nothing like division
to create unity.
A call for aiming higher
is to speak out of school.
So we’ll carve some more exceptions ‘til we sever the rule.
The standard is to practice
a contempt for the whole,
While the guise of liberation
hides covert control.
If freedom’s just a license
I know what we need –
another category.
‘Cause there’s nothing like division
to create unity.
A call for aiming higher
is to speak out of school.
So we’ll carve some more exceptions ‘til we sever the rule.
The standard is to practice
a contempt for the whole,
While the guise of liberation
hides covert control.
If freedom’s just a license
to be unto ourselves,
Then we are not united,
but thirteen out of twelve.
Practice makes the perfect crime.
Chorus
How many shades can we create
Before the gradient dominates?
Right replaced.
How many “truths” will we abide
Before the standard is vericide?
Numb with pride.
Selfish satiation
is the hallmark of good.
So we’ll hoard all of the “can”,
while we ignore all the “should”.
But accountability is judgment
and we’ll have none of that.
So, we’ll push and push the boundaries ‘til we fall off the map.
"Liberal", "conservative"
mean nothing to me –
‘Cause a label for a pundit
I will never be.
Spare me history lessons
‘cause you cannot believe
What your broken, pointing fingers
scream at us they’ll achieve.
Practice makes the perfect crime.
Chorus
How many bricks will we remove
To build temples of a point to prove?
Two by two.
A weapons grade of venom
is flooding the ether.
The air’s getting shallow and the swamp’s getting deeper.
Sowing the lie. Sowing the lie.
The talking heads legislate
through their echo chamber.
Lady Justice is AWOL
and can we really blame her?
Phone in the buy. Phone in the buy.
The new truth is fluid
and it’s so never-lasting.
It’s flexible,
A weapons grade of venom
is flooding the ether.
The air’s getting shallow and the swamp’s getting deeper.
Sowing the lie. Sowing the lie.
The talking heads legislate
through their echo chamber.
Lady Justice is AWOL
and can we really blame her?
Phone in the buy. Phone in the buy.
The new truth is fluid
and it’s so never-lasting.
It’s flexible, expendable,
and gives without asking.
Growing the “why”.
Growing the “why”.
Chorus
There are no words
for what you’re saying.
The volume is all you call on to
just make it right.
‘Cause you don’t speak
so much as discharge.
Collateral battles from shrapnel
just prove your point.
Speak into existence
what sandpapers the moment.
Reality died yesterday,
so get with the program.
Stow and deny. Stow and deny.
Now that’s all settled
and the nuisance abated.
To frown on hypocrisy
is so antiquated.
Towing the line. Towing the line.
Chorus
The strawman who stole your wild goose has vanished.
Apply it no mind – right on time,
a new scapegoat you’ll find.
C’mon, what say you?
They’re all betting you’ll fall for their lie.
Brother, I pray you
Spit and stare ‘em straight in the eye.
A crooked hand
Twisted the line in the sand.
So, now where do you stand?
Are you a man or a brand?
So, tell me what say you?
Let’s make a fist that blocks out the sun.
Then what will they do?
When they feel that we’ve alre
C’mon, what say you?
They’re all betting you’ll fall for their lie.
Brother, I pray you
Spit and stare ‘em straight in the eye.
A crooked hand
Twisted the line in the sand.
So, now where do you stand?
Are you a man or a brand?
So, tell me what say you?
Let’s make a fist that blocks out the sun.
Then what will they do?
When they feel that we’ve already won?
Live to supplant
Those puppets wired to enchant.
First they’ll scoff, then they’ll rant -
Throw at you all that you can’t.
But tell me - What say you?
Are you resigned to chains
of a stranger’s doubt?
Tell ‘em no way - you’ve
Got a spark that you’re not living without.
With smiles they came
To get their hooks in your name.
So are you destined to blame,
Or take a torch to their game?
Now c’mon, what say you?
They’re all betting you’ll fall in their line.
But brother, I pray you
Spit and stare ‘em straight in the eye.
And from the shards,
We’ll forge our arrows and darts.
Because the size of our hearts
Cannot be measured in yards.
So, tell me what say you?
Let’s make a fist that blocks out the sun.
Then what will they do?
When they feel that we’ve already won?
Been dead before -
Blissful, flat-lined to our core.
But we’re resurrected for war,
For reclamation and more.
So, tell me the way you
Survive in no man’s land between your guts and your mind.
Decide that today you’ll
Be a legacy for all and all time.
What say you?
What say you?
I'm going to cut a record
Regret composed the score.
After credit for the soundscape
Bet it's not here anymore.
You can't own the misery
With a debt to the beauty.
Chorus
Redeemed in the key of pain
We don't burn out, we turn out
To prove that the devil hates a sad song
As we reframe and rename and reclaim the sorrow.
The one we put on wax
Will be to
I'm going to cut a record
Regret composed the score.
After credit for the soundscape
Bet it's not here anymore.
You can't own the misery
With a debt to the beauty.
Chorus
Redeemed in the key of pain
We don't burn out, we turn out
To prove that the devil hates a sad song
As we reframe and rename and reclaim the sorrow.
The one we put on wax
Will be too much for the wane.
Three times spun, our rhymes live on,
For victory's our refrain.
We've been denied,
But this trial ends in triumph
Chorus
We string together chords,
Woven from splinters of our plans.
We plug 'em in, turn up to ten,
Pull joy from every strand.
Then we rip this set through forever.
Chorus
The symphony of unrequited
Sings to me, though uninvited.
Amplify it, don't forget it,
That is why we don't regret it.
Myopia's not bound to sight,
So hear beyond the hurt and spite.
Music is our infiltration,
Gifted means of reclamation.
The sonic waves wash over,
Cleanse wounds from which they came.
Feel them break upon you -
There's glory in that pain.
Master your perspective -
Day illuminates the night.
Don't concede to darkness
What belongs to the light.
Bursting out of yesterday,
The throes of bitterness at bay –
I feel I should be everyone all at once
but who will I leave out?
Exhale – emerge from crushing doubt
Breathe in the air I’ve lived without.
And with this new stamina,
I’m plannin’ ta’ race me.
Somehow these hands feel new again.
Reborn, yet like they’ve always been.
But now will they r
Bursting out of yesterday,
The throes of bitterness at bay –
I feel I should be everyone all at once
but who will I leave out?
Exhale – emerge from crushing doubt
Breathe in the air I’ve lived without.
And with this new stamina,
I’m plannin’ ta’ race me.
Somehow these hands feel new again.
Reborn, yet like they’ve always been.
But now will they reach or grab,
teach or jab or just clench up?
Chorus
Much is given and much expected.
Such is livin’, once connected.
Much is given and much expected.
Lockstep through this maze
of skeleton keys.
Blessings leveling in scale
The Lord – through hammer,
wood, and nail.
Nothing I did to earn His grace, I’ve learned – He just smiled once.
Your hand - the perfect instrument.
Make me a righteous implement.
And I pray that You’re satisfied ‘
cause I’m terrified I won’t live up.
Bursting out of yesterday,
The throes of bitterness at bay –
I feel I should be everyone all at once
but who will I leave out?
Chorus
Much is given and much expected.
Such is livin’, once connected.
Much is given and much expected.
Lockstep through this maze
of skeleton keys.
Outro
Don’t let me let You down.
Don’t let me let You down.
Fill my chords with Your sound.
Don’t let me let You down.
Yeah, I've got a mind to
Forget where to find you
In this scene.
'Cause either you belong
Or you will be gone
No in between.
When the neon shines
On your straight lines,
exposed.
They'll show you
Who you are -
They always know.
Time is spoken,
Your fate awoken -
Just be who we always knew you'd be.
Bring to bear all your inertia
And your history and yo
Yeah, I've got a mind to
Forget where to find you
In this scene.
'Cause either you belong
Or you will be gone
No in between.
When the neon shines
On your straight lines,
exposed.
They'll show you
Who you are -
They always know.
Time is spoken,
Your fate awoken -
Just be who we always knew you'd be.
Bring to bear all your inertia
And your history and your fences.
I'll be there with a monkey wrench,
Clear eyes, and a vengeance.
I hold keys to books and bars,
Locket hearts, Church and stars.
You've locked down supposed to be
That you can keep.
I'm all or nothing.
Bring to bear all of your clones
And your drones. You can tell them
I'll be wearin' a Windsor knot,
steel toes, and out my welcome.
I envision sweat and wine,
Sound divine, space and time.
Your eyes see "supposed to be."
That ain't me.
I am the fury of almost.
Yeah, you get one image,
The commonest visage -
Wear it plain.
You don't fit the profile
Of anyone worthwhile -
Sing in vain.
After all these years,
To reverse these gears,
Move on.
When the lights go out
And the silence shouts you down.
It's your penance for choosing -
Your voice you're losing.
So trade what we all new you would trade.
Chorus
I am the fury of almost.
I'm all or nothing.
Outro
I am the future of maybe.
I'll be the difference
When "now" meets "rust."
I am the fury of almost.
I'll be the last word
When "can't" meets "must."
In the creeping night,
through the din of spite,
Fool ya lost your way
To a precipice away
Your light.
Can't you see this ain't the battle
You should fight?
We're breaking ground
On another round.
Wanna open ears to hear
More than the stereo's sound.
'Cause this frequency's got
Range like none we've found.
So listen close, tune in.
Learn from the gho
In the creeping night,
through the din of spite,
Fool ya lost your way
To a precipice away
Your light.
Can't you see this ain't the battle
You should fight?
We're breaking ground
On another round.
Wanna open ears to hear
More than the stereo's sound.
'Cause this frequency's got
Range like none we've found.
So listen close, tune in.
Learn from the ghosts - you've been
Filterin' and left for dead
What matters most.
Don't dare think what's in this bottle's
Behind this toast.
Chorus
My brother, no wonder -
This spell that you're under -
These deaf agnostics in your ear.
But I tell you - you're well to
Hear light that compels you
To live in awe instead of fear.
These skeptics inspect it,
Dissect, but can't wreck it.
This thing in the air is so real.
So no matter our stature,
Let's chase and be captured.
And turned loose with thunder and zeal.
The taunts will grow louder
From friend and foe, doubters
Will deny the lasting truth
We've come to know:
Miracles don't cease to be
'Cause they say so.
Let's make this call echo
Beyond these walls, let go.
And you and I will rise
Where this world falls.
And reach back to lift our siblings,
One and all.
Drink of the cup, breathe in.
Shed those bankrupt demons.
Become a part -
Your wayward heart is not corrupt.
You're not too far down to reach,
If you look up.
Chorus
Every once in a while,
Don't you find yourself feelin'
That it's worth your while
To show some grace?
Every once in a while,
Don't you catch yourself believin'
That impossible crumbles
Through faith?
Every once in a while,
Don't you get the feelin'
You can run one more mile
And get back home?
And every once in a while,
Don't you feel those eyes gleamin',
Beamin' gently upon you,
And you're not alone?