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1. |
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What do you mean?
What do you mean by that remark?
Where do you come from?
Are you from a trailer park?
Why do you talk?
Why do you talk so mean to me?
Hey buddy haven't you heard?
This is a free country!
But what's the point
What's the point of askin' how ya feel?
Let's Make Steel!
Let's Make Steel!
What do you mean?
When ya go so motor mouth?
I don't care where you go
But you'd better not go South
Why do ya talk
All about death and gloom?
Hey buddy haven't you heard
About a thing called elbow room?
But what's the point
What's the point of askin' how ya feel?
Let's Make Steel!
Let's Make Steel!
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2. |
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I've been down the filthy highway
And hangin' round a dead valley
Open up a whiskey bottle
At the edge of a pool of oil
I see the slimy buildings
Underneath the moonbeams
And a place where no one lives
Except for those that they forgot to kill
There should be more to life
Than havin' a lot of nerve
But what else can their be
But danger 'round every curve
Danger 'round every curve
I climb the dirty mountain
Get closer to the sunlight
Lonely on my search
For your empty eyes
Until I'm so tired
Until I'm so wired
I forgot what I came for
Anyhow what's the use?
There should be more to life
Than havin' a lot of nerve
But what else can their be
But danger 'round every curve
Danger 'round every curve
Well I'm down in the street
Where everything's guarded
Love's chained up
by more than a lock and key
Until I fall for my dreams
Until I fall for my schemes
Lost in luxury
On late night TV (so distant so blank so white)
There should be more to life
Than havin' a lot of nerve
But what else can their be
But danger 'round every curve
Danger 'round every curve
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3. |
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When your meat is someone else's poison
And the rains are pouring in
Your wasted time continues
But all you ever do is win
All you ever do is win
Residual benefits are there
As if in proof that you care
You live your life in suspense
As vegetation grows dense
Vegetation grows dense
It's the dawn of mechanized farming
Tractors showing up in every yard
It's the dawn of mechanized farming
Why did life used to be so hard?
When your poison is someone else's meat
Please do take a seat
You're nearly as untouched as a god
Until you feel that cattle prod
It's the dawn of mechanized farming
Silos popping up on every street
It's the dawn of mechanized farming
Why does that put me off my feed?
In a field where your seed has spilled
Whole continents and countries populate
No. Keep your head straight
No. Keep your head straight.
It's the dawn of mechanized farming
A combine parked on every blade of grass
It's the dawn of mechanized farming
Why does that make me want to kick some ass?
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4. |
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Get out and walk on the iron line
Get out and walk on the iron line
Iron time air line
Slick and fine
On the iron line
On the iron line
Get out and ride on the iron line
Get out and ride on the iron line
Your hot car is a rust bomb
Your heart bursts but your face is calm
On the iron line
On the iron line
So blasé, quite amused
Yet indecisive and confused
Yes you have the answers now but you don't care
You relocate yourself everywhere
On the iron line
On the iron line
Get out and walk on the iron line
Get out and go for a ride on the iron line
Iron time air line
Slick and fine
On the iron line
On the iron line
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5. |
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The red trucks are on the highway
and I've got the blues
Got to have it my way
And I've got my walkin' shoes
But I know, I know
Things are gonna be all right
Cause I-I, yeah I-I'm
Gonna be home tonight
Are ya with me? Are ya with me?
When I call your name
Oh I think so, I hope so
Although I know that things change
But I know, I know
Things are gonna be all right
Cause I-I, yeah I-I'm
Gonna be home tonight
Desperation might sting me
Confusion cross my face
My eyes are red and swollen
As I head for the Interstate
But I know, I know
Things are gonna be all right
Cause I-I, yeah I-I'm
Gonna be home tonight
Daytime looks positive
I take a walk around the truck stop
Yeah, it looks positive
Despite my habitual state of shock
But I know, I know
Things are gonna be all right
Cause I-I, yeah I-I'm
Gonna be home tonight
Well the red trucks are on the highway
And I've got the blues
Got to have it my way
And I've got my walkin' shoes
But I know, I know
Things are gonna be all right
Cause I-I, yeah I-I'm
Gonna be home tonight
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6. |
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Well I woke up on the floor
I was somewhere in New Jersey
I got up quick
Took the bus back to New York
I couldn't remember much
But I felt so glad I could
Remember how to get out of there
And remember how I put the wood to her
Remember how I put the wood
A car, a girl, a party
I had a drink or three or four
An open invitation
And then a whole lot more
Then someone said, Hey Johnny sing Light My Fire
And I sounded 'bout as good as a dog
So I broke a couple guitar strings
Then a girl in a Nazi uniform
Accidentally spilled her drink on me
Yeah she accidentally threw it right in my face I said
Hey! Never Wake Up
I'm always playin' dead
Over and over now
Things better happen quick
Before another morning makes me sick
I said, Never never never wake up, I knew it
Never never never wake up, she said now
Never never never wake up, let's do it
We're in a dream but we're leaving now
We've in a dream but we're leaving now
Well talk about Sunday morning
I felt about as good as dead
Ended up on Forty-Second Street
And I felt like nothing left
Nothing at all I don't care
Whatever happened there
A car, a girl, a party
Then I woke up on the floor
Sunlight streaming in
I took the bus back to New York, I said,
Hey! Never Wake Up
I'm always playin' dead
Over and over now
Things better happen quick
Before another morning makes me sick
I said, Never never never wake up, I knew it
Never never never wake up, she said now
Never never never wake up, let's do it
We're in a dream but we're leaving now
We've in a dream but we're leaving now
We're in a dream but we're leaving now
We've in a dream but we're leaving now
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7. |
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I caught myself out dreaming
Of a long night's journey to Greenland
Where the highway ends
And the ocean, well that depends
Across the slate gray skies and the sea
something beckons
Half hid by chance
Or else intentions
And cannot be seen yet
But it flickers in my mind's eye
And you have to give them credit for settling there
Why did they do it? I don't care
But I'll be on an ice tractor soon
Traversing their hinterlands
And can you imagine their pleasant nights
Stars shimmer in pure air
Relax, you're back in the ice age
And except for that
there's nothing there
I caught myself out dreaming
Of a long night's journey to Greenland
Where the highway ends
And the ocean, well that depends.
Across the slate gray skies and the sea
something beckons
Half hid by chance
or else intention
And I know it's something I could want
in the end
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8. |
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Well I'm killing myself just tryin' to survive here
Dead end life in this hoppin' town
Well time has gone so far by here
Nothin' you put up is gonna slow me down
Well I'm lookin' for a way outta trouble
Place I work I'm gettin' busted for pornography
They wear suits, use five dollar words
Best I've ever heard
But they can't see the forest for the sleaze
Empire City Empire State
Where else can ya find this way of life?
I want it all and I want alcohol
And I wanna stay out, real late
Empire City, Empire State.
Empire City, Empire State.
So I'm tryin' to eat in some restaurant
The girls all look so gaunt
And all I want's another piece of steak
You overhear them talkin' bout expenses paid romance
Or moanin' 'bout their last psychotic break
And if you can make it here
Then buy me a beer
It's an honor to be in the presence of your success
Ya gotta hand it to this crowd
They pump the volume loud
And get worshipped for their god-like trendiness
Empire City Empire State
Where else can ya find this way of life?
I want it all and I want alcohol
And I wanna stay out, real late
Empire City, Empire State.
Empire City, Empire State.
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9. |
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I can understand the beauty of it
Things you acquire and how much you love it
Then I find it hard, to even think of you
Seen through the pain
Of how much I love you
Do corporations control what we think?
I don’t have a clue, how the hell should I know
Do corporations control what we think?
You say, No.
It’s not like you’re actually still talking to me
Your life consists of new-found prosperity
Desire mediated by financial wealth
But heaven help you if you don’t help yourself
Do corporations control what we think?
I don’t have a clue, how the hell should I know
Do corporations control what we think?
You say, No.
Way off track I confuse myself
way off track I need to be with someone else
no way back I need to be with someone else but you say, No.
way off track I need to sleep with someone else but you say, No
I can understand the beauty of it
Things you acquire and how much you love it
Desire mediated by financial wealth
But heaven help you if you don’t help yourself
Do corporations control what we think?
I don’t have a clue, how the hell should I know
Do corporations control what we think?
You say, No.
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10. |
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The North Star Bar is closin' down
The look of hunger is on the town
I'm lookin' for the stairway down
I drag my ass around
But maybe it's better for someone
In the long run
Yeah maybe it's better for someone
In the long run
You look up, you look at the sun
I know you just wanna have some fun
But when you fall into the wrong dream
Things are not what they seem
But maybe it's better for someone
In the long run
Yeah maybe it's better for someone
In the long run
The North Star Bar is closin' down
The look of hunger is on the town
I'm lookin' for the stairway down
I drag my ass around
But maybe it's better for someone
In the long run
Yeah maybe it's better for someone
In the long run
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11. |
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Well I broke down on the highway
Tried to hitch a ride
Some clowns in an ice-blue Nova said,
Get inside
One had a quart of O.T., in his shaky fist
The other a jar of double-cross
Mixed in with barbiturates
Whatever I get my hands on I'll take
Whatever I get my hands on I'll take
Anything this dangerous, you know it can't be fake
Whatever I get my hands on I'll take
So we went to their apartment
It looked like a funeral store
But there was a party goin' on
On the second floor
They offered me a peace pipe
So how could I resist
The lure of gettin' on the pipe
And all the fun I'd ever missed
Whatever I get my hands on I'll take
Whatever I get my hands on I'll take
Anything this dangerous you know it can't be fake
Whatever I get my hands on I'll take
The hour was gettin' late
We knew we'd need some more
Otis had a bright idea
Let's rob a TV store
Seemed like a good idea
At the time
Henry handed me a gun and said,
Let's commit that crime
Whatever I get my hands on I'll take
Whatever I get my hands on I'll take
Anything this violent, you know it can't be fake
Whatever I get my hands on I'll take
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12. |
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Solid state of decay
Way I feel today
Lord knows it's hot
And reality may rot
There's nothin' left but the booze
Which caused the birth of the blues
And nothin' left to choose
Except primeval ooze
And I wish it would rain
You know I wish it would
Cancer causin' waste
Is pourin' down from space
The beaches are shut down
So I'm gonna stay in town
Gonna take some time
To look for some things
Things that I wished for
That ain't around no more
And I wish it would rain
You know I wish it would
They sold his treasure
For their moment of pleasure
Then his friend had that accident
And she was also heaven-sent
Gonna take some time
to look for some things
Down at the desert shore
Ain't goin' noplace else
And I wish it would rain
You know I wish it would
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This project started in 2013 with John, Marc and Colin from the previous version of John Hovorka and the Dawn of Mechanized Farming in Marc's apartment in Brooklyn, NY. Then it was recorded at Suburban Elvis Studio by Joe Kelly way out in the suburbs, and mixed by him there, too. It was mastered by John at John Hovorka Studio in Brooklyn. The photos for the CD version were taken in rural New York State at the beginning of The 2008 Midwest Vacation, except for the back photo which was taken in rural Pennsylvania. The car on the front cover was for sale in Lodi, NY and might still be there. The songs are more of the usual slabs of granite and steel that emanate from John Hovorka's subconscious mind. I do not know why, but they had to get out, so they did.