1. |
Little Cities
02:41
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Little Cities
by John Hovorka, Jr.
So do ya wanna rock on the little cities, wanna rock on the lonely streets of your town, ya wanna rock on the little cities, do ya wanna rock on the lonely streets of your town.
Gonna go to your little surplus store gonna buy some industrial boots, for thirty-four ninety-five they keep my feet half alive, on the long drive back to my roots.
I wanna rock on the little cities, I wanna rock on the lonely streets of your town.
Gonna go to your little surplus outlet, gonna buy some protective headgear. For my big head I'll need size number ten just like the heavy duty operators wear.
Are the women all stuck at home readin' all the fa-fa-fashion magazines. Are the men down at the factory ru-ru-ru-ru-runnin' all the big machines. I wanna rock on the little cities, I wanna rock on the lonely streets of your town.
Are the men all stuck at home readin' all the fa-fashion magazines. Are the women down at the plant, ru-ru-ru-ru-repairin' all the big machines.
I wanna rock on the little cities. I wanna rock on the lonely streets of your town.
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2. |
Zipperheads
02:19
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Zipperheads
Presently a unity with the past. At one with the zipperheads here at last. Wearing my mask like a gas bag proudly, and shouting at the wall like a phone call loudly. Immortality comes up and soaks me with ooze. And now between my fingertips it's always such bad news. But I am at one with the zipperheads finally, at one with reality in love with their humanity. Never once did I think I'd be politically inclined. But zipperhead party has my best interests in mind. And mass demonstrations always left me bored. But zipperheads wow! It's like the Golden Horde.
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3. |
Mechanistic Girl
02:23
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Mechanistic Girl
It takes a lot of leverage to work things out with a mechanistic girl like you. You wanna survey me from a distance. Because of the tools you think I use. Our friendship is defective because we both have bad designs. But quality control is hardly your department, so why do you reject me all the time? I could be happy, with you in the factory. We could be humanists, amidst the mechanistic artifice. But why should you care about a mechanistic guy like me? When it's so boring to be stuck in this mechanized society. It takes a lot of leverage. To work things out with a mechanistic girl like you.
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4. |
Daytime
01:41
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Another Day
Another day. Another eight hours to come. Of boredom. I don't look up. From my work. ‘Cause it makes it worse. Sometimes I think I could go away. And sometimes I think. Of a bigger piece of cake. I see myself. Surrounded by. Special things. That I wanted. For so long. And no one knows. As I'm sitting there. That sometimes. I think. But time is on my back. And I gotta go. I look around. I see myself. And it bothers me. Another day. Another eight hours to come. That's it!
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5. |
Fight Fire With Fire
01:40
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Fight Fire With Fire
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.
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6. |
Recombinant Phase
02:40
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Recombinant Phase
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.
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7. |
Bridgeport Lathe
03:37
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Bridgeport Lathe
Lyrics and music by John Hovorka, Jr.
I want to hear the sound of the Bridgeport lathe. It's metal to metal it really is. Your basic ordinary men they work at Bendon Gear. And the screech of shearing metal is what they wanna hear. Foxy secretaries make a point of passing through the plant. And they know you want them to show it all. But you just might get your arm torn off if you look up for too long from your Blanchard Grind-All. I've worked bessemer converters out on Cheektowaga plains. And I've even done third shift on antiquated screw machines. And I'd even rather work at slaughterhouses in Niagara Falls. But Bridgeport lathe has got me by the balls. There's no time to sneak a cigarette or read a novel by Ayn Rand. And you don't have to do container work to get canned. The bossman he is staring at the men he's always near. Because the screech of shearing metal is what he's paid to hear. I want to hear the sound of a Bridgeport Lathe. It's metal to metal it really is. Your basic ordinary men they work at Bendon Gear. And the screech of shearing metal is what they're gonna hear. I've worked bessemer converters out on Cheektowaga plains. And I've even done third shift on antiquated screw machines. And I'd even rather work at slaughterhouses in Niagara Falls. But Bridgeport Lathe has got me by the balls.
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8. |
Manic
02:18
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Manic
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 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 goin' 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? Oh…
I can't live in this society, ‘cause I hate the world and it hates me. People on the street look at me funny. You see now all I got left is my Mustang and me.
I'm going manic. What is wrong with me? I'm going manic. Was it the LSD?
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9. |
A Regular Guy
03:03
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A Regular Guy
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.
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10. |
Nakkamichi Boogie
02:14
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Nakkamichi Boogie
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.
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11. |
Iron Line
02:09
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Iron Line
Get out and walk on the iron line. Iron time air line slick and fine. Get out and ride on the iron line. Dirt and heat eat at your mind.
They say it's hell at the end of the road. Your dream inflates then implodes. Your hot car is a rust bomb. Your heart bursts but your face is calm.
So blasé, quite amused. Yet indecisive and confused. Yes you have the answers now but you don't care. You relocate yourself everywhere.
Get out and walk on the iron line. Iron time air line slick and fine. Get out and ride on the iron line. Dirt and heat eat at your mind.
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12. |
Guitar
01:44
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Guitar by Tom Martel
I am gonna buy a guitar today. I'm gonna take it home and play. I am gonna buy a guitar today. Hear me when I say, I don't need you. Today. I don't need your love no more. I am gonna flying away alone. And you can't hold me down. I am gonna fall deep inside of myself. Even you couldn't touch me there. Cause I'm nowhere to be found. You wouldn't know where to look anyhow. I am gonna buy a pony car today, and I will drive away. I am gonna buy my Mustang today. Bye bye baby. I'm goin' away. I might see you around someday
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13. |
Aluminum
03:37
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Aluminum
You turn around. They look at you. Who cares. If they Want to. You have had it. You are numb. Your thoughts are like aluminum. Turn the corner you go straight. Bt your heart is still aluminous. With hate. It's only love o so you say. But for this love you're gonna pay. With Aluminum. Aluminum. Aluminum. Aluminum. You can't back down. Their looks could kill. They practically have and they probably will. They have had it. They are numb. Their thoughts are like aluminum. Turn the corner you go straight. (So what) But your heart is still aluminous. With hate. It's only hate, that's what they say. And so they love to make you pay. With Aluminum. Aluminum.
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14. |
Lathe & Drill Press
02:38
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Lathe and Drill Press
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!
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15. |
Pretty Rain
03:31
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Pretty Rain
In the pretty pretty rain. Well I love my baby. In the pretty pretty rain. I walk alone tonight. I get so tired. That I walk into walls. With my head hanging down. And my eyes straight ahead. And my mind is on you. On you. You. On you. On you. You. I wait down the street. To get the last bus home. I will walk up to your house. I want the door to be unlocked. I want the red light on. As you wait for me. For me. Me. Oh, for me. For me. Me. In the pretty pretty rain. Well I love my baby. In the pretty pretty rain. Well I walk alone tonight. I will never change. The way I feel for you. No matter what I try to do. No matter what you say to me. It will always be you and me. You and me. You and me. It will always be you and me. You and me. You and me. Oh… Ow!
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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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