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The 2x4's Live 4​/​80

by The 2x4's

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1.
Fight Fire With Fire by John Hovorka You've got to fight fire with fire Got to tell a lie to a liar. You've got to fight fire with fire. Got to tell a lie to a liar. Extinguishers are very much on hand. We live in a safe and modern land. And I was so easy to put out. But hey not now because that's not what I'm about I said you got to fight fire with fire. Got to tell a lie to a liar. You got to fight fire with fire. Got to tell a lie to a liar. Asbestos works great and it serves its cause. Anyhow it looks better than burns and gauze. And flame retardant fabrics are the rule. But if you want to hurt somebody back then use some fuel. I said you've got to fight fire with fire. Got to tell a lie to a liar. You got to fight fire with fire. Got to tell a lie to a liar. OSHA says use fire control. Safety first is our government's goal. But if you want revenge when you get burned, then take some advice from me I've learned that you've got to fight fire with fire. Got to tell a lie to a liar. You got to fight fire with fire. Got to tell a lie to a liar.
2.
Recombinant Phase by John Hovorka You're stuck in one more recombinant phase. You're stuck in one more recombinant phase. You, in one more recombinant phase. Are stuck, in one more recombinant phase. You read obituaries of the race. And you want to live but you know your place. And you even think that you want romance. But the meters show acute variance. Come on come on come on and hate it. Show how you are so frustrated. Admit admit admit admit it. Then go on go out and get it. But you're stuck in one more recombinant phase. Stuck, in one more recombinant phase. You, in one more recombinant phase. Are stuck in one more recombinant phase. You, a tangled knot of chromosomes. Languish in the lab so all alone. You read obituaries of the race. And you want to live but you know your place. And you even think that you want romance. But the meters show acute variance. Come on come on come on and hate it, show how you are so frustrated. Admit admit admit admit it. Then go on go out and get it. But you're stuck in one more recombinant phase. Stuck in one more recombinant phase.
3.
Nakkamichi Boogie by Tom Martel I make good pay. Three bowls of rice. Turn on my transistor in the paddy fields and night and Rock Rock Nakkamichi Boogie. Rock Rock Nakkamichi Boogie. Rock Rock Nakkamichi Boogie tonight. I climb into my rickshaw and drive downtown. Walk into McDonald's [choke] my Egg McMuffin down then. Rock Rock Nakkamichi Boogie. Rock Rock Nakkamichi Boogie. Rock Rock Nakkamichi Boogie tonight. Rockin resistors. Rockin IC's. Asia is rockin'. With US industry. I finally get to work. Building number nine. Sit down at my bench on the 501 line. Set my ‘scilloscope and my VOM too. Ready for another day and you know what I do. Rock Rock Nakkamichi Boogie. Rock Rock Nakkamichi Boogie. Rock Rock Nakkamichi Boogie tonight. Rockin resistors. Rockin IC's. Asia is rockin'. With US industry. Rock Rock Nakkamichi Boogie. Rock Rock Nakkamichi Boogie. Rock Rock Nakkamichi Boogie tonight.
4.
Draft Registration Time by John Hovorka, American boys march to a bigger war More metal and less color than they've ever seen before Registration gears up this violent nation Machines are encased in mass frustration Intellectuals say they'll march demoralized But take a closer look there's no fear in their eyes A high-stepping unit tracks into world view They've seen it all on TV and now it's what they'll do March March to the OPEC beat There's shortages on every street March march to the OPEC toll We'll blow up Iran but save its oil! Nations get big then just coast along Thirty thousand bombs make US look strong And it's fun to be decadent for years on end I know But when they drop the bomb That's when you've got to go March March to the OPEC beat There's shortages on every street March march to the OPEC toll We'll blow up the world up but save its oil!
5.
The Spazz 02:08
The Spazz by Tom Martel Well spit up, fall down, and do the spazz Put your elbow on your head and fall down on your bed do the spazz Let your backbone slip on the stairs and make you trip do the spazz Well spit up, fall down, and do the spazz Well you get the Asian flu and the kids'll do it too do the spazz Wel you pray to Jesus Christ 'cause you [indistinct[ do the spazz Well spit up, fall down, and do the spazz Well stick your finger in your eye and you're doin' up your fly do the spazz Well [indistinct] while you're walking down the street do the spazz Well spit up, fall down, and do the spazz
6.
Neighborhood Bowling League by John Hovorka Neighborhood bowling league That's where all the wives go Keep their bodies from decay All the wasted years behind They shove that out of their minds They only go out on sunny days Neighborhood bowling league That's where all the hubbys go Founded in nineteen sixty-five Sunrise Bowling Alley Keeps its patrons slim and fit At work they think about it and survive But now I'm the one who's bowling Not just one of the pins Yeah I'm the one who's bowling Not just one of the pins They all used to look at me I was disguised As a piece of wood I fit in with the pins I thought I'd never win I only wanted to be good But then I found a new way So I went out of my way To get some bowling shoes and a ball Why be submissive when they only knock ya down? They only love ya when they see ya fall But now I'm the one who's bowling Not just one of the pins Yeah I'm the one who's bowling And not just one of the pins
7.
Twisted Sense of Humor by John Hovorka She's got a twisted sense of humor and you know she's gonna be doin' ya wrong She's got a twisted sense of humor and you know she's gonna be doin' ya wrong Water pail in the door, banana peel on the floor She's got a twisted sense of humor and you know she's gonna be doin' ya wrong You thought you had her in the palm of your hand, but you're up all night thinking that she's got bigger plans And you wanna call her up and say, Baby we're through! But every time she leaves your sight in catches up with you She's got a twisted sense of humor and you know she's gonna be doin' ya wrong Couple smoke bombs on the lawn, accidental car crash while you're gone tape recorder hidden near the phone, and you're scared of going out at night alone She's got a twisted sense of humor and you know she's gonna be doin' ya wrong She's got a twisted sense of humor and you know she's gonna be doin' ya wrong She's got a twisted sense of humor uh huh! Twisted sense of humor uh huh! Twisted sense of humor and you know she's gonna be doin' ya wrong!
8.
Lathe and Drill Press by John Hovorka You know how To cook food For a nice Monsanto mood It always tastes great of course Your chemical kitchen food resource Mix n make, mix n make Shake n bake, shake n bake Off the shelf, on the plate I'm in the mood for chemicals just like mother used to mix Jam it up and jam it up I've got machines I've got to fix Got to go out on the lawn Wave goodbye ‘til you are gone Then go to work in the shop I guess Got to operate Lathe and Drill Press Lathe and Drill Press Lathe and Drill Press Lathe and Drill Press!
9.
10.
A Regular Guy by John Hovorka He was just a regular guy Cook County officers dragged him out alive He murdered thirty-seven so they ripped his house to hell But they said he was a regular guy Look at that man, he shovels your yard Look at that man, he's working so hard Look at that man, at the party he's a clown But when it comes to construction work you've got to dig down He was quite a regular guy It takes backbone to excavate a pool at night The house smelled like mice, his wife complained it wasn't nice But she said he was a regular guy Look at that man Guess what he did When he offered nice jobs to the neighborhood kids He fucked them then he cut them down then buried them downstairs It just goes to show and who even cares? After all he was a regular guy
11.
Billy Says 01:48
Billy Says by John Hovorka Billy says that Bob's gone mental The accidents weren't accidental And now he should be on a farm But he can't work he broke his arm Cindy says stay away Your friend he isn't well today And I said ah you're just a cynic But now he's locked up at the clinic He ripped out a lot of plumbing He shot the guards he saw them coming They put him under arrest But doctors say that a hospital is best Billy says that Bob's gone mad His accidents were all he had But now perhaps he's getting well They keep him in a padded cell
12.
Manic 02:09
Manic by John Morrill I can't live in this society cause I hate the world and it hates me People on the street look at me funny now all I've got left is my Mustang and me I'm going manic, what is wrong with me? I'm going manic, and from a good family Get up every morning eat shit for my measly pay And just to keep on living got to give it away I'm going out tonight but I feel like such a goon I hope I hope I hope I hope I die real soon I'm going manic, what is wrong with me? I'm going manic, what about my college degree? I can't live in this society cause I hate the world and it hates me People on the street look at me funny now all I've got left is my Mustang and me I'm going manic, what is wrong with me? I'm going manic, was it the LSD?

about

The 2x4's were busy in Spring 1980. We did a whole bunch of shows, and a photo session in an abandoned factory in Lynn, Mass. for the record sleeve of our 45 RPM record, Bridgeport Lathe b/w Little Cities. Also we recorded a lot of tracks at Oak Grove studio in Melrose, Mass. towards some unknown purpose. These eventually became the rest of The 2x4's studio album.

credits

released December 18, 2021

John Hovorka, Jr. - guitar, vocals
Tom Martel, - bass guitar, vocals
Steve Donnelly - drums and devices, backing vocals
Cubie - guitar

This album was recorded on a two-track reel to reel tape machine by Rolfe Anderson at The Underground, an underground rock club in Allston in April 1980.

The cover photograph for this release of the album was taken by John Hovorka on a cold and rainy afternoon in Lackawanna, NY

Digitalization by Glenn Biletch

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John Hovorka New York

John Hovorka played guitar and bass guitar in bands first in Geneva NY but mostly in Boston then in New York City. After he started writing songs he was the leader of The 2x4's (1978 - 1980), then Noise Pencil (1982), Turbines (1983 - 1987), Hovorka (1988 - 2002), John Hovorka And The Dawn Of Mechanized Farming (DOMF) (2003 - 2016), and also made solo albums. He is now in Massachusetts. ... more

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