(some) London Thursday lyrics

[dond...@gmail.com]

Here are lyrics to three songs from London Thursday. I listened to the first two tracks on the bus so couldn't transcribe those. I've been using Jandek lyrics as a writing prompt which is why I haven't transcribed every song: once I have something to write about, copying the lyrics over becomes less of a priority. If someone could patch the holes I'm leaving, that'd be great.

London Thursday

Lights Going Out

how many hours are left in this day
how many days are left in this life
time never approaches the end
until we see it coming

I wonder how it came to be
that I see the end
it's not so difficult to accept
the inevitable must carry on

we are so fools at the start
never thinking anything will end
they were brass and abundant
those leaps of faith we took

but now I know
those were just steps along the way
the way that leads
to all the lights going out

and it's so funny
we're so helpless to stop the day
the day when we no longer exist
and all the lights have gone out

I Know You Well

Can't come around here
the way you do
say that you're somebody new
whoa
I knew you from before
that's the way you are once more
oh
can't come around here saying
you're somebody new
cause I know you
I know you well
well
well
well
I know you well
I know you well
and it's been time
you've been around
I know you well
time won't tell what you been doing
time won't tell I know you well
I know you well

Eternity

I want to tell you
you without a name
you who were before
when I didn't know you
and you who will be waiting for me
I'll always know you
with my body and my mind
you who went before me
and will be there in the end

[ilfuturiste]

Here's my take on these lyrics. No offense about the repetition, I hope, it was just easier to cut and paste the whole file:

1.1. “Empty”

What did I do with, with this life

I can’t play this game anymore

What are these things that I do

And who is the person that does them

If I took myself apart

And put all the pieces on the table

Could I ever put them back together

I don’t want to be so empty

Of the things that I could be

I don’t want to be so full

Of the wasted time that I spent

How can I step out of this life

And be all the things I could be

Why am I waiting for this dream

Why can’t I make it real

The person that I want to be

Is hiding from me

And I go from day to day

Not being what I want to be

 

1.2. “Combing The Air”

Twenty-six hours in a day

Two more in to romp, play

Who says I need to go away

I’ll be there

Combing the air

Arms flinging

The wasted squalor

Severs the kingdom

My life for the sun

Bake me and take me

Skin crumbling

Fluidity cracking

The dry me wasteland

Hold for a drop of rain

Just to remember

The verdant field

The colors of life

You dusty, grey particles

Sanded are my eyes

How could I see you

But I’m still here

Drifting with the cobwebs

 

1.3. “Lights Going Out”

How many hours are left in this day

How many days are left in this life

Time never approaches the end

Until we see it coming

I wonder how it came to be

That I see the end

It’s not so difficult to accept

The inevitable must carry on

We are so fooled from the start

Never thinking anything will end

They were brash and abundant

Those leaps of faith we took

But now I know

Those were just steps along the way

The way that leads to…

To all the lights going out

And it’s so funny

You’re so helpless to stop the day

The day when we no longer exist

And all the lights have gone out

 

1.4. “I Know You Well”

Can’t come around here the way you do

Say that you’re somebody new

Whoa, I knew you from before

That’s the way you are once more

Whoa, can’t come around here saying you’re somebody new

Cause, I know you

I know you well, well, well, well, well, I know you well

I know you well         

And it’s been time

You’ve been around

I know you well

Time won’t tell

What you’ve been doing

Time won’t tell

I know you well

I know you well

 

1.5. “Eternity”

I want to tell you

You with a nothing

You, who were before

When I didn’t know you

And you, who will be waiting for me

I’ll always know you

With my body and my mind

You, who went before me

And will be there in the end

 

1.6. “All About It”    

Hey, Mr. Furniture

Let me tell you all about it

And when I’m done

That’s all about it

So, here I am

Hoping to find you

In, in a telephone table

With a telephone on it

And then, I go downstairs

Make you this song

I sing all about you

Wherever I go

 

2.1. “No Happy Life”

I don’t know what to do, mama

Except watch the breeze blow through the trees

I tried so many things

But ain’t nothing seems to work

I’m about ready to stop trying

This ain’t no happy life

Maybe the wind will take me

Maybe the water will

But I’d just as soon dig my grave here

Than go back and try some more

Mama, you understand these blues

I know that you do

I’m just crying to you here

Cause I’m out of tears for me

 

2.2. “Standing There”

You looked at me quizzically

Like, who are you

I thought

I was standing there

Yes, I was

Yes, I was

But now

I’m telling you

Take a look at me

Look at me

And love what you say

Oh, you love me

Let’s turn into numbers

Satisfy me

I can say one and six

And you

Can say four and nineteen

 

2.3. “Constant Refrain”

You painted my picture

You made a work of art of me

But then you tore me up

And ripped out my heart

And now I’m down on the floor here

Kissing your feet

And I don’t know who you are

Or if we’ll ever meet

But that’s the way it went

You were heaven sent

To build me up

And then destroy me

You know, that’s the way I like it

I can’t be happy, oh, no, I like it down here on the floor

I can’t get up

I don’t want to, so smash my brain

It’s just a constant refrain

 

2.4. “Quite All Right”

Woo-hoo

Just when I said I cared

You found me

Opened up my little box

And climbed inside

And you kept yourself there for a long time

But I don’t seem to mind

As a matter of fact, it’s quite alright with me

So, I guess we’ll stay this way

You don’t seem to want to change

As a matter of fact, you’re clinging to me

And I haven’t let that happen before

I guess I like it that way

And so do you

So, we, we will stay together

Because we’re more than happy to be that way

 

2.5. “Shadows Disappear”

I was coming down with a long face on

I was blinking my eyes

I was falling asleep

When I fell on the floor

I was picking up the pieces

Just to throw them away

I wasn’t thinking about anything

That’s the way I like it

The night was young

When I went to bed

I knew it’d be better in the morning

Now, it seems that I was right

Just look at the shadows disappear

I don’t know why, but

I don’t know fear

I just never think about it

Thinking’s not my game

You don’t know my name

I swear I wasn’t here

When you thought I was

It was someone else

That person’s up and gone

And won’t be back again