I've never been wrong.
I used to work in the record store.
I had everything before anyone.
I was there in the Paradise Garage DJ booth with Larry Levan.
I was there in Jamaica during the great sound clashes.
I woke up naked on the beach in Ibiza in 1988.
But I'm losing my edge to better-looking people with better ideas and more talent.
And they're actually really, really nice.
I'm losing my edge.
I heard you have a compilation of every good song ever done by anybody.
Every great song by the Beach Boys. All the underground hits.
All the Modern Lovers tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Niagra record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal Detroit techno hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '60s cut and another box set from the '70s.
I hear you're buying a synthesizer and an arpeggiator
and are throwing your computer out the window
because you want to make something real.
You want to make a Yaz record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your guitars and bought turntables.
I hear that you and your band have sold your turntables and bought guitars.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
This Heat, Pere Ubu, Outsiders, Nation of Ulysses,
Mars, The Trojans, The Black Dice, Todd Terry, the Germs, Section 25,
Althea and Donna, Sexual Harrassment, a-ha, Pere Ubu, Dorothy Ashby,
PIL, the Fania All-Stars, the Bar-Kays, the Human League, the Normal,
Lou Reed, Scott Walker, Monks, Niagra,
Joy Division, Lower 48, the Association, Sun Ra,
Scientists, Royal Trux, 10cc,
Eric B. and Rakim, Index, Basic Channel,
Soulsonic Force ("just hit me"!), Juan Atkins,
David Axelrod, Electric Prunes, Gil! Scott! Heron!,
the Slits, Faust, Mantronix, Pharaoh Sanders and the Fire Engines,
the Swans, the Soft Cell, the Sonics, the Sonics, the Sonics, the Sonics.
You don't know what you really want.
- Losing My Edge, LCD Soundsystem
Timothy Leary's dead
No, no, no, no, he's outside, looking in
- Legend of a Mind, The Moody Blues
Let me tell you how it will be
There's one for you, nineteen for me
'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman
Should five percent appear too small
Be thankful I don't take it all
'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman
I'll tax the street
(If you try to sit, sit) I'll tax your seat
(If you get too cold, cold) I'll tax the heat
(If you take a walk, walk) I'll tax your feet
(Taxman)
'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman
Don't ask me what I want it for
(Ah, ah, Mr. Wilson)
If you don't want to pay some more
(Ah, ah, Mr. Heath)
'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman
Now my advice for those who die (taxman)
Declare the pennies on your eyes (taxman)
'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman
And you're working for no one but me (taxman)
- Taxman, The Beatles
That's right, '94
And on and on, and on and on
You know very well
Who you are
Don't let 'em hold you down
Reach for the stars
- Juicy, Biggie
Her mind is Tiffany-twisted
She got the Mercedes Benz
She got a lot of pretty, pretty boys
That she calls friends
How they dance in the courtyard
Sweet summer sweat
Some dance to remember
Some dance to forget
So I called up the Captain
"Please bring me my wine"
He said, 'We haven't had that spirit here
Since 1969"
And still those voices are calling from far away
Wake you up in the middle of the night
Just to hear them say
Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place (such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face
They livin' it up at the Hotel California
What a nice surprise (what a nice surprise)
Bring your alibis
Mirrors on the ceiling
The pink champagne on ice
And she said, 'We are all just prisoners here
Of our own device"
And in the master's chambers
They gathered for the feast
They stab it with their steely knives
But they just can't kill the beast
Last thing I remember, I was
Running for the door
I had to find the passage back
To the place I was before
"Relax, " said the night man
"We are programmed to receive
You can check out any time you like
But you can never leave"
- Hotel California, Eagles
Sharply the menacing wind sweeps over
The bending poplars, newly bare,
And the dark ribbons of the chimneys
Veer downward; flicked by whips of air,
Torn posters flutter; coldly sound
The boom of trams and the rattle of hooves,
And the clerks who hurry to the station
Look, shuddering, over the eastern roves,
Thinking, each one, ‘Here comes the winter!
Please God I keep my job this year!’
And bleakly, as the cold strikes through
Their entrails like an icy spear,
They think of rent, rates, season tickets,
Insurance, coal, the skivvy’s wages,
Boots, school—bills, and the next instalment
Upon the two twin beds from Drage’s.
For if in careless summer days
In groves of Ashtaroth we whored,
Repentant now, when winds blow cold,
We kneel before our rightful lord;
The lord of all, the money—god,
Who rules us blood and hand and brain,
Who gives the roof that stops the wind,
And, giving, takes away again;
Who spies with jealous, watchful care,
Our thoughts, our dreams, our secret ways,
Who picks our words and cuts our clothes,
And maps the pattern of our days;
Who chills our anger, curbs our hope,
And buys our lives and pays with toys,
Who claims as tribute broken faith,
Accepted insults, muted joys;
Who binds with chains the poet’s wit,
The navvy’s strength, the soldier’s pride,
And lays the sleek, estranging shield
Between the lover and his bride.
- Saint Andrew's Day, 1935, George Orwell
God money, I'll do anything for you
God money, just tell me what you want me to
God money, nail me up against the wall
God money, don't want everything, he wants it all
No, you can't take it
No, you can't take it
No, you can't take that away from me
No, you can't take it
No, you can't take it
No, you can't take that away from me
Head like a hole, black as your soul
I'd rather die than give you control
Head like a hole, black as your soul
I'd rather die than give you control
Bow down before the one you serve
You're going to get what you deserve
Bow down before the one you serve
You're going to get what you deserve
God money's not looking for the cure
God money's not concerned about the sick among the pure
God money, let's go dancing on the backs of the bruised
God money's not one to choose
- Head like a hole, Nine Inch Nails
Space may be the final frontier but it's made in a Hollywood basement
And Cobain can you hear the spheres singing songs off Station To Station?
And Alderaan's not far away, it's Californication
Born and raised by those who praise control of population
Well, everybody's been there and I don't mean on vacation
First born unicorn
Hardcore soft porn
Dream of Californication
- Californication, Red Hot Chili Peppers
Spend a little too much time together
Forgotten how to be all by ourselves
Could be worse yeah it could be better
Stay inside beyond all others
Help won’t get me out of bed
Stop the voices in my head
Waste away with you instead alone, alone
The great inside and fortitude
Safely home alone with you
Wasting time but what a view you are
Nobody told me when you love someone for real
That your mind’s on hold and your heart’s behind the wheel
I'm so caught up with you
Slow love in solitude
Don't eat and we drink too much
Four walls and that one room love
We’ll drift away again
You give me something to numb the pain
We don't talk and we keep the door shut
We’re together
just a little too much
- Slow Love, TENDER
If only I'd thought of the right words
I could have held on to your heart
If only I'd thought of the right words
I wouldn't be breaking apart
All my pictures of you
- Pictures of You, The Cure
The road I cruise is a bitch now baby
But no you can't turn me round
And if a house gets in my way baby
You know I'll burn it down
- Strangelhold, Ted Nugent
Life's about film stars and less about mothers
It's all about fast cars and cussing each other
But it doesn't matter 'cause I'm packing plastic
And that's what makes my life so fucking fantastic
- The Fear, Lily Allen
I'll be the left side if you'll be the right
I'll let the hours fall into the night
Hold out the ocean over your hands
Hope that the answer goes with the ask
I'll be the left side if you'll be the right
I'll let it bloom and then let it die
Hold out the ocean over your hands
Waiting for something to play out
- Play Out, Zola Blood
Why don't we d-do it in the road?
Why don't we do it in the road?
Why don't we do it in the road?
Why don't we do it in the road
No one will be watching us
Why don't we do it in the road?
- Why Don't We Do It in the Road, The Beatles
Images of broken light which dance before me like a million eyes
They call me on and on across the universe
Thoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letterbox they
They tumble blindly as they make their way across the universe
Jai guru deva, om
Nothing's gonna change my world
- Across the Universe, The Beatles
Oh, why are you staring at your phone?
There's nobody in there with a life worth living
Nobody in there that isn't wishing
They were just an empty shell without no substance
No purpose, another from the circus
Direction, connection, got another mention
What does it mean?
We're all machines
- Machine, TENDER
Buy yourself a dream, how's it looking?
Buy yourself a car and a house to live in
Get yourself a girl, someone different
Buy yourself a dream and it won't mean nothing
- Happy Man, Jungle
I used to write
I used to write letters
I used to sign my name
I used to sleep at night
Before the flashing light settled deep in my brain
But by the time we met
By the time we met the times had already changed
So I never wrote a letter
I never took my true heart, I never wrote it down
So when the lights cut out
I was lost standing in the wilderness downtown
- We Used To Wait, Arcade Fire
Art is love, love is work
It hurts to give yourself to it
Art is work, work is love
Reminding us why we do it
Art is love, love is work
It hurts to give yourself to it
Art is work, work is love
Forget yourself for the music
So I try to put a little piece of myself in
Keep the pretty people listening
Keep in mind all the negatives and positives
Charges floatin' round the audience
I’m biting my tongue
But the words don’t come
- Blood, ANIMA!
In my dream I was almost there
Then they pulled me aside and said you're going nowhere
They say we are the chosen few
But we waste it
And that's why we're still waiting
On a number from the modern man
Maybe when you're older you will understand
Why you don't feel right
Why you can't sleep at night now
In line for a number but you don't understand
Like a modern man
In line for a number but you don't understand
Like a modern man
Oh I had a dream I was dreaming
And I feel I'm losing the feeling
Makes me feel like
Like something don't feel right
I erase the number of the modern man
Want to break the mirror of the modern man
Makes me feel like
Makes me feel like
- Modern Man, Arcade Fire
Now you're knocking at my door
Saying please come out with us tonight
But I would rather be alone
Than pretend I feel alright
If the businessmen drink my blood
Like the kids in art school said they would
Then I guess I'll just begin again
You say, "can we still be friends? "
If I was scared... I would
And if I was pure... you know I would
And if I was yours... but I'm not
- Ready to Start, Arcade Fire
Some cities make you lose your head
Endless suburbs stretched out thin and dead
And what was that line you said?
Wishing you were anywhere but here
You watch the life you're living disappear
And now I see
We're still kids in buses
Longing to be free
Wasted hours, before we knew
Where to go, and what to do
Wasted hours, that you make new
And turn into
A life that we can live
- Wasted Hours, Arcade Fire
Look out, kid
Don't matter what you did
Walk on your tip toes
Don't tie no bows
Better stay away from those
That carry around a fire hose
Keep a clean nose
Watch the plainclothes
You don't need a weather man
To know which way the wind blows.
Ah, get sick, get well
Hang around an ink well
Ring bell, hard to tell
If anything is gonna sell
Try hard, get barred
Get back, write Braille
Get jailed, jump bail
Join the army, if you fail
Look out kid
You're gonna get hit
By losers, cheaters
Six-time users
Hanging 'round the theaters
Girl by the whirlpool is
Lookin' for a new fool
Don't follow leaders
Watch the parkin' meters.
Ah, get born, keep warm
Short pants, romance, learn to dance
Get dressed, get blessed
Try to be a success
Please her, please him, buy gifts
Don't steal, don't lift
Twenty years of schoolin'
And they put you on the day shift
- Subterranean Homesick Blues, Bob Dylan
"...And during the few moments that we have left
We want to talk right down to earth
In a language that everybody here can easily understand..."
Look in my eyes, What do you see?
The cult of personality
I know your anger, I know your dreams
I've been everything you want to be
Oh, I'm the cult of personality
...
Neon lights, a Nobel prize
When a mirror speaks, the reflection lies
You won't have to follow me
Only you can set _me_ free
I sell the things you need to be
I'm the smiling face on your TV
Oh, I'm the cult of personality
I exploit you, still you love me
I tell you, one and one makes three
Oh, I'm the cult of personality
...
Neon lights, a Nobel prize
When a leader speaks, that leader dies
You won't have to follow me
Only you can set _you_ free
You gave me fortune, you gave me fame
You gave me power in your god's name
I'm every person you need to be
Oh, I'm the cult of personality
- Cult of Personality, Living Colour
Let's go downtown and watch the modern kids
Let's go downtown and talk to the modern kids
They will eat right out of your hand
Using great big words that they don't understand
They're singing:
Rococo, rococo, rococo, rococo
...
They seem wild but they are so tame
They seem wild but they are so tame
They're moving towards you with their colors all the same
They want to own you but they don't know what game they're playing
- Rococo, Arcade Fire
Here he comes
He pulled the mirrors off his Cadillac
'Cause he doesn't like it looking like he looks back
He talks like his opinion is a simple fact
Somebody grabbed his collar
He cried the whole way home
No one been remembered a thing when they saw him again
That's how it is 'til the end
- Elephant, Tame Impala
In a far and distant galaxy
Inside my telescope I see
A pair of eyes peer back at me
He walks and talks and looks like me
Sits around inside his house
From room to room he moves about
Fills his life with pointless things
And wonders how it all turns out
It's safe to say that
I don't think you understand!
There's nowhere left to turn
Walls keep breaking
Time is like a leaf in the wind
Either it's time well-spent
Or time I've wasted
Don't waste it
Afraid of what the truth might bring
He locks his doors and never leaves
Desperately searching for signs
Too terrified to find a thing
He battens all the hatches down
And wonders why he hears no sound
Frantically searching his dreams
He wonders what it's all about
- Telescope, Cage the Elephant