SET LIST ELEVEN (11)

1 Love It or Leave It ……………..116

2 Groovy Gravy

3 Devil's Friend………………..118

4 Disciple of Dirt

5 Moth………………………...120

6 Insomnia

7 Thick Skin (first two stanzas)…...121

8 Time's Up

9 Kicking the Can…………….122

10 Hey Waiter

11 Cement………………...123

12 Fancy Words

13 Dance Floor

LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

I am me so you can love it or leave it

(leave it)

Don't care what you like

So I don't lie

Do you believe it?

(believe it)

Though others' eyes

I can't see through

(see through)

What you see is what you get

I will never be you

(be you)

I don't want to hurt your feelings

But I wouldn't want to

(be you)

I keep my makeup in a drawer

That's never been opened

(opened)

Is the truth in the eyes

Or in the words spoken?

(spoken)

As you can see

I’m wearing no mask

Let me tell you my friend

This is no easy task

So what you see

Is what you get

(you get)

Have you seen anything

That you like yet?

I am me so you can love it or leave it

(leave it)

I wear my heart on my sleeve

Could you ever conceive it?

(conceive it)

Though others' eyes

I can't see through

(see through)

What you see is what you get

I will never be you

(be you)

I don't want to hurt your feelings

But I wouldn't want to

(be you)

I keep my makeup in a drawer

That's never been opened

(opened)

Is the truth in the eyes

Or in the words spoken?

(spoken)

I am me so you can love it or leave it

(leave it)

I wear my heart on my sleeve

Could you ever conceive it?

(conceive it)

I am me so you can love it or leave it

(leave it)

Don't care what you like

So I don't lie

Do you believe it?

(believe it)

GROOVY GRAVY

You look into my face

Expecting to see

A man who is angry

Yet these eyes of mine

Just finished crying

Miss my sweet ass candy

My mind…

Gotta fill it with groovy gravy baby

So I’m inclined…

To do or say anything that will pay me

Picked rhyme

‘Cause I find most lives of crime

pay weekly not daily

And all my

Friends not in my head

all think I’m going crazy

Sure, once I thought I was on a roll

But I found out it’s beyond all my control

Because when the Zen unfolded

Again I was the one left dumbfounded

Boy was I wrong

I really had thought I’d found it

Being used like a toy all along

There’s no other way around it

I was a puppet on a string

Just a bird with two clipped wings

Confined behind these four walls

Tortured was the only way I’d sing

I was force fed

To believe - so I’d pretend

That means don't matter

As long as it gets you to the end

But soon I was no longer

The one steering the wheel

The machine kept getting stronger

I was left wondering was I still real?

Yes, once I thought I was on a roll

Now I’ve found out it’s beyond all my control

Boy was I wrong

I really had thought I’d found it

Being used like a toy all along

There’s just no other way around it

Became the prisoner of my own sad song

No wonder I’ve grown so despondent

DEVIL’S FRIEND

I can’t quit it

Let me hit it

Oh won’t you let me in?

I’ve been sinning

Since the beginning

And I don’t want that to end

I keep learning

While I’m burning

I’ve become the Devil’s friend

What I’m saying

Is I’m still playing

It won’t be a pretty end…

I been high for a long time

I’ve been dry even longer

Out in the sunshine

The truth just gets stronger

I was hiding in my cave

And that’s no place to get saved

See a man in full retreat

That’s when he’s easiest to beat

Well I just hid my head

‘Til the world thought I was dead

Gone, lost and hidden away

Far from society I strayed

Trapped in a world I couldn’t face

One where I quickly lost my place

Finding solace in defeat

Told myself I can’t compete

DISCIPLE OF DIRT

Just what will break the spell?

So many claim to know

Yet so few tell

Why is that so?

Maybe it's just as well?

To just let it go...

Ah what the hell?

There's only one way to know

Whether to buy or sell

On which road to go

There's only one man in the know

Though long ago he fell

So what's a disciple of dirt

Like me to do?

No one left to follow

No one to lead me

A blind detective

In a world full of clues

Only able to be captured

No one to free me

So many choices

Yet so little time to choose

I want to hide away

Where no one can see me

So much to gain

But even more to lose

I'll rest in the safety that

No one else will ever be me

So what if my book of poetry

Lies dusty on the shelf

My inspiration's been lost and found

By someone else

My dreams about tomorrow?

Ah who the hell even cares?

Every day we all take

A good look in the mirror

And wonder if it's time

To face our fears:

Are we burned up?

Are we burned out?

Or maybe there's no flame at all

With no desire to climb

There's no risk to fall

So we stick to safe ground

Like a hamster on a wheel

Lacking love and hate

So there's nothing left to feel.......

MOTH

Some things were made to bait you

and then out wait you

Or out will you

But if you’re a moth like me

Then a burning candle will kill you…

They say misery loves company

I said I’d rather be alone

They say in truth and light

There lies your salvation

I said sometimes I feel safer

When all the light is gone

In darkness I trust

When scared I soar

Up through the night sky

Seeking light once more

I find I can’t change

The wiring of my brain

So with wet wings

I glide through the rain

So I may pass the test of fire

And fly over the open flame

Try to rid myself of all desire…

It’s the same tame your name game

It’s the same tame your name game

It’s the same tame your name game

INSOMNIA

It’s time to write another song

About the world and where it’s all gone wrong

But awe man….That’s gonna take soo long

To sum it up: if you’re ignorant then you’re right

It’s the best lesson you can learn from the whites

Those with power never wanna give it back

Is the history lesson you learn if you’re black

It’s not where you end up

But how far you had to go to get there

If you were born with a senate seat

Don’t ever complain your life’s not fair

I wake up… remove the covers from my face

Then I do…what I can for the human race

Fight the urge…to give in when I’m overwhelmed

Save the world…mostly by working on myself

I’m close to becoming the man I was born to be

Not another drone, wage slave worked to death

But someone who can say they tried to break free

Every night I stayed awake

Trying to find a cure for the human race

Thus I suffered from insomnia

So finally I had to give it a break

It was the best thing I ever did

Trust me I’m telling ya

It’s time to write another song

THICK SKIN

If you sing my song…

First know that it’s long

A tale filled with broken hearts,

promises and noses

If you look inside my soul…

You’ll see all that I don’t show

My deviled horns, the blood-stained thorns

And wilted leaves of long-stemmed dead roses

TIMES UP

My misdirected passion

Has led to many lashes

Put all my eggs in one basket

As if you even had to ask it

I made a rash decision

And did something I wish I didn’t

Now everything is broken

All black with ash and smoking

As I’ve lost all intention and desire

To ever again go near or play with fire

I know I’ve said this all before

But this time I won’t be called a liar

I don’t wanna feel

Like love’s not real

But I’ve grown sick and tired

Of being used

And if it’s self-abuse

I’m thinking I might retire

Take up another trade

In my old age

Hey, this gun’s for hire

Got a few bullets left

But at least I’m outta debt

So what if my plan backfired?

Sure you can save for a rainy day

Then watch as a typhoon comes your way

You can look around there’s no escape

Right now you are face to face with the wave

Sometimes it’s water

and sometimes it’s mud

Sometimes it’s floating debris

coming to f*ck you up!

Sometimes it’s earned

and sometimes bad luck

Sometimes you jump

when you should have ducked!

Time’s up!

KICKING THE CAN

This woman I’d been dating for nearly a year

Told me to get out with words so clear

Said her chains had been broken

and she’s no longer bound

To me, former lover, getting outta town

Like seasons a’ changing love once so dear

I got no more magic in my hat as I disappear

Walking down the street carrying a big black bag

In it is everything I hold dear that I’ve ever had

Looking up at heaven trying to understand

Why I’m walking down the street just kicking this can?

I was wanting to travel

But this is not what I planned

HEY WAITER

I see fine, fine, fine...

Sugar mama's all the time

That I know...

could be wined and dined

And numbered because they hunger

For my love and what I got inside

Yet still I wait...

I see pretty young things

Whose bodies could be had and bought

With just a wink and a shiny ring

But I don't think dirty thoughts

For sure, girls like that

There's lots and lots

But still I wait...

To see a woman strong inside

With whom I want to stand beside

Because I know she'll still be there

During times when I'm troubled

And deep within despair

Or in need of some tender love and care

So here I wait...

For those who are the very few

That will love me for what I do

And for what I truly am

For they will see I'm a special man

Who lives his life

according to his own plan

And sleeps all alone tonight

because he understands

That he must wait...

CEMENT

As the blizzard blows tonight...

All you think about is staying warm

We unite to build a fire

Enemies become friends

And everyone survives the storm

For time has proved

As we've evolved and grown

That the truth is...

We're never best when we're left alone

If you wanna be truly original

Then don't be scared of a stranger

Don't you know the first smoke signal

Was a way to talk

And not a symbol of danger

Yet when it comes to truth

Some play hide and seek

They say the dead don't lie...

Well, that's only because

The dead don't speak

Some manufacture consent

Like they're mixing cement

There's always a positive spin

It always us versus them

The good guys are gonna win

The speechwriters have been busy

You see stars and stripes blowing in the wind

Dylan warns propaganda all is phony

But just listen to them play our hymn...

Some manufacture consent

Like they're mixing cement

There's always a positive spin

So what if everything is falling down?

You get to build it back up again

I embrace my face....

Even though I don't like it

I support my race....

Even though we're always fighting

To some my life's a waste....

I carry on despite it

I know my place....

There're wrongs that need writing, righting

I don't know if I...

want to remember or forget

Some of the thoughts

I got swimming inside my head.....

They keep me awake

sometimes I can't sleep...

Been like this

for about a week...

And add to that about ten years

I've been telling everyone

Still no one cares....

FANCY WORDS

As if you were my children

I sacrifice for you

A mind like mine

Don’t come around often

The next one could be you

The chip that rides atop my shoulder

Has fallen to the ground

To the chains of modern thinking

I am no longer bound

I don't try to reach

just a thousand critics

I aim for tens of millions

of people worldwide

I don't dare use fancy words

that twist into themselves

So many times that you need

a dictionary by your side

I try to portray life plain and simply

Using my words to paint

a picture to be your guide

My soul crawls across the paper

Falling dead across the lines

As all the memories I've known

Forgotten and left behind

Now stand before you

Naked and raped

Handled and molded

Unfolded and shaped

There is nothing left

That I can call my own

There's no place that I can go

That I can honestly call my home

There is nothing I'm afraid of

Be it discovered or unknown

I write for men and women like me

Who have the roar of a lion

Those who'll fight to the death

to defend their pride

The men and women who know

that when life gets tough

That you can never lie down and die

So hold onto whatever

will get you through

Do whatever - within reason

that you have to do

Look everywhere inside of you

it's in you

And I would not lie to you

I've been you

I would not hide it from you

but of course

I will help guide you through

I'll be your support

DANCEFLOOR

I been trying to find

A place to call home in my mind

But it's cluttered with all

this useless debris

Pictures, places... things and ideas

They've been trying to sell to me

I been trying to hear

My own voice within my ears...

(I heard a whisper from somewhere)

Amongst all the yelling,

screaming and cryin'

which leads to disbelieving

That's when the

whisper grows silent

I been trying to see

since things aren't bad for me

I should forget the fact

that ignorance kills

Turning my back on any and all ills

That don't slap me in the face

For I... can't save...

the entire human race

Today I'm enjoying myself

Going out to have a good time

This earth won't cease

to spin or exist

If I relax and unwind

Let someone else

Worry about the world

for a while...

Once I thought I was happy

But I've long since lost my smile...

I'd like to rewind time

to find the mindset I had before

Take the train tracks

back to when I lacked

the need to go explore

To when I didn't care

If the whole world

went up in flames

I'd say what can one man do?

Except point a finger...

And pass the blame

That's it...

I've had enough...

I can't take it anymore

Just a few of these...

To put my mind at ease...

I'll meet you on the dancefloor