LYRICS to “mostly True Stories” 

Love Is 

In a world without magic
In a world without faith 
In a life without spirit 
In a world without grace 
In a world without dogma
In a world without sin 
In a life that's worth living 
|In the world we're in 

Gonna write a book 
Gonna write a play 
Paint it on a wall 
Gonna lead the way 
Gonna tell my boy 
Gonna tell my girl 
Gonna tell a friend 
Gonna tell the world 
Gonna sing   

(Chorus) 
Love is the treasure 
Love's the key 
Love is the feeling 
Love's the need 
Love is the yearning 
Love is deep 
Love gives the purpose 
Love is sweet   

In a world without answers 
That fall from the sky 
|In a life that's uncertain 
No reasons why 
In a world without mysteries 
In a world without prayer 
In a life of our choosing 
If we only care   

Gonna find the truth 
Gonna find all the lies 
Gonna work it out 
'Til the day that I die 
Gonna take a look 
Gonna lend a hand 
Gonna try to help 
Any way I can 
Gonna sing 

  (Chorus) 
Love is the virus 
Love's the meme 
Love is the culture 
Love's the scene
Love is the message 
Love is trust 
Love is the motive 
Love is lust   

Love... (2)   

(Chorus) 
Love is the genius 
Love's the news 
Love is creative 
Love is true 
Love is crazy
Love's insane 
Love gives meaning 
Love's to blame   

(Re-Intro)   

In a world without masters 
In a world without fear 
In a life of real freedom 
In the world that's here 
In a world without heaven 
In a world without hell 
No God will save us 
We must save ourselves 

Love... (4) 

(Chorus) 
Love is the journey 
Love's the way 
Love is the reason 
Love today 
Love's for the asking 
Love is right 
Love's for the giving 
Love tonight 
Love tonight 

(Tom, keys; Sam, bass; Gerry, guitars, vocals, percussion) 
(Note: This song is intended to help liberate the concept of love from the supernatural.  Love is the appreciation of everything there is to appreciate, including just being alive. G.D.) 

_______________________________________ 

  

Xena* 

I think I'm in love with Xena 
Warrior Princess of my dreams 
I think I'm in love with Xena 
She carries a sword that's alright with me 
I'm thinkin' of no one but Xena 
Long dark hair and big blue eyes 
I'm thinkin' of no one but Xena 
If there's trouble she'll hack it down to size   

She used to be evil now she's doin’ it for good 
I wish we had a Xena in my neighborhood 
We wouldn't need the Police or the F.B.I.
She whoops and she hollers and she flips like a coin 
Better watch your step here comes that kick in the groin 
Forget your bad intentions and don't even try 

So don't you go messin' with Xena 
She'll cut off the flow of blood to your brain 
Don't you go messin' with Xena 
A heart of gold but she can cause some pain 

When times are at their darkest and you're needin' someone 
With a flash of leg and leather it's over and done 
Well you can keep your Capt. Janeway, Dana Scully too 
Just hate those chicks on Baywatch and their silicone boobs 
Xena's ridin' to the rescue like no woman could 

I think I'm in love with Xena 
Warrior Princess of my dreams 
|I think I'm in love with Xena 
She carries a sword that's alright with me 
She carries a sword and that's alright with me 
(Sam, all instruments and vocals) 

_______________________________________ 

Man and God 

A man was betrayed by his children 
His wife and his family 
His friends denounced him, his partner's lies 
Plunged him into poverty 
Pervaded with a hate 
For all of humanity 
He lived inside a cave 
He shunned society 

What could he do to punish them? 
And pay for this calamity? 
He'd contemplate revenge for this injustice 
And for their dishonesty 
He said "Imagine if I could 
Create for them a fantasy 
More important than their lives 
About which they cannot agree" 

(Chorus) 
He thought, God!  God!  God! 
He said God!  God!  God! 

He ran back to town to spread this fearful Word 
They'd echo him, they began to pray 
Soon everyone would see the Holy Signs 
Now prophets knew what He meant to say 
A spirit filled their souls 
And faith led their way 
But in speaking they would disagree 
How to love Him and to best obey 

Their feelings grew more bitter each passing day 
Curses turned to hate, hate made them kill 
And with each throat that they'd cut for Him
The fatal wish became fulfilled 
For such has been the past
And such will be the days ahead 
A Being at all times so great 
About which nothing can be said 

(Chorus) 
Except God!  God!  God!! 
God!  God!  God!! 
They'd shout God!  God!  God!! 
They'd shout God!  God!  God!! 
We shout God 

(Tom, keys; Gerry, vocals)
(Note: Inspired by Denis Diderot who probably wrote the original idea for this song in prison while serving time for writing things like this.  G.D.) 

_______________________________________ 

Vengeance 

Three young brothers, asleep in the night 
Innocent children, in Ulster's fight 
In their garden 
A man with a bomb 
In their garden 
He knew their mother, she didn't belong 
He swore he'd kill her, her faith was wrong I
n their garden 
A man with a God
In their garden 

(Pre-chorus) 
Great hate, little room 
Maimed him from the start 
Carried from his mother's womb 
A fanatic's heart   

(Chorus) 
Now he can't think, he just believes 
His soul is pure, his mind diseased
What he prays for is misery 
Hell on earth is his legacy 

Facing Mecca, their hearts at peace 
A holy temple, their minds at ease 
In the doorway 
A man with a gun 
In the doorway   
He was a healer, but now he kills
They were not chosen, their prayers defile 
In the doorway 
A man with a God 
In the doorway 

(Repeat Pre-chorus) 

(Repeat Chorus) 

There is none beside me, I form the light 
I stretch the heavens, I made the night 
I create the evil 
I make the peace 
I create the evil 
Love not the living, I am the end 
Every tongue shall swear it, every knee shall bend 
Vengeance is mine 
I will repay 
Vengeance is mine 

(Bob, guitars; Tom, keys; Sam, bass; Gerry, guitar, vocals, percussion) 
(Note: For the three brothers murdered by a fire bomb in Northern Ireland and the thirty or more Muslims shot in Israel while praying in their Mosque by a religiously fanatic Brooklyn-raised physician.  The last few verses are a collection of supposed utterances by the Deity from the Bible.  G.D.) 

_______________________________________ 

Bad Habits 

Well the night is getting late 
But the dawn will have to wait 
There's just so many things I got to do 
Well there's people to meet 
Somewhere out on the street 
Is a place somebody thinks I'm due
Bad habits 
Just ain't no excuse   

How I got here I don't know 
I'm just goin' with the flow 
I'll see where the currents carry me 
Through the jungle and heat 
Slow natives under feet 
Survival of the fit is the rule 
Bad habits 
Just ain't no excuse   

(Bridge) 
Oh me oh my 
I'm surely gonna die 
That is if I'm not already dead 
I walk the line 
On borrowed time I'll probably be just some statistic yet 

So the cupboards always bare 
And the wardrobe's rather spare 
I got all of the answers I can use 
I'm feeling just fine 
No worries on my mind 
Just can't remember where I put my shoes 
Bad habits 
Just ain't no excuse   

(Repeat Bridge) 
Oh me oh my 
I'm surely gonna die 
That is if I'm not already dead 
I walk the line 
On borrowed time 
I'll probably be just some statistic yet   

To the lady I just met 
And whose name that I forget 
Well your offer was more than could be refused 
But I had to leave so soon 
No sunny honeymoon 
You see I have just one more deal to do 
Bad habits 
Just ain't no excuse 
Bad habits 
Just ain't no excuse 

(Bob, guitar; Tom, keys; Sam, bass; Gerry, vocals, percussion; Fred Reiter, saxophones) 

_______________________________________ 

Who You Know* 

Let me start from the beginning and I'll try and make it brief
If you wanna get ahead, you gotta start with this belief 
That it doesn't really matter if you get there on your own 
If you find this hard to swallow, then you'd better get on home 
Cause I found out for myself maybe simple but it's true 
If you ain't got no connections, then that's it you're done you're through 
 

Solo  

You stand in line 
You wait your turn 
You take a number but you're never gonna learn 
That you can even go to school get yourself an education 
No matter how you slice it-it's a no win situation 
You can run around in circles hold your breath until you're blue 
If you ain't got no connections well that's it 
You're done you're through. 

You stand in line 
You wait your turn 
You take a number but you'll never ever learn 
That you can even go to school get yourself an education 
No matter how you slice it-it's a no win situation 
You can run around in circles hold your breath until you're blue 
If you ain't got no connections well that's it 
You're done you're through 

Cause it's a sad fact honey 
But that's the way the story goes 
When you realize baby 
It's not whatcha can do but who you know 
You know you know 
|When you realize baby 
It's not whatcha can do but who you know 

(Sam, all instruments and vocals) 

_______________________________________ 

 Where They Kill Love 

(Chorus) 
Don't lay me down 
Where they kill love 
Don't say a prayer 
To a God above 
Just let me lie 
In land untouched 
By creeds of hate 
Where they kill love 

They tied him up 
Called him a queer 
Bathed him in blood 
Save for a tear 
But they could quote 
Leviticus 
He's crucified 
Like gay Jesus 

(Repeat Chorus) 

In Aghalee 
She broke the rule 
When she fell hard 
And he fell too 
But some young man 
Watched from afar 
He made her part 
Of holy war   

(Instrumental bridge) 

An Israelite 
He took a wife 
But she was cursed 
As Midianite 
Now Phinehas 
He drew his sword 
And he was blessed 
As his reward

(Repeat Chorus) 

(Tom, keys; Sam, bass; Gerry, guitar, vocals, percussion) 
(Note: Of course the first reference is to Matthew Shepard, and the second to a young Irish woman murdered while sleeping by a man who knew her from a local pub.  She was dating a man of a different faith.  I seem to remember that Jim Dwyer of Long Island Newsday wrote a story about her called "Where They Kill Love" and I could not forget it.  The reference to Phinehas is from the Old Testament where he and his offspring are blessed for killing an inter-racial couple.  This passage inspires racist religious terrorists to this day who fancy themselves "Phineas Priests."  G.D.) 

_______________________________________ 

Bad, Bad Time 

I used to be a rich man 
I used to be king 
I used to walk on water 
You could kiss my ring 
She knows just where I'm goin' 
And whatever I do 
My life's her own to ruin 
Over something like you 

(Chorus) 
I picked a bad, bad time 
To fall in love again 
I picked a bad, bad time 
To fall in love again 

Now I feel like I'm living 
In a waking dream 
I can choose between the devil 
And the deep blue sea   

(Repeat chorus)   

(Bridge) 
A bad, bad night To breathe again 
A bad, bad life 
That never ends 
A bad, bad time 
To play that game 
A bad, bad sign 
I'm going insane  

It makes me crazy 
When you do those things 
Now after she kills me 
Will you feel the same?   

(Repeat Chorus) (2)   

(Sam, bass; Gerry, guitars, vocals, percussion) 
(Note: Written while flying to Las Vegas on the same day that I wrote "Last Prayer" from the rock opera "My Name is Thomas..." Great flight!  G.D.) 

_______________________________________ 

I Just Want to Look at You 

I just want to look at you 
I just want to look at you 
The hair around your shoulders 
The fullness of your lips 
The color of your body 
The way you move your hips 

I just want to hold you near 
I just want to hold you near 
I feel your arms around me 
You pressed against my chest 
The rhythm of your heartbeat 
The warmness of your breath 

(Chorus) 
I don't know 
What brought us together 
I just know how I feel 
I just know that it's real 
Everyday we'd search for the answer 
But this is what it meant 
It feels so innocent   

(Bridge) 
Can't give you Paradise 
Can't ask you to believe 
We only have this life 
Everything will die 
All the rest's a lie 

I just want to sleep with you 
I just want to sleep with you 
To know that you're beside me 
And know that you are there 
To wake with you each morning 
Each moment that we share 

 (Repeat Chorus) 

 I just want to look at you 

(Bob, guitar; Tom, keys; Sam, bass; Gerry, acoustic guitars, vocals, percussion) 
(Note: This is the missing love song from "My Name Is Thomas."  Written after the CD was completed so that's why it's not on it!  It belongs just before "I'm So Scared" and would end the first act.  The bridge lyrics are stolen from the "Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam."  G.D.) 

_______________________________________ 

Blind, Broke, Naked and Lonely* 

Well I was walkin' with my baby through the park the other day 
Long legged woman joggin' by the other way 
Couldn't help but notice worst mistake I ever made 
That's when my jealous woman put a whoopin' on my head 
She said, "what are you starin' at?" 
I said, "I'm just enjoyin' the view" 
She said, "I've had it with your excuses and I don't wanna hear your lies 
If I catch you once again I'm gonna scratch out both your eyes" 

You know I get up every mornin', break my back from sun to sun
Always busy workin' never seem to have much fun 
So I stash a little money in a jar beneath the bed 
That's when my greedy woman puts a whoopin' on my head 
She said, "why you hidin' that?" 
I said, "I'm savin' it all for you" 
She said, "I've had it with your excuses and I know you be talkin' trash 
If you wanna get my love you'd better give me all your cash" 
Now I'm flat Broke-Busted   

(Solo)   

Well you know I'm not an angel and it's not always my fault 
But sometimes I get the feelin' that I'm locked inside a vault 
So I took a run for daylight thought I had it made 
That's when my evil woman put a whoopin' on my head 
She said, "why you steppin' out?" 
I said "I've had enough of you" 
She said, "now you won't be goin nowhere, I know how to make you stay" 
That's when my evil woman went and gave my clothes away 
Salvation Army I do believe 

I never saw it comin' never even had a clue
I never knew what hit me always thought that she'd be true 
I come walkin' through the front door, I hear my back door slam 
My cheatin' woman went and found another man 
I said, "why you steppin' out?" 
She said, "I've had enough of you" 
She said, "now even if you beg me ain't no way I'm gonna stay" 
That's when my cheatin' woman packed her bags and ran away 

My jealous woman, my greedy woman, my evil woman, my jealous woman 
My cheatin' woman left me Blind, Broke, Naked and Lonely 
Yes she did 
My jealous woman, my greedy woman, my evil woman, my jealous woman 
My cheatin' woman left me Blind, Broke, Naked and Lonely 

(Sam, all instruments and vocals) 

_______________________________________ 

All I Want Is Everything 

A cool night walking on Main Street 
She can talk real smooth and not miss a beat 
How did I get stuck with you? 
How do I get lucky with you? 
She can run, she can run so fast 
She's got defenses I just can't attack 
How do I get you home tonight? 
How do I get it just right? 

(Chorus) 

All I want is everything 
All I want is everything 
All I want is everything 
All I want is you 

We find a place just for a drink 
I never really know just what to think 
Am I in your master plan? 
Do I really have a chance?   

(Repeat Chorus) 

(Bridge) 
Everybody's looking everywhere 
All the lonely faces, well I don't care 
Everybody's talking all the time 
They can get their own 'cause I got mine   

A cool night walkin' on Main Street 
Angelo's is closed, there's no place to eat 
How did I get stuck with you? 
How do I get lucky with you?   

(Repeat Chorus) 

(Bob, guitar; Tom, keys; Sam, bass; Gerry, acoustic guitars, vocals, percussion) 

_______________________________________ 

 Mr. Bug* 

Sittin' here tryin' to write a song 
Suddenly you came along 
Whizzin' by my head so effortlessly 
Should I be good and spare your life 
Let you go home to your kids and wife 
Or should I mash you just for annoyin' me 

You may not think I have the right 
To take a swat put out your light 
But I'm bigger and I'm stronger can't you see 
Who would miss you who would care? 
There's a million just like you everywhere 
Why should I treat you so differently? 

If you don't stop buzzin' round my head 
It's not my fault if you end up dead 
I ain't got the time to deal with you 
I'm only human that's how we act 
You're just a bug besides the fact 
I got more important things to do   

If you leave me all alone 
Then I'll let you go back home 
And we'll both live in peace and harmony 
Thought I was talkin' to myself 
Then Mr. Bug lands on the shelf 
I look at him and he stares back at me   
Now the question is it life or death? 

Mr. Bug has taken his last breath 
And I just got an idea for a song 

(Sam, all instruments and vocals) 

_______________________________________ 

  

BQE 

I was a Boy Scout going to waste 
She was the fruit I could never taste 
Hit in the eye with a blinding light 
I try to tell myself it'll be all right 
She's not the kind of girl you take home to mom 
Try to hold her hand you might lose your arm 
Caught in a landslide I felt the weight
Hooked like a fish well I took the bait   

(Bridge) 
You want her now, you'll have to wait 
Everybody's got a date 
Like poison from a rattlesnake 
She hits you like a heavyweight   

(Chorus) 
Thrown from a car on the BQE
To think I was taught sex was a disease 
Lost in the borough with a gun in my face 
Something tells me that I may have loved in haste 

She needed a ride to visit an old friend 
He just got out from doing 5 to 10 
Somehow the truth gets so hard to find 
But when she looks my way I must lose my mind   

(Bridge) 
He wants her now, I'm in the way 
I'm gonna go, he's gonna stay 
I might have made a slight mistake 
I guess that I've been tempting fate 

(Repeat Chorus) 

(Instrumental verse) 

Licking my wounds down in Williamsburg 
When someone asked me if I was hurt 
\She looked like she meant every word that she said 
I said don't tell your friend that I'm not quite dead   

(Bridge) 
She wants me now, she'll have to wait 
Until I know I didn't break 
A thin line from love to hate 
I didn't think I'd hesitate   

(Repeat Chorus) 

(Note: The truth is I have never been a Boy Scout would any child of mine.  They discriminate against the non-religious and consider the non-religious incapable of being the "best" kind of citizens.  Every parent whose children are scouts must agree that this is true, or lie about it when taking the oath.  G.D.) 

(Bob, guitar; Tom, keys; Sam, bass; Gerry, vocals, percussion) 

_______________________________________ 

Bosko and Admira 

He prayed to Jesus, she prayed to Allah 
They loved each other, it was forever 
They met in high school, it was so easy 
Now there was shelling, it got so crazy 
They knew that somehow
He'd answer their prayers tonight 
They'd go to movies, she cried at E.T. 
They'd go out dancing, he loved his Iggy 
Then there was no food, there was no power 
Now there was no hope, hour to hour 
Their love was outcast 
He'd answer their prayers tonight   

(Chorus) 
In your arms he'd say to her 
He would always be 
She would say the war could not 
Ever change the world for you and me, my sweet 

We'll go to Belgrade, he said don't worry 
The war was growing like grandfather's stories 
She packed her diary, her golden bracelet 
The soldiers told them they'd have safe passage 
She wrote a letter 
They were in His hands tonight   

(Instrumental Verse)   

(Repeat Chorus)   

She hugged her parents, he held her hand tight 
Down to the river, the bridge was in sight 
He fell behind her, now she was bleeding 
And as she sinks down, she crawls up to him 
They die embracing 
Around the world tonight   

He prayed to Jesus, she prayed to Allah 
They loved each other, it was forever 
The gunman was blessed 
His prayers were answered tonight 

(Bob, guitars; Tom, keys; Sam, bass; Gerry, acoustic guitars, vocals, percussion) 
(Note: Bosko and Admira were the Romeo and Juliet of Sarajevo.  Though of different faiths they tried to escape the war and ethnic cleansing together but were shot dead in each other's arms just shy of the bridge out of town and supposed safety.  Their bodies lay in plain sight for a week until prisoners were forced to retrieve them.  In the event that they were to die they had requested that they be given secular burials together, disowning the belief systems that led to their deaths.  Their families complied.  G.D.) 

_______________________________________ 

Charlton Heston High School 

Catch the bus every day 
Do my homework on the way 
Pack a book, pack a gun 
Eat my breakfast on the run 
Every boy, every girl 
It's a dog eat dog type world 
Just act like you're lame 
While they try to steal your brain   

(Bridge) 
You can be a pain in the ass 
If you're in the right group in class 
You could even be yourself 
But you gotta realize 
It's a living hell 

(Chorus) 
Say a prayer, say a curse 
I don't know which is worse 
Charlton Heston High School 
It's a war, it's so cool 
Where guns and Jesus rule 
Charlton Heston High School 

(Bridge) 
You can fall asleep in the back 
If you're the school quarterback 
Or you can say enough is enough 
But you gotta realize 
They're gonna kick your butt 

(Chorus)   

Got no drugs over here 
But don't touch my can of beer 
Got no dope, got no weed 
Just the cigarettes I need 
No one's gay, no one's queer 
They're too scared to come out here 
The NRA is the boss 
And the Decalogue the law 

(Bridge) 
You can make the geeks all cry
And be a cool kind of guy 
Or you can do what's right
But you gotta realize 
You're gonna lose that fight 

(Repeat Chorus) (2) 

(Tom, keys; Sam, bass; Gerry, guitars, vocals, percussion; Bill Dean, harmonica) 
(Note: In the aftermath of the Columbine High School tragedies, Congress decided that public schools lacked the Ten Commandments, leading to the killings.  Guns, of course, they decided, were irrelevant to the problem.  Charlton Heston, a devout Christian, once portrayed Moses in a movie and is now the leader of the National Rifle Association, a natural progression it would seem.  "It's a Madhouse" is a line from "Planet of the Apes."  I am the drafter of the "Standard Ten Commandments," a constitutionally compliant and ethically superior alternative to the intolerant biblically-based Commandments.  For a copy, email Info@universaldice.com.  G.D.) 

_______________________________________ 

Circling the Drain* 

Work our fingers to the bone and make our little plans 
Buy a house, have some kids, take out the garbage cans 
Mow the lawn, rake the leaves, shovel all that snow 
Round and round and round and round and down the pipe we go  

Hey look at us we got it made we're really on our way 
We made the deal boy what a steal must be our lucky day 
Let's toast to our good fortune seal it with a kiss 
Round and round and round and round and into the abyss   

Circling the drain my friends we're circling the drain 
With a little hope we'll stay afloat 
While circling the drain 

Guess it's not so funny when you think of what's in store 
We paid our dues and sang some blues and wish that we had more 
We'd gladly pay the devil to do it all again 
Circle once or twice before our time to spiral in   

Circling the drain my friends we're circling the drain 
With a little hope in a leaky boat 
We're circling the drain 

Destined for the cesspool be that as it may 
We go about our daily lives with not much else to say 
At least we'll go down happy 
Sit back enjoy the ride 
Round and round and round and round 
Till we're taken by the tide 

Circling the drain my friends, we're circling the drain  
With a little hope we'll stay afloat while circling the drain 
Circling the drain my friends we're circling the drain 
So don't rock the boat and we'll stay afloat circling the drain 
With a little hope in a leaky boat we're circling the drain 

(Sam, all instruments and vocals) 

_______________________________________ 

All lyrics (c) Gerald Dantone 1999  Except * (c) S. Cimino 1999 

All Sound recordings copyright Gerald Dantone 1999 

Except * copyright S. Cimino 1999