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Motherland
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Natalie's new album, Motherland, hits stores 11.13.01. I've uploaded the entire CD (save for the last song) here for your listening pleasure :).
1. This House Is On Fire
This house is
on fire!
Well, kick off your boots, come and sit a spell, listen to my worry, come
and listen well. All you better best come and lean in boys, I don't dare to
raise my voice. I've been sitting here for the longest time reading all the
warning and the danger signs.
But, I don't have the gift of the prophesy, telling everybody how it's gonna
be.
Soon come, soon come the day this tinderbox is gonna blow in your face.
But, I don't have the gift of the prophesy, telling everybody how it's gonna
be. You go passing wrong for right and right for wrong, people only stand
for that for just so long.
It's all gonna catch like a house on fire, spark and evil blaze and burn higher.
But, I don't have the gift of the prophesy, telling everybody how it's gonna
be. You go passing wrong for right and write for wrong, people only stand
for that for just so long. But, I don't have the gift of the prophesy, telling
everybody how it's gonna be. There's a wild fire catching in the whip of the
wind that could start a conflagration like there has never been.
This house is on fire!
2. Motherland
Where in the hell can you go far from the things that you know, far from
the sprawl of concrete that keeps crawling its way 'bout 1,000 miles a day?
Take one last look behind. Commit this to memory and mind, but don't miss
this wasteland, this terrible place. When you leave keep your heart off your
sleeve.
Motherland cradle me, close my eyes, lullaby me to sleep. Keep me safe, lie
with me, stay beside me don't go. Don't you go.
Oh, my five & dime queen tell me, what have you seen? The lust and the
avarice, the bottomless, the cavernous greed, is that what you see?
Motherland cradle me, close my eyes, lullaby me to sleep. Keep me safe, lie
with me, stay beside me don't go.
It's your happiness I want most of all and for that I'd do anything at all,
oh mercy me! If you want the best of it or the most of all, if there's anything
I can do at all.
Now come on shot gun bride what makes me envy your life? Faceless, nameless,
innocent, blameless and free, what's that like to be?
Motherland cradle me, close my eyes, lullaby me to sleep. Keep me safe, lie
with me, stay beside me don't go. Don't go.
3. Saint Judas
Saddle up the horses and wear your Sunday best. Sing your Sacred Harp.
You be holier than the rest. Fill up the room with a grand and a thunderous
song. Let it rattle out the windows. Let it spill out on the lawn. Shout,
shout your praises to the man who kissed the Lord, to the back stabbing brother
that betrayed all of this world, your Judas!
Yea, though you may walk in the valley in the dark, there's no greater evil
than the darkness in your heart with your stun guns, bloodhounds, needle and
your razor wire, your nylon shackle whipping post and your high tech burning
tire, your Judas!
Whiplash crack across the back, across the arms and although you bound his
feet, he running fast he running hard through them crickets in the corn and
them horses in the field. Hear the caw caw of the crows. See the devil at
the wheel y'all Judas!
Go down to Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Kentucky, Florida,
Louisiana & Tennessee, Georgia, Carolina, Carolina...
4. Put the Law on You
Do I have to put the law on you baby for all the wicked things you do?
Am I gonna have to put the law on you baby? That was not what I wanted to
do.
Do I have to put the law on you baby to try and make you come out clean, for
every evil deed? You're just about the lowest and dirtiest thing I've ever
seen.
Did you really think you could pull it off, the perfect crime, crime of the
heart? Do you really think that you'll get away, do the crime and never pay?
Do I have to put the law out on you baby, lock you up and throw away the key
for the countless counts of low down double-cross you've been about? Have
you no decency?
Did you really think that you could pull if off, the perfect crime, crime
of the heart? Did you really think that you'll get away, escape my justice
until your dying day?
Though you made it clear from the very start there was no trusting you with
my foolish heart. Though you maybe made it clear that didn't make it right.
Now my mind is set on it. Do you really think you'll get away? You can't escape
my justice 'til my dying day.
5. Build A
Levee
When I was just a little girl my mamma said to me, "Beware of the
devil my child in the dark rocky place he'll keep. Beware of the devil my
child. Beware of his charming ways. You'll fall under an evil spell just looking
at his beautiful face."
You gotta build yourself a levee deep inside.
Don't go walking by the riverside alone in the pale moonlight. He'll come
up upon you girl with no earthly body in sight, come up upon you girl and
he'll whisper something sweet then take you where the waters rise so high
and run so deep.
You gotta build yourself a levee deep inside. Gotta build yourself a levee
deep inside. Build yourself a levee girl, where the waters run high.
Now when I was just a little girl my mamma said to me, "Beware of the
devil my child but if by chance you should meet, beware of his cold dark eyes
full of bold and unholy deceit. He'll tempt you with a whirling pool of lies
and promises that he'll deny, that he'll never keep."
You gotta build yourself a levee deep inside. Gotta build yourself a levee
deep inside. Build yourself a levee girl, where the waters run high.
6. Golden Boy
Top of the fold,
toast of the town everyone stops when you come around. They hold their breath
for you. Heroes are born. Idols are made. We're all fools for this factory
fame and you've got the brand new face. You've got the brand new face, golden
boy.
Beauty untamed, stupid and wild poster boy, you're society's child. Cut your
teeth. Cut your mouth.
Cut it out. Meteor rise from obscurity, all it took was a killing spree and
the whole world was lying at your feet, golden boy.
I know my place. Stick to my lines. Stay in your shadow, don't block your
light so you can shine divine. So you can shine divine, golden boy.
7. The Ballad of Henry Darger
Who'll save the poor little girl? Henry Darger.
Who'll save the poor little girl? Henry.
Who'll tell the story of her? Henry Darger.
Who'll tell it to all the world? Henry.
Who'll buy the carbon paper now? Henry Darger.
Who'll trace the lines of her mouth? Henry.
Who will conquer foreign worlds searching for the stolen girls? Princesses
you'll never fear the patron saint of girls is here.! Who will draw the calvary
in and risk his very own precious skin to make our Angelinia a free and peaceful
land again? Henry.
Who'll love a poor orphan child (Henry Darger) lost, growing, savage and wild?
Henry.
8. The Worst
Thing
So you're in love? That's so good for you. Live it up girl 'cause it never
lasts too long. It's heaven for now, but not for long. It's gonna hurt you,
it's gonna make you feel so bad.
Once I could love, I could trust, I could not doubt but that was about the
worst thing that I could do. It was just about the worst thing that I could
do.
Maybe not now, but it won't take long before it's gonna hurt you and truly
do you some harm.
Once I was open, could hope, I had no doubt but that was the worst thing that
I could do. It was just about the worst thing that I could do.
Once I came close to that most elusive fire burning with hopeless love &
desire, but it was just about the worst thing that I could do.
En el pasado que estuve ciega como tu. Atrapada y perdida como Tu. Embelesada,
suspendida en mi jaula de plata. Esos recuerdos me accompanaran toda la vida.
In the past I was blind as you, trapped and lost like you with no escape,
suspended in my silver cage. The memory of it will remain with me forever.
9. Tell Yourself
I know what you tell yourself, you tell yourself. Look in the mirror.
Look in the mirror. What does it show? I hear you counting. I know you're
adding up the score. I know what you tell yourself, you tell yourself.
Ever since Eden we're built for pleasing, everyone knows. And ever since Adam
cracked his ribs and let us go I know of, yes I know what you tell yourself,
tell yourself.
Who taught you how to lie so well and to believe in each and every word you
say? Who told you that nothing about you is alright it's just no use, it's
just no good you'll never be O.K.?
Well I know, I know that wrong's been done to you, "It's such a tough
world," that's what you say. Well I know, I know it's easier said than
done but that's enough girl, give it away give it, give it all away.
Tell yourself that you're not pretty. Look at you, you're beautiful. Tell
yourself that no one sees Plain Jane invisible me. Just tell yourself. Tell
yourself you'll never be like the anorexic beauties in the magazines. Just
a bargain basement Barbie Doll, no belle du jour, no femme fatale. Just tell
yourself. Tell yourself there's nothing worse than the pain inside and the
way it hurts. But tell yourself it's nothing new cause everybody feels it
too, they feel it too. And there's just no getting 'round the fact that you're
13 right now.
10. Just Can't Last
I swear I know your face, I wish I knew your name, I wish I could take
you by the hand. If I could name it, If I could just explain it. If I could
only help you, help you understand.
Well I can see that you're hurting, weighed down like a beast of burden, about
to break your back. God only knows that you're human, so what are they trying
to do then? Believe me, they don't understand that you have the weight of
the world today. It's on your, on your back. A heavy load like that is gonna
hold you back. It's gonna drag you down. You know it just can't last, just
can't, you know it just can't last.
Well, they thought they could use you, push you down and abuse yo and what's
so sad is you've decided to hide all your feelings, got more pain than you
can deal with but ask yourself, how can this last?
I know you have the weight of the world today. It's on your, on your back.
A heavy load like that is gonna hold you back. It's gonna drag you down. You
know it just can't last, just can't, you know it just can't last.
11. Not In this Life
Lately I've been walking all alone through the wind and through the rain,
been walking through the streets and finding sweet relief in knowing that
it won't be long.
Lately it's occurred to me that I've had enough of that and lately I've been
satisfied by simple things like breathing in and breathing out.
Never again, not in this life will I be taken twice. Never again no, never
on your life will I make that same mistake. I can't make it twice.
Lately it's occurred to me exactly what went wrong. I realized I compromised,
I sacrificed far too much for far too long.
Never again, not in this life will I be taken twice. Never again no, never
on your life will I make that same mistake. I can't make it twice.
Starting out from here today, swear I'm gonna change my ways. Once mistaken
in this life, but never twice.
Never again, no, not in this life will I be taken twice. Never again no, never
on your life will I make that same mistake. Never again no, never on your
life will I make that same mistake. I can't make it twice.
Starting out from here today, swear I'm gonna change my ways. Never again
no, never in this life gonna make that same mistake, gonna make it twice.
12. I'm Not Gonna Beg
I'm not gonna beg you for nothing. I'm not gonna beg you for your love.
Straight talk, give me the straight talk. Tell me what's on your mind if it
ain't love. I'm not gonna beg you for nothing. I'm not gonna beg you for your
love.
Scared now, what are you scared of? Afraid I might fall on my knees and break
down? I'm not gonna beg you for nothing. I'm not gonna beg you for your love.
Don't you think you can take me for a pretty little ride. I know "once
upon a time" and "ever after" is a lie. I'm not gonna beg you
for nothing at all. There's nothing I want from you, nothing you can say or
do. There is nothing I want for you to say anyway.
I'm not gonna beg you for nothing. I'm not gonna beg you for your love.