Jackson Cannery

Stop the bus
I wanna be lonely
when seconds pass slowly
and years go flying by
you gotta stop the bus
I'll get off here
Enough's enough
and I'm leaving this factory

All she wants is food on the table
and I won't be able
to bring it home
all I wants
come on
'cause all I need
yeah, is free
'cause I'm a factory

CHORUS
Did mother nature tell you
Boy you come and go
as you please
that's what she said to me
Big brother got the keys
and I got Jackson Cannery

Millionaires and millrats
live side by side
messed up my brother's mind
he's far from earth
tell me what's he worth
same as you, same as me
in this factory

CHORUS

It's four in the morning
mother don't know that
I'm going far away
she's whispering to the moon
I hope he don't join you soon

Baby boss climbs up on
his soapbox
Great Caesar's Ghost knows
what's best for me
so stop the bus

Did Mother Nature tell you
Boy you come and go
as you please
that's what she said to me
but big brother got the keys
and I got Jackson Cannery
Big brother got the keys
and I got Jackson Cannery
Big bother got the keys
and I got Jackson Cannery

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Emaline

I wish it was last September
when we could lose ourselves in crowds every day
'cause Emaline don't walk in time
she's not the same, that's all you can say

CHORUS
when I've heard enough,
I tell myself
that we've learned our lesson but I
don't wanna walk away from Emaline

they're talking now
does she know what they're saying?
she's got the air
to float above and
I'm sinking into
someone should pay

she's dear to me and so expensive
I'm not talking 'bout money
when money talks I hate to listen
but lately it's been screaming in my ear

CHORUS

It only took me one look
to understand Emaline
sometimes I don't know what she's saying
sometimes I do, sometimes I don't
know what she's saying
but I know I know
I know what she wants to believe

I wish it was last September

Don't let me walk away from Emaline
for stupid reasons
now I'm talking 'bout money
when money talks I hate to listen
but lately it's been screaming in my ear
oh what advice --
girls need attention
well are you different than all mine?
for what it's worth,
she's got attention
from people like you
who see black and white

now I've heard enough
I'll tell you what
really shouldn't sit here and whine
I'll take you down to see my Emaline
I wish it was. . .

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Alice Childress

Some summers in the evening
after six or so
I walk on down the hill
and maybe buy a beer
I think about my friends
sometimes I wish
they lived out here
but they wouldn't
dig this town
no they wouldn't
dig this town

CHORUS
Try not to think about it
Alice Childress
Try not to think about it anymore
Try not to think about it
Alice Childress
anymore,
no not anymore
no

Alice the world
is full of ugly things
that you can't change
pretend it's not that way
that's my idea of faith
you can blow it off
and say there's good
in nearly everyone
just give them all a chance
give them all a chance

CHORUS

No it didn't work out
no it didn't work out
the way we thought it would
no it didn't work out
an arranged marriage
is not so good

Thank God it's you
you know your timing is
impeccable
I'm not fooling you
I don't know what to do
some dude just knocked me cold
and left me on the sidewalk
took everything I had
everything I had

try not to thing about it
Alice Childress
try not to think about it anymore
it's getting light where you are
Alice Childress
anymore, no not anymore
anymore, no not anymore

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Tom & Mary

Chicka uh chicka uh. . .
or the benefit of Tom and Mary
before our guests arrive
if they haven't found out already
it's gonna blow their minds
will they find the strength
to find the will to testify
that for the benefit of Tom and Mary
there's something we can't hide anymore?

Everybody here knows the story
some with fabricated extra parts
see the sisters shout in whispers
feeding hot air to the sparks
put a damper on the party
it will lighten up this room
but for the benefit of Tom and Mary
we've got to see the truth today

Ms. Suthernson says "here they come"
and all the chatter and the smiles
they come undone
you could hear a pin drop on the carpet floor
everyone's pretending not to hear them
knocking at the door

For the benefit of Tom and Mary
before our guests arrive
if they haven't found out already
it's gonna blow their minds
haven't found out already
and yet the seams all seem to show
that for the benefit of Tom and Mary
for the benefit of Tom and Mary
for the benefit of Tom and Mary
we gotta let the truth me known, yeah

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For Those of Ya'll Who Wear Fanny Packs