"American Compost" - Lyrics by Ellsworth

1. Back to New York City

Doin' 80 mph down interstate 95
Every mile gettin' closer I can feel my motor comin' alive
I've been out there chillin' where the woods are pretty
Now I'm comin' back to NYC........

All the buildings reaching higher like a fire in a blue gray sky
I'm dodgin' the potholes & watchin' for detour signs
Traffic so thick it's a goddam pity
I'm crawlin' back into NYC.........

Over the bridge and I'm uptown turnin' down Broadway
Ain't no street like it in the world, funky, funky Broadway
Sidewalks lit up wild and gritty
I know I'm back in NYC...........

~~~~~~

Forty-second Street's got Mickey Mouse partying down
Downtown's still got a great big hole in the ground
Folks down there standin' tall & pretty
Glad to be back in NYC
The people in New York standin' tall & pretty
Glad to be back in NYC
New York's still standin' proud & gritty
We're back in NYC...........

2. Mr. Ellsworth's Sunday Morning Song

Hey Captain
Better turn this ship around
The helmsman's out for blood tonight
The first mate can't be found
Chaplain's in the crowsnest
But he won't say where we're bound
Hey Captain
Better turn this ship around

Hey Captain
Why won't you answer me
I'm pounding at your door all day
I think we're lost at sea
The compass spins around
& all the radios are jammed
Hey Captain
I hope you have a plan

Hey Captain
I know you're a busy man
Slip a note beneath your door
& I'll do what I can
The lifeboats have been lowered
But they only hold the few
Hey Captain
Just give me one small clue

Hey Captain
Are you still alive in there?
The engine's overheating
All the men are in despair

Supplies, they say, are running down
Everybody's taking sides
Hey Captain
They're gonna blow us all sky high
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hey Captain
This is my final plea
Thank you for the ship & all
Now I guess it's up to me
& if you do come out someday
& don't like what you find
Hey Captain
Remember that I tried
Hey Captain
Remember that I tried

3. Every Time She Thinks About Marie

Every time she thinks about Marie
Something blossoms up inside her taller than a tree
This just seems to happen naturally
Every time she thinks about Marie

In corner bars & cafes
How the good ol' boys all talk
Sayin' "That's not how things oughta to be"
She's just thinking "Why not?"

Every time she thinks about Marie
She steps a little lighter and she whistles on the breeze
Lets go all that dull philosophy
Every time she thinks about Marie

Every time she dreams about Marie
She dreams a watercolor canvas gold and green
Nothing looks quite how it used to be
Every time she dreams about Marie

Candidates & magistrates
Playin' hide & seek with the law
Nothing changes all that much
She keeps wondering "Why not?"

Every time she dreams about Marie
She wakes up in a cold sweat, bursting at the seams
No one else can offer much relief
Everytime she dreams about Marie

Daddy don't know why she just can't be
Happy with all she's got
Find herself a nice young guy
She can't tell him why not

Everytime she can't find Marie
She wanders like a spirit down the frozen street
Faces glaring existentially
Everytime she can't find her
Everything's a gray reminder
Every time the phone rings
Or when the birds sing
She'll stop & think about her
Suddenly can't do without her
Everytime she thinks about Marie

4. Forward Motion

Stranded on a sidewalk, tall tall town
Both hands in my pockets, one foot on the ground
Cradled in a crowded crosstown bus
I must be going somewhere in a terrible rush...........

............Over and over and over and over again
Forward motion is my only friend

A bugged out beggar with a broken fly
Singing songs incomprehensible to passersby
Billboard ladies in the sky
Deep dark cleavage and all night eyes..........

On a virtual corner in an online mall
Full of dot com Jesuses & Mommy Dearest dolls
Chillin' in a chat room ecafe
I am what I dream if you read what I say.........

What do you do when there's nothing new
On the avenue and nobody knows your name
Who do you call when all you hear are politicians
Promise you this, promise you that
Got your vote don't want your opinion
What do you do, it's up to you, they say
Everything will work out fine
Happiness is in your mind
Save your nickels and your dimes
For lotto
On the weekend
You get blotto
Then start all over again

Farewell to the Twentieth Century
It was the best of times for the beautiful and free
Romantic boys grinning down the barrel of a gun
Maybe we'll get it right in Twenty-one............

5. Can Anyone Hear Me?

One more messed up kid from High St.
Daddy gone down the road and
Mamma loved those bar room guys
Who never come to stay
In the next room he would hear them lay

Open up the window, let the birds in
Every small boy needs a playmate
Later on the grown men climb
His fire escape at night
And the sidewalk calling wild and bright………..

………..Can anyone hear me
I'm singing this song
Isn't there anybody near me
Singing along

Her body just came alive at fourteen
She wore it like a peacock
On a Sunday avenue
The older boys like flies
When she speak they smile into her eyes

Smokin’ in the graveyard with those boys
Laughing too loud at a joke she
Never really did understand
A dozen playful hands
Held her down, it started out in fun
One by one………..

Here’s to all the poor slobs everywhere
That never really had a prayer
I wonder where are you now
The dupes of street philosophy
Face down in negativity
I hope you made it somehow............

6. American Compost

I used to dream the impossible dream
Spent most of my youth in a wide-eyed fantasy
Early in the morning while the whole world was still asleep
I’d march down my street singing “Oh Say Can You See”
& I marched down the streets of America
With a heart so young & a spirit so free
Dreaming that dream my father called America
Brotherhood, Justice, Equality
Can you remember when we took these words seriously
When restlessness was a yearning to breathe free
& we were just dreamers
We used to be dreamers
& a dream is just a shining light
You know you’ll never reach it
Still you keep it in sight
Can you see that light anymore, America?

But I found out how things work out sometimes
I found that a dream can be a shrewd disguise
I saw teenage solders, wheelchairs & black limosines
Bombastic billionaires talkin’ first strike strategies
Then I marched down the streets of America
I felt so naive, has it really always been this way?
They take their schemes & call 'em all America
But who said “Manifest Destiny
Caveat Emptor & White Supremacy”
Just what do they mean when they say “Land of Opportunity”
It’s hard to be a dreamer
Ain’t it hard to be a dreamer
If the only dreams to fill your sails
Are long term investments & projected sales
Is that really your face on my dollar bill, America?

I have my own children now I have to worry about
Should I teach them how to dream or teach them how to doubt
Should I tell ‘em about Leaves of Grass, Grapes of Wrath, democracy
Or should I teach ‘em an eye for an eye & that Big Stick diplomacy
Cuz when they march out on the streets of America
Far away from all the history books, the speeches & the law
That’s where they learn the truth from what they see & hear, America
Yes, it’s a hungry world, wild wolves at the door
But just who those wolves are these days I’m not so sure
So what do I say when they say “Dad, what do we stand for?”
“Are we still dreamers?”
Are we still dreamers?
Or just a bunch of busy bees in a hive
Gatherin’ honey & stayin’ alive
Have we grown so tall we can’t hear their call, America?
Do we still crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea?
Or do we let ourselves be crowned by those charming clowns, praise & flattery?
You know I still believe in that half-conceived American Dream?
When do we start to live up to what it really means?

7. Mirror Man

Standing in front of your mirror, man
You can see your own eyes, you can see your own plans
You can slap your own face or shake your own hand
Will you ever come outside again, Mirror man?

There’s a green green heaven
There’s a hot desert sand
There’s an ocean of mystery none can command
There’s a river of reason ‘neath the face of this crazy land
If you'd only come out once again, Mirror man.

All of those mannequins posing in the aisles
I know how you hate them all dressed up there in style
But if you had your way tell me what would you do?
Dress them exactly like you?

There’s a wild, wild wind blowing over the land
& it’s hard to look up from your mirror again
Where the whole wide world awaits your command
If you would only come outside again, Mirror man.

Sing a song for children, for castles & sand
Sing a song for the lonesome, forgotten old man
For the hung-up, the hard-up, all the strung-out & damned
Won’t you come out here & sing it once again, like you used to do, Mirror man?

Standing in front of your mirror, man
You can see yourself but do you know who I am?
You’ve got nothing to lose if you reach out your hand
You can always go back in there again, Mirror man

8. She's So Sweet

I had a girl named Devon
Body built up in heaven
She could melt your heart, do you know what I mean

But you can’t read her eyes
Beauty is her disuise
She can make you doubt everything you see

& when she wraps her arms around you
Your poor heart begins to pound you
Think you’ve found yourself a little angel queen.......

She’s so sweet
Pom poms on her feet
Lips like watermelon
& a smile that can’t be beat
I said she’s so sweet
Got those innocent eyes
When she looks right at you boy you don’t believe
No, you won’t believe
She lies!

She’s a walkin’ riddle
Playin’ both ends against the middle
A bona fide dichotomy queen

Walkin’ a fine line
One step ahead of the grapevine
You better keep your windshield clean

Cuz when she whispers in your ear
Tells you what you wanna hear
She wraps you in her smile til you don’t see what you see.......

She’s so sweet
Pom poms on her feet
Lips like cherry wine
& a smile that can’t be beat
I said she’s so sweet
got those innocent eyes
When she looks right at you boy you won’t believe
No, you don’t believe
She lies!

9. It Doesn't Have to be This Way

Christmas was the day
That a child was born to stand up to the world and say
It doesn't have to be this way
I know you're afraid he said
Strangers all around
Alone in space
No one watching over you
On Christmas Day
He came to say
It doesn't have to be this way
It doesn't have to be
This way.......

Christmas was the time
That a child was born into a world of greed and crime
Vengence was the order of the day
He'd say
It doesn't have to be this way
Your hand may be strong
But a stronger hand keeps coming
Your hand may be righteous
So righteously you slay
On Christmas Day
He came to say
It doesn't have to be this way
It doesn't have to be
This way.......

One star shines on an evergreen
And one star shines for me

It's Christmas Day
Let a light shine in your heart don't turn away
It doesn't have to be this way
Yes, we're afraid
Of the coming of the darkness
And the missles in the clouds
And the hunger on the street
But it's Christmas day
And we came to say
That it doesn't have to be this way
It doesn't have to be
It doesn't have to be
Doesn't have to be
It doesn't have to be
This way........

10. Baby, I'm Out of My Head

Here I go round and around and around again
Baby I'm out of my head
All my friends wear comfortable shoes
Maybe I'll settle down in the end
Send back all my invitations
Mark 'em all address unknown
Here I go round and around and around again
Baby I'm out of my head

Hangin' around like a clown with a frown I can
Worry 'bout everything I've read
But summer's here and the time's not right for
Dancing in your head
Maybe there's no explanation
You just roll the dice and go
Here I go round and around and around again
Baby I'm out of my head

I've got no time left for crying
All those things that used to be
Always waiting for a miracle, baby
Now I see it's up to me

Here I go round and around and around & I
Toss and I turn in my bed
I can't keep my feet on the ground
I can't get this song out of my head
Maybe it's infatuation
Or maybe something's going round & round &
Here I go round and around and around again
Baby I'm out of my head

11. Madam Freud

The sky is sunny
He’s got money in his pocket
He’s got feet like a rocket
The street’s alive with noise

He’s got that old time feeling
Something good’s about to happen
Stopping into a tavern
Lays his eyes on Madam Freud
Oh - Oh Oh - Oh Oh - Oh!

She doesn’t smile
He nonchalantly walks over
She doesn’t even seem to notice
He stumbles on her poise

She wants to dance now
He gives her all his quarters
She backs him way into a corner
Always leading Madam Freud
Oh - Oh Oh - Oh Oh - Oh!

& somewhere an alarm clock is ringing
“Wake up!” but the boy’s not listening
Is he dreaming or is he thinking what he’ll do?
I know I know I know what the boy will do
I know I know I know

As he moves close to her she changes her mind
But as he backs away she follows
What he sees depends on how she’s inclined
He’s not used to seeing double
Something tells him he's just wasting his time
He’ll be back again tomorrow

Hangin’ ‘round, fallin’ down, gettin’ up again
Lookin’ for that twinkle in her eye when she says
Do me little favor & I’ll be your best friend tonight
Oh yeah! I know I know what the girl will do I know

She’ll take him home
Tell him to wait out in the parlor
Get on the telephone for hours
Put on a low cut robe

Give him a long long long long kiss
When she finally comes in
Say “ You better get goin’ “
Smiling like Madam Freud
Oh - Oh Oh - Oh Oh - Oh

Then he knows he’s really in it
But it’s too late to turn back, isn’t it?
He’ll just have to bear & grin it
Take his purple heart & pin it
On his chest but, wait a minute
Is he still thinking he might win it?
If he turns around & runs the other way
Oh - no I know I know what he’ll do I know

He’s walking home
No money in his pocket
A street sweeper is talking
“Welcome to the world! “

But what a curious feeling
He doesn’t really know what hit him
& he can’t stop thinking
Who are you, Madam Freud?
Who are you Madam
Freud?
Who are you,
Madam Freud?