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POCKET SYMPHONIES FOR LONESOME SUBWAY CARS


WE HAVE MICE

sometimes at night i watch the mice across the kitchen floor
i used to think that they came from the fireplace
but they come in under the pantry door
they get so close i could touch them all
on the nights i wait up for your call

the landlord asks if we've seen them
& she sets traps but i just spring them
the roommates say we should kill them all
but they stay up w/ me on nights you never call
& some nights you never call

 

TONIGHT WAS A DISASTER

you went out w/ your best sweater on
w/ every intention of dancing til dawn
but when the dj played that song
it all went wrong

& crying in the cab ride home
w/ the frank sinatra on the radio
but it might as well have been lil kim
when every song you hear still reminds you of him

& you'll say that it's no big deal
but it's the shake in your voice that gives away how you feel
& you couldn't have slammed the door any faster

yeah you'll say that it's no big deal
but it's the tears on your face that give away how you feel
they say tonight tonight was a disaster

 

SUITCASE IN HAND

at the station the train is leaving at eight
& nothing's gonna make me stay
hey hey

no room for trouble in this old suitcase
& nothing's gonna make me stay
hey hey

& i'd call if there was something to say
but hey hey hey
& nothing's gonna make me stay
hey hey

& though it would have been a year in may
hey hey hey
& nothing's gonna make me stay
hey hey

 

CALTRAIN SONG

i heard the words come out of my mouth
& i watched your face fall
you turned from me to the window of the train
& you wouldn't say anything at all

the stations passed us by
& you still wouldn't look me in the eye
this is regret
this is the 7:10 train into san francisco

the conductor opens the door
& i don't have a boyfriend anymore

 

DYING BATTERIES

i know you're lying
when you start talking like your batteries are dying
the words get slow
when there are things you don't want me to know

but before you let the room go to ice
i remind you that the song on the radio is nice
so let's just listen

 

OH CONTESSA

the contessa deluxe
that you bought at laney swap meet for seven bucks
sat on the passenger side the whole way down
to fullerton ca your home town

i'm writing this letter to say
that i read your last letter for the fifth time today
i've memorized the typos under x's & the o's
punched clean through the paper

that typer you bought w/ the c button bent
so you have to use the sign for the cent
& the stamps you stick
on the envelopes you lick

are what keep me close to you in your parents' backyard
punching the typewriter keys too hard

 

BUS SONG

we ran to the stop as the bus pulled away
impossibly worn out from the seventh shared cigarette of the day
i caught my breath as i watched you
swear at the tail lights of our missed 22
under a sky of darkening blue
it could be half an hour until our bus comes around
by then the sun will be down

 

YR BOYFRIEND

you pretend that it's alright
to wait up half the night
when he can't be bothered to phone
you spend another night alone

i'm not trying to make you mad
or act like your dad
it's just time that you were told
your boyfriend's an asshole

 

CASIOTONE FOR THE PAINFULLY ALONE IN A GREEN COTTON SWEATER

i gave back the t-shirt that you'd always wear
i went by your work & just left it there
all the leaves are brown
& it's autumn now

it was a summer fling
don't take it personal or anything
you can wear your heart on your sleeve
but pull your sweater over

no more kisses under shooting stars
no more rides on the handlebars
no more drive-ins
in the back seat of your parents' car

it was a summer fling
& it didn't mean anything
& you can cry your eyes out on the phone
oh yeah

 

#10

do you remember when you were still in town
before you abandoned all of us for the puget sound
there were seven of us living in that dilapidated flat
w/ questionable plumbing & a grey cat

you sold your records pushed your mattress to the street
& said goodbye california i've conceded to defeat
you bought a one way ticket on a northbound greyhound bus
i can't say that we weren't jealous

goodbye good luck goodbye

 

DESTORY THE EVIDENCE

you say you don't want me coming around anymore
you sit in the window but you won't answer the door
the phone rings & rings
you won't let me bring you things anymore

there are 26 steps to your door
but i won't be counting those anymore

i've got seventeen seconds on in my room tonight
& when that's over i've got faith so alright alright alright
i burned all the pictures & let the letters loose
taped over the mixes & cut the noose

there are 26 steps to your door
but i'm not counting anymore

 

LESLEY GORE ON THE TAMI SHOW

i finally wrote you the letter
w/ all the things i've been meaning to say
but i was walking to your apartment
& the letter fell out of my pocket on the way
seven pages on 16th street
i lost my words under tires & feet
& you'll probably never have a clue
coz i'll probably never say a thing to you

i've been watching out the window of the bus
every time it passes by
just to see if you were outside
smoking cigarettes & passing time
i think of things that i wanted to say
when i ride by almost every day
but you'll probably never have a clue coz
i'll probably never say these things to you

 

OH ILLINOIS

so nice to hear from you
it's been a while it's true
still gluing up your stamps i see
i never even used the last ones you sent me
what do you do with your days
other than write to boys far away
you work two jobs your apartment sucks
your new boyfriend's a lousy fuck
thanks for the tape the photos are swell
i guess chicago's treating you well

you say you've got my picture on the wall
you sent your number for me to call
i guess i would if i could afford to
coz i know that you're bored too
i guess the only thing that's stopping me
is once that we got talking
i'm afraid of what we might start to say
& i don't want to start missing you again

 

THE SUBWAY HOME

it gets worse before it gets better
that's what your best friend said in the letter
all the pictures are still on the shelf
& you're barely making rent by yourself
your mom is worried for your health

you said it right from the start
these sorts of things fall apart

you take the subway home after work
from your job as a retail clerk
you're spending all the money you've saved
records keep the quiet away
up all night and sleep all day

he said it right from the start
these sorts of things fall apart

 

AIRPORT SAMBA

i waited w/ you until the woman called your flight
& when i wished you a safe trip you wouldn't look me in the eye
you tried to think of something else when i kissed you at the gate
it was too sad a moment to try to contemplate

i wish that there was something i could do or say
to make it so you didn't have to go away
i wish that you would look at me but i don't want to see you cry
i wish that you would turn around you never even said goodbye



all lyrics by Owen Ashworth